UPS Set to Undertake $1 Billion Air Hub Expansion

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PS Inc. will begin a $1 billion expansion later this year of its Worldport global air hub in Louisville, Ky.

The expansion is expected to increase the facility’s sorting capacity by 60% to 487,000 packages an hour over the next five years, UPS said.

The additions will boost facility’s size to 5.1 million square feet from 1.1 million. Construction is scheduled to be complete by 2010.

The expansion will include three aircraft load/unload “wings” to the facility and the installation of high-speed conveyor and computer controlled systems.

The package carrier also said it will add new ramp space to accommodate A380 and 747-400 cargo planes currently on order, and a new vehicle loading facility for the local ground network.

UPS said the expansion reflects continued growth in its global air package volume. Its next-day air package volume has grown nearly 5% on average since 2003, the company said.

UPS is ranked No. 1 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.