UPS Canada Toasts 35 Years of Success

Mississagua, February 25, 2010

Global Logistics Company Began Canadian Operations With One Checker Cab in Toronto in 1975

When UPS Canada picked up its first shipment in 1975 at Butterick Fashions Marketing in downtown Toronto - using a Checker cab - no one could have imagined where the company would be today.

Thirty-five years later, UPS Canada is connecting its Canadian customers with markets all over the world, utilizing 11,000 employees and 54 package operations facilities located throughout the nation.

It was Feb. 28, 1975, when Canada became the first country to host UPS operations outside the United States. Since then, the presence and scope of the company has grown dramatically to include air and ground service to any address in Canada along with global service to more than 200 countries and territories.

"There are few companies that have progressed as quickly and as broadly as UPS has in Canada," said UPS Canada President Mike Tierney, a 28-year veteran of the company. "We are proud of our accomplishments and our people, and we will continue to find new ways to go above and beyond our customers' expectations as has been our tradition since we began service in Canada more than three decades ago."

Tierney began his career as a driver in 1981, the year in which UPS Canada experienced a 20 percent increase in shipping volume to reach 10 million packages. Two years later, the company began air service to and from the U.S. through Hamilton's international airport.

In 1988, UPS Canada opened its first large-scale distribution centre in Concord, Ontario, one that was designed to process 20,000 packages per hour and house 228 delivery vehicles. In 2009, UPS invested $72 million in a state-of-the-art expansion of that facility, doubling its processing capacity to 40,000 packages per hour and adding several environmentally sustainable features, including a climate control system that adjusts the internal temperature based on the amount of sunlight in the building and a comprehensive storm water management system.

That expansion was followed by the establishment of a new, $30 million distribution centre at the Calgary International Airport (YYC), which opened this week on Monday. The Calgary facility will help expedite air shipments to and from Alberta.

"One of the keys to our success has been our focus on, and investment in, innovative technology that truly distinguishes UPS from our competitors," said Tierney.  "UPS leverages technology to empower our customers with personalized solutions that simplify global trade, optimize supply chains, manage costs and improve their customer service."

Some of these innovations include the industry's first paperless customs document service and new shipping and tracking applications for iPhone® and Blackberry® devices.

In addition, the company has continued its long-held commitment to environmental sustainability through its expanding "green fleet," which consists of more than 700 propane-fuelled vehicles that reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent over traditional gasoline–powered engines. The propane vehicles are unique to Canada, where propane is more readily available than in any other UPS region.

UPS Canada also has had a profound impact on Canadian communities. UPS conducted its first United Way fundraising drive in 1983, which became an annual commitment that has blossomed into the company's inclusion in United Way's annual Thanks A Million Award (recognizing companies contributing $1 million or more). UPS also offers post-secondary scholarships for the children of UPS employees and regularly contributes volunteer hours and grants to charitable organizations across the country. 

The company has a rich legacy of supporting volunteerism and community involvement, with Tierney currently serving as chair of Volunteer Canada's Corporate Council on Volunteering.

"Whether you're in Canada, the U.S. or anywhere in the world where our brown delivery vehicles are found, UPS is firmly committed to the communities we serve," said Tierney.