UPS views Thailand as Asia gateway
Asia-Pacific head Ken Torok said yesterday.
Just how fast Thailand attains this position will depend on the readiness of its facilities such as those at the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
?The seven ?opportunity? Asian countries for UPS are China, Japan, Korea, India, Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand,? he said.
Last year the number of packages sent by UPS to Asia grew by an average of 15 per cent from the previous year.
In the global market, excluding Asia, business grew by 50 per cent.
India and the Philippines were countries which enjoyed the highest growth rate of 50 per cent, while China?s grew by about 45 per cent.
Torok said the bird flu epidemic had not affected business. The firm operates its own airline that makes six flights a week from Bangkok to the Philippines, which is another Asian hub for UPS.
The company has in place a high-level security system. It also delivers only goods, and not animals.
Its aircraft can take loads of up to 40 tonnes per flight, an adequate volume for the moment he said.
But if the load increases, UPS will add more flights, Torok said.
Last year the firm re-branded itself in the US and Europe, by using the ?synchronised commerce? concept that integrates customer services. It links up package delivery, financial management and logistic systems. In doing do it reduces costs for customers and increases revenue for the firm.
UPS has used its new concept in Thailand since last month.
It also aims to bring new technologies and solutions to improve services. Among them is the ?campus? system that allows its departments to access information about shipments. Only shipments that have been paid for will be delivered.
Its wholly-owned subsidiary, UPS Supply Chain that takes care of ground and ocean transportation, is helping to co-ordinate its delivery system.
Thanadit Staporncharnchai
The Nation
