UPS plans to invest $500m to boost Canadian operations
UPS plans to invest more than $500m in expanding facilities and enhancing its technology in Canada.
In a statement issued yesterday (21 March), UPS said that this investment – which is included in its previously-stated capital expenditures for 2018 – will add more than 1,000 new jobs.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined UPS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, David Abney, in Toronto yesterday to formally announce the investment plan.
Construction of a $125-million, 180,000 sq. ft. expansion to the company’s Montreal hub, which will be UPS’s first automated sorting facility in Canada, has already begun. Additional facility-based projects include expansions in the Greater Toronto Area and other parts of Ontario as well as Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba.
UPS’s Canadian operations currently encompass more than 12,000 employees, 1,100 UPS Access Point locations and 63 facilities covering more than 2.3 million sq. ft.
“UPS Canada is capitalizing on customer growth and solid operating leverage,” stated UPS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, David Abney. “Strong returns coupled with continued customer demand create an optimal time for this investment that we expect to even further contribute to Canada’s vibrant economy.”
In addition to the expansion plans, UPS said it will “maintain its focus on meeting environmental sustainability goals” through the use of alternative fuels and technology designed to reduce distance and fuel consumption. UPS Canada has set a goal to have 50% of its fleet running on alternative fuels by the end of 2018. The company has also launched a fleet of compressed natural gas vehicles in British Columbia, a first for UPS in Canada.
