UPS predicts 6% surge in preholiday shipping

BLADE NEWS SERVICES

United Parcel Service expects to hire 55,000 temporary workers this year to handle an increase in holiday package shipping. ASSOCIATED PRESS Enlarge

NEW YORK — United Parcel Service Inc. expects package deliveries the week before Christmas to rise 6 percent compared with the volume in 2010 as more shoppers wait until the last minute to buy gifts online.

That’s a total of 120 million packages around the world during the company’s “peak week,” compared with 113 million last year.

The Atlanta company predicts its busiest day will be Dec. 22, when it expects to deliver 26 million parcels. UPS also predicts it will experience five days on which deliveries meet or exceed 25 million.

The company expects to hire 55,000 holiday workers this year, up 10 percent from a year ago.

UPS’ smaller rival, FedEx Corp., expects to handle 17 million packages on its busiest day, which this year is projected to fall on Dec. 12. That’s 10 percent more than its busiest day last year.

FedEx expects to hire 20,000 seasonal workers.

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