United Parcel Service said it intends to invest $400 million in a new regional package sorting hub on the west side of Atlanta, making the operation the third largest processing facility in the company’s U.S. network.
Once up and running, UPS estimated it will add 1,250 new jobs.
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| United Parcel Service driver Marty Thompson makes a delivery in Cumming, Ga.(Photo: David Goldman, AP) |
The announcement Thursday is a big win for the Atlanta region and adds detail to multi-year plans by UPS to modernize and expand its global network with new facilities and the purchase of 14 new jumbo cargo aircraft. The new jets are expected to fly daily to Louisville, where the shipping giant broke ground in August on a $300 million expansion of its Centennial package sorting facility in Louisville.
Spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg said in a statement that UPS is looking at large hubs such as Louisville and Chicago, and later Atlanta, to define the company's approach to modernization and expansion. Construction in Atlanta is planned in an economically depressed part of Fulton County on a 341-acre industrial site. The facility would open in late 2018.
“UPS has proudly made its global headquarters in Atlanta for more than two decades,” said David Abney, UPS' chief executive. “This strategic capital investment will feature state-of-the-art technology. When combined with the strong transportation connections and talented labor pool that Atlanta provides, UPS is building flexibility to meet the growing needs of our customers and our business in Georgia, and around the world.”
The Atlanta 1.2 million-square-foot facility will feature sorting, processing and data capture technology. The hub will include a delivery vehicle center and retail customer center.
UPS employs more than 14,000 people across Georgia in various operations. Product and technology development, network planning and other corporate staffs are based in metro Atlanta. By comparison, UPS has 26,000 full- and part-time employees in Kentucky, with 22,000 in Louisville.
