UPS drivers are on the road across the United States andinternationally, making highly- anticipated deliveries of Apple’snew iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPad Air. October 23 is launch dayfor the new iPhone and iPad, and UPS has worked for weeks to ensurethat pre- ordered devices will be delivered to customers and retailstores as promised. UPS is a major carrier involved in the launch,and is delivering iPhones and iPads to stores, distribution centersand customers in more than 20 countries.
“This project is the embodiment of our ‘customer first, peopleled, innovation driven’ strategy. We are using the full power ofUPS’s global logistics network, our people and our technology toensure customers are delighted with our service when they receivetheir new products,” UPS Airlines President Brendan Canavansaid.
Supporting the launch of a new Apple product requires a widevariety of UPS services, including Global Freight Forwarding, UPSAirlines and Small Package ground delivery. The Customer Solutionsand Program Management group is the conductor, directing a complexspecial operating plan.
“It really is a symphony,” Customer Solutions Director JulieMcKenzie said. “The strength and resilience of the teams workingtogether is amazing,” she said.
UPS Worldport, the company’s global air hub in Louisville,Kentucky, and the company’s airline play a pivotal role in thelaunch. UPS Airlines and charter cargo jets transport phoneshipments, pre-positioning the products in the U.S. before launchday. And Worldport ran a special sort, dedicated solely to sortingiPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPad Air shipments.
On Oct. 22, the day prior to the launch, package handlers atWorldport unloaded hundreds of thousands of shipments onto conveyorbelts for sorting throughout the 5.2 million square foot facility.They included both single devices destined for customers, andlarger shipments of phones to Apple Stores and other retailers.Scanners read the smart label on each package, routing itautomatically via 155 miles of conveyor belts to an outbound chute,where they were placed in containers for loading onto outbound UPSflights headed for destinations across the U.S.
“It’s a big launch, it’s a lot of package volume, which is whywe have the special sort dedicated just to Apple shipments. We addadditional employees to our small package sort, giving us thecapability to support this launch,” Worldport Second Day Air HubManager Garry Kelley said.
While that experience is important, every launch is differentwith different logistics requirements. But the end goal always isthe same. “We’re obsessed with providing perfect service. That’swhat drives us,” McKenzie said.