UPS is Expanding its Tennessee Facility

Move over Fed Ex – UPS is expanding in your neighborhood!

The Atlanta, Ga-based overnight and ground shipping giant United Parcel Services (UPS) recently announced an expansion of their automation sorting and distribution facility in Whitescreek, Tenn. The addition of an extra 447,000 square feet will nearly double the facility's capacity. 

With the additional space, UPS also announced in a September 2019 press release that they would add 300 new full and part-time jobs to support the facility, helping to expand their footprint in Tennessee, and increasing competitiveness between the two global overnight shipping companies. 

The new addition was designed to improve UPS’s ability to increase the speed, efficiency, and reliability of sorting and distribution throughout the South Eastern United States.

Cher Porties, the President of UPS’s Mid-South District stated; “UPS is transforming our operations to provide innovative solutions that serve the changing needs of small, medium and large businesses. Doubling our Whitescreek hub’s size and capacity and powering it with UPS’s advanced technology help enable our customers to grow their business. We are excited to generate new jobs and further contribute to Nashville and Middle Tennessee’s rapid growth.”

A Facility to Improve the Customer Experience?

The new facility is packed with technology that focuses on automating the packing, sorting and distribution process. Leading the changes integrated into the Whitescreek-based warehouse is highly automated equipment that rapidly moves packages through the entire process. This new technology also captures data to increase delivery accuracy – leading to better service commitment and reduces missed deliveries. 

Improving the customer experience with order fulfillment is a major goal of all logistics businesses. The expanded UPS package operations hub is part of a multi-year strategic investment plan. A plan to grow UPS’s global smart logistics network.

The facility will also serve as a transfer point for tractor-trailers moving packages to destinations beyond Tennessee. Additionally, the facility also provides pickup and delivery service for customers in Nashville and the surrounding counties.  

The newly expanded facility will also offer new solutions such as UPS My Choice® for Business, UPS Access Point®, and extends pickup hours for Next Day Ground Delivery. This adds flexibility for small and larger businesses to provide delivery services that meet the wants and needs of their consumers. 

Across the State of Tennessee, UPS employs more than 9,300 employees. These employees power package, sorting, delivery, ground freight, healthcare, and contract-based logistics services. Additionally, they hire multiple people to provide support during their peak shipping season, which typically begins in early November and through the holiday season.

Most importantly, the new expansion will provide more job opportunities for Nashville-metro area residents. 

About UPS

UPS is a global leader in fulfillment and shipping solutions. They are currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, serving more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

In recent years, the company has been focusing on offering enhanced flexibility. More specifically, with their next day ground operations within local regions. The rapid growth of regional-based e-commerce fulfillment centers offers UPS the opportunity to expand these customer-centric services as demand increases.

There are many industry experts that suggest this recently expanded facility offers UPS an opportunity to test the waters. And with it, the potential of launching this type of facility in different North American regions.

This new facility will increase local jobs and support a state that has been very helpful to the growth of the overnight express parcel business since Fed Ex moved its operations to Memphis in 1973.