UPS Inc. is guaranteeing early morning delivery of goods to more international destinations as it seeks to increase revenue in emerging markets, the world's largest shipping carrier said Tuesday.The Atlanta-based company said it will begin offering three, rather than one or two, daily time-definite delivery options to and from certain global markets.UPS said it will now offer 9 a.m. delivery guarantees from U.S. points to 30 countries instead of 23. The new countries are Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.That change and others UPS is making expand the number of morning and afternoon commit times UPS offers for urgent deliveries to and from cities throughout the world.
The company said that while it has been standard for shippers to offer a range of times to deliver packages and other items in the U.S., importers and exporters have long had only one or two time-of-day delivery options for international air shipments.In China, for instance, UPS currently only offers end of day delivery, typically around 6 p.m., said Kurt Kuehn, senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. When the changes take effect Jan. 1, it also will offer 9 a.m. delivery to China as well as late morning guaranteed delivery, Kuehn said.The new UPS services will give businesses three time-of-day delivery options in 30 counties outside the U.S.UPS also is expanding from 31 to 47 the number of countries where it offers late morning guaranteed delivery, Kuehn said.
Rates for the new services have not yet been determined, Kuehn said.Shares of United Parcel Service Inc. rose 71 cents to close at $75.31 on the New York Stock Exchange. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.