UPS has announced the expansion of its global dangerous goods shipping program by adding more than 400 new commodities that can be accepted in its global air network and more than 300 products across its ground network in Europe.
The company also increased the allowable quantity of select dangerous goods accepted for shipment.
“There is a growing demand from companies in a variety of industries to ship products that are classified as dangerous goods. For example, healthcare companies need to transport chemicals to clean laboratory equipment. Industrial manufacturing companies transport paint, compressed gases, adhesives and batteries, among other items. UPS can now help these businesses ship between 36 countries,” the US package delivery giant said in a statement.
“UPS helps companies meet strict and often complex requirements when shipping dangerous goods,” commented Nando Cesarone, President, UPS Europe. “Now we can meet our customers’ expanded needs for a one-stop solution to ship both conventional and dangerous goods.”
UPS has technology applications to simplify shipping packages that meet guidelines issued by the International Air Transport Association, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the European Dangerous Goods Accord, and the International Civil Aviation Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations.
UPS customers can use UPS Worldship® to verify if dangerous goods shipments meet requirements, and notify UPS when the shipments are ready for processing.
UPS provides extensive employee training and takes extra precautions to ensure dangerous goods are safely transported. The company’s integrated transportation network utilizes leak-proof packaging, fire-resistant containers and fire containment covers, the statement added.
President of UPS International, Jim Barber, had told an investor conference in New York in February that the company was planning a significant push in the dangerous goods vertical as part of a strategy to offer the broadest suite of services possible to customers.
“By expanding our dangerous goods services to 36 new countries, we’re effectively expanding the addressable market opportunity by US$660 million. What’s more, expanding our dangerous goods services will enable us to win more conventional business from our customers − some of which actually disqualify carriers who can’t carry both dangerous and conventional goods,” he explained.
