UPS to move Asian hub to China to cut shipment time

United Parcel Service Inc (UPS), the world's largest package delivery company, said on Wednesday that it plans to spend US$180 million to relocate its intra-Asia air hub to Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, from the Philippines in a bid to reduce transit time across the region.

The new hub, which will start operation in 2010, will be capable of processing up to 18,000 pieces per hour initially, more than double from 7,500 pieces per hour in the Philippines. In addition, it will help cut the transmit time by at least one day in the region.

The around 1 million-square feet hub whose capacity will be later expanded to 36,000 pieces per hour, will need about 400 employees, the US-based company said.