Holiday Forecast Calls for "Flurry" of Packages

Mississagua, November 27, 2009

Dec. 21 Is Busiest Day of the Year for UPS's Global Shipping

Old St. Nick will be getting a serious workout this holiday season trying to keep up with his younger and more agile counterpart, UPS, which is set to deliver more than 22 million packages on its busiest day (approximately 40 percent more than an average day) and 400 million packages during the four weeks before Christmas.

December 21, 2009, is predicted to be the day the global logistics company will see its highest volume of the year, while Dec. 23 will be the busiest day for its air service with more than six million packages projected for delivery.

Once packages are in the UPS network, shippers can visit UPS.com to track their packages. UPS expects more than 35 million online package tracking requests on Tuesday, Dec. 22, the highest tracking day of the season.

"Come sleet, snow, slush or ice, UPS customers can rest assured the packages they send to their family and friends over the holidays will arrive safely and on schedule," said UPS Canada President Mike Tierney. "With 408,000 employees around the world and more than 100 years of holiday experience, UPS is prepared to provide the safest and most reliable shipping over the holidays."

UPS is calling all nations to make their list, check it twice and get those presents for out-of-town loved ones shipped off in time to be placed under the tree on Christmas Eve. Canadians can ship gifts to loved ones within the country as late as Dec. 23 using UPS's Express® air services and still have the packages arrive in time for Christmas.

Santa's unofficial helpers also offer the following tips to ensure gifts arrive safely:

• Package new: Corrugated cardboard gets weaker every time it's used, so use a new box to prevent unnecessary damage.

• Get a helping hand: Rather than package in a hurry, get a helpful representative at The UPS Store® to assist you in properly packaging your gift and completing any necessary customs paperwork. The UPS Store carries a full array of shipping supplies and is a convenient location for shipping your holiday packages. The stores can also assist with printing holiday newsletters, programs and personalized family calendars. Additional tips on shipping holiday gifts, luggage and food can be found in The UPS Store Holiday Ship Shape Quarterly. To find your neighbourhood The UPS Store location, please visit www.theupsstore.ca.

• Prepare it online.  UPS Internet Shipping enables do-it-yourselfers to choose service preferences, pay by credit card, print shipping labels and track packages. With a printed label affixed, a package can be handed to or picked up by a UPS driver, placed in one of 40,000 UPS drop boxes or dropped off at a UPS Customer Center, The UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc. or other authorized shipping outlets. Shippers can visit UPS.com to verify the time-in-transit for each shipping destination.

• Send items that travel well. Oatmeal, sugar or peanut butter cookies, brownies, molasses bars, biscotti, shortbread, dried fruit or snack mixes and hard candy are all good shipping candidates. Avoid items that can't withstand heat or other extreme temperatures, such as chocolate or foods that require refrigeration.

UPS delivers to more than 200 countries and territories around the globe using state-of-the-art technology and an international network of distribution centres and various modes of transportation, including planes, trains and automobiles, but also canoes, camels and any other mode of transportation necessary to get a package to its destination.

UPS.com® allows shippers to track the progress and whereabouts of their shipments in real time — a perfect solution for those who tend to procrastinate and worry about whether their package will arrive in time for Christmas.

For more holiday packing and shipping information, visit www.UPS.com or call 1-800-PICK-UPS.

Editor's Note: The UPS Canada Public Relations team is ready to help with your holiday coverage. For the latest holiday facts and figures, packing and shipping tips or any other information needed to complete your stories, contact UPS Canada Public Relations at 905-676-1708.