On UPS's Peak Day, Wednesday, Dec. 19, the company will deliver more than 250 packages every second through its worldwide air and ground network. Just two days later on Friday, Dec. 21, UPS will handle its largest volume of air express packages, delivering some 5.6 million air packages or nearly two-and-a-half times its normal air volume.

"UPS's intricate logistics network, dedicated employees and robust technologies - not to mention 100 years of experience - equip us to reliably handle the holiday season's immense surge in package volume," said Kurt Kuehn, UPS senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. "More people trust us to deliver their holiday packages than any other company, and they depend on UPS for personalized and convenient service."

To accommodate the intense holiday surge, UPS once again will become one of the season's top employers of choice, adding more than 60,000 seasonal employees, enough to staff some Fortune 500 companies.

The UPS network is designed to handle the needs of all shippers, including procrastinators. Indeed, UPS will accept Next Day Air® packages on Friday, Dec. 21, for delivery on Monday, Dec. 24, just in time for the big day. UPS recommends that shippers with questions about shipping options and proper packing techniques rely on the experts at their neighborhood The UPS Store® and Mail Boxes Etc.® locations.

More than 5,900 The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. locations worldwide offer access to specially trained and certified packing experts who can make gift-giving easier and more efficient. To underscore this fact, participating The UPS Store locations in the U.S. are offering the Pack & Ship Promise, which will reimburse customers in the event a center-packed item shipped via UPS is lost or damaged. (Subject to certain restrictions and limitations. Details are available at theupsstore.com.)

To find store locations, information on products and services, hours of operation, directions and maps, visit theupsstore.com or mbe.com.

For the do-it-yourselfer, UPS offers an Internet shipping option at UPS.com that enables customers to indicate service preferences, pay by credit card, print shipping labels and track packages. Once the label has been placed on the package, a customer can hand it to any UPS driver, arrange for a pick-up or drop it off at any of UPS's drop boxes, Customer Centers, authorized shipping outlets or The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. locations.

UPS is able to accommodate the annual surge in holiday volume because its worldwide package delivery network can expand quickly. At the same time, the company's robust technologies make it possible for customers to keep tabs on their packages while en route. Here's a closer look at some of the numbers that describe the expansiveness of the UPS Peak Season:

• UPS expects more than 32 million online package tracking requests on Peak Day (Wednesday, Dec. 19), more than double a normal day's tracking activity. Meanwhile, the company expects more than 150 million tracking requests during that entire week (Dec. 17-21).
• UPS's ground fleet of 94,542 package cars, vans and tractors will expand by approximately 7,000 vehicles during the holiday season.
• UPS Airlines, already the ninth largest in the world, will add 423 more flights per day during Peak Week (Dec. 17-21) compared to an average day.

For 100 years, UPS has been delivering holiday cheer from around the corner to more than 200 countries and territories across the globe. In the United States, UPS offers convenient access in every neighborhood. To find the nearest UPS location or additional holiday packing and shipping information, visit TheUPSStore.com, www.UPS.com/holiday, or call 1-800-PICK-UPS.

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Editor's Note: The UPS Corporate Public Relations team is ready to help with your holiday coverage. For the latest holiday facts and figures, packing and shipping tips or any other information needed to complete your stories, contact UPS Corporate Public Relations at (404) 828-7123 or visit www.pressroom.ups.com.