Keeping The American And Global Economy Moving
ATLANTA, April 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
- UPS Details Efforts to Fight COVID-19 and Enhance its Unmatched Network to Power Customers’ Supply Chains to Deliver Needed Goods and Services to Save Lives
- UPS “Brown Army” Supporting Front Line Workers, Communities, Business, and Government and Showing the Power of Logistics to Combat COVID-19
(NYSE: UPS) today detailed a comprehensive set of actions it has taken to fight COVID-19 and to keep the American and global economy moving. The company, supported by 495,000 UPSers, its smart logistics network, its technology expertise, and working hand in hand with customers and government, is proactively implementing solutions to ensure life-saving materials and equipment are delivered rapidly to where they are needed most.
While ensuring the safety of its employees remains a top priority, UPS is focused on supporting all economic activity and the U.S. and global supply chains that provide vital goods and services to consumers, businesses and institutions. In partnership with local, state and federal governments, NGOs, and healthcare and pharmaceutical providers, UPS is ensuring that communities have what they need to combat the virus. Leveraging its global logistics capabilities, UPS is facilitating the delivery of critical goods and equipment to health care professionals, first responders, law enforcement authorities, and government officials, while also providing basic essentials to Americans who are staying at home to stop the spread of the virus.
Key actions include:
Government Support
- As part of FEMA Project Airbridge, UPS has increased the number of flights by over 200 to transport critical cargo from around the world to the United States to meet demand for test kits, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies.
- Partnered with 3M and FEMA to ship millions of masks to the United States for use by healthcare professionals and other front line heroes.
- Delivered over 250 drums of hand sanitizer to healthcare providers and first responders, with plans to deliver more across the country.
- Opened dedicated space for FEMA in a 450,000-square-foot healthcare distribution center on the UPS Worldport facility in Louisville, KY, the company’s automated global Air hub, to fulfill urgent orders for U.S. delivery overnight.
- Delivering the inaugural shipments of 50 ventilators manufactured by GM in partnership with Ventec Life Systems to U.S. hospitals in areas hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Humanitarian Aid
- Donated $15M in funding for U.S. non-profit organizations and others around the world to help sustain underserved and impacted communities in the areas of food security, healthcare, education and financial sustainability.
- Ensured law enforcement agencies across the country had sufficient PPE to do their jobs as safely as possible, from delivering hand sanitizer to the NYPD, to donating masks to the Nevada Highway Patrol and the Long Beach, Chicago and Detroit Police Departments, among others.
- Provided masks to front line workers to help non-profit organizations such as Miriam’s Kitchen, a homeless services organization in Washington, D.C., as well as medical centers serving the Navajo Nation and the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
Customer Collaboration
UPS is working with customers across a broad range of industries to deliver PPE, testing and other essential goods and equipment to protect their employees and support their customers and communities. The following are highlights of key partnerships, out of hundreds of customer collaborations:
- Delivery of Coronavirus Taskforce PPE and Supplies – FEMA, Henry Schein, Owens & Minor, Grainger, McKesson, Medtronics, CVS
- PPE and Supplies to Protect Employees – Kroger, L.L. Bean, Advance Auto Parts
- Pharmaceutical Deliveries – Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Amgen
- Medical Equipment Deliveries – Mercedes Scientific, XEROX, Philips Healthcare
- Lab Logistics – Everlywell testing in over 20 states and localities; Quest Diagnostics, Rutgers, LabCorp
- Test Kit Deliveries – Vault Health, QIAGEN, Abbott Labs, Thermo Fischer Scientific
Employee Safety
- Enhanced cleaning in all facilities, especially for shared equipment and vehicle interiors.
- Adjusted policies and guidelines to maintain social distancing, including new signature requirements so that deliveries do not require a recipient to sign or share a pen.
- Following CDC guidelines by providing sanitizing supplies and masks to drivers and other employees.
- Implemented an emergency paid leave program to any employee affected by the virus.
“Leadership from the private sector is critical during this time. UPS takes its role seriously and is working in close partnership with governments and customers to deliver the necessary supplies and materials in the fight against COVID-19, leveraging our unique logistics expertise and unmatched technology. Our customers and communities depend on UPS, and the ‘Brown army’ of UPS drivers, loaders, mechanics, pilots and many more are committed to delivering for them. Every day we are helping our employees to safely serve our communities through this challenging time. We are delivering life-saving goods and basic necessities our customers need for their businesses and families. This is what motivates us and what will keep our economy moving throughout this pandemic and toward recovery,” said David Abney, UPS Chairman and CEO.
David Abney joined one of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups to help chart the path forward to allow for American businesses, big and small, to reopen safely – sharing methods and processes that have kept UPSers safe throughout this pandemic.
UPS moves the global economy forward and transports 6% of GDP for the U.S. alone. Since February 2020, UPS has:
- Delivered a total of 1.2 million test kits in the U.S., with millions of kits in the pipeline; and,
- Transported over 10 million items of PPE, including gloves, masks and face shields.
About UPS
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. UPS was awarded company for Shipping and Delivery services by Newsweek magazine; Forbes ; and top rankings on the list for social responsibility, the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, and the Harris Poll Reputation Quotient, among other prestigious rankings and awards. The company can be found on the web at or and its corporate blog can be found at The company’s sustainability eNewsletter, UPS Horizons, can be found at To get UPS news direct, follow on Twitter. To ship with UPS, visit .
Glenn Zaccara 404-828-4663
