UPS ENHANCES CUSTOMS CLEARANCE FOR GREATER FREIGHT EFFICIENCY
ATLANTA, Feb. 24, 2004 -- UPS Supply Chain Solutions (NYSE:UPS) today announced enhancements to its customs brokerage service including new technology tools for better status visibility of shipments; alert systems to monitor the progress of critical shipments before, during and after customs clearance, and greater imaging capabilities for easier retrieval of documentation.
"The advent of more stringent security regulations, increasing documentation requirements and advanced notification about goods before they arrive at international destinations means that customs clearance is much more complex and unpredictable," said Norm Schenk, who leads brokerage services for UPS Supply Chain Solutions. "These enhancements are designed to keep goods moving quickly and efficiently across borders while keeping customers proactively informed about their international shipments in transit."
Each year, UPS Supply Chain Solutions files more than 4 million customs entries in the United States, making it the nation`s largest broker. It also has customs operations in 120 other countries.
Specific enhancements will include new options, via UPS Supply Chain Solutions` Flex(r) Global View technology, which will allow customers to obtain multiple levels of detail about shipments. A "profiling and alerting" feature proactively informs customers when shipments reach defined key milestones during customs clearance. The "sensitive entry" watch list monitors specific shipments` progress, flagging those deemed critical by customers. And an individual "line item status" feature provides improved item-by-item visibility into consolidated customs entries.
"Greater visibility into the customs clearance process is critical for a smooth, synchronized supply chain," Schenk added. "Flex Global View gives shippers more information about their goods as those goods cross international borders so they, in turn, can inform their own customers."
UPS Supply Chain Solutions also is adding imaging enhancements that provide for the electronic capture and archiving of trade documentation, which eliminates physical storage requirements, increases efficiency in retrieving stored records and makes information immediately available for a faster audit cycle.
In related news, UPS and UPS Supply Chain Solutions have combined to create a single customs brokerage entity and have adopted a single filer code under UPS Supply Chain Solutions. The single unit processes customs entries for goods being delivered via UPS`s small package network, as well as international air, ocean, ground and rail shipments managed by UPS Supply Chain Solutions as a customs broker and third-party logistics provider.
The change streamlines the customs clearance process and eliminates the need for customers to have separate Powers of Attorney, databases and production information on file for both small package and freight shipments. UPS already is certified under two government-business initiatives designed to keep borders secure: The U.S. Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and Canada`s Partners in Protection (PIP).
UPS is the world`s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the flow of goods, information and funds. Its business unit, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, offers transportation and freight services, logistics and distribution and international trade services. UPS`s stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS) and the company can be found on the Web at http://ups.com and http://ups-scs.com.
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Contact:
Stephen Boggs
UPS Supply Chain Solutions
678-746-7021
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