DHL, UPS make major investments in US facilities

Both DHL and UPS have announced major investments in their U.S. facilities, with plans to spend $3.8M and $1.4B, respectively. 

DHL announced its decision yesterday to invest $3.8M to expand its Cleveland facility in response to a further anticipated surge in demand for international shipping and e-commerce, and to support  the region’s manufacturing industries.  

The expanded DHL facility will be located near the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and be 20,000 square feet larger than the original facility, nearly doubling its size to 41,000 square feet. As part of the expansion, DHL said it will include a higher capacity interior conveyer system and space to accommodate 32 vans and trucks to maximize processing capabilities and enable earlier deliveries for international and local shippers. 

Meanwhile, UPS today announced its decision to invest approximately $1.4B in significant facility enhancements across its Pennsylvania network, including the opening of a new “super hub” in Harrisburg, along with three new sortation and distribution facilities in Carlisle, Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia. 

The three UPS sortation and distribution facilities will feature automated scanning, sortation and conveyer technology to support efficient movement of packages through the facility and delivery accuracy. The facilities will also include UPS’ flexible services, such as extended pickup hours for UPS Next Day Ground Delivery, Saturday and Sunday service, the UPS Digital Access Program and expanded UPS Access Point locations. 

The new UPS super hub in Harrisburg will become the integrator giant’s northeast regional hub, supporting the movement of goods between markets such as Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The super hub’s processing facilities will be tasked with reducing time in transit and enhancing flexibility for shippers to use UPS’ hub-and-spoke network. 

The new UPS hub joins the integrator’s existing five regional super hubs already operating in Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Indianapolis, as well as two additional super hubs set to open this year in Tacoma, Wash., and Ontario, Calif.