LOS ANGELES, May 14, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UPS® (NYSE:UPS) announced today that it will serve as
an official supplier to the Special Olympics World Games Los
Angeles 2015 (LA2015). Designated a Games Supplier, UPS will
donate its logistics expertise, warehousing and volunteers to help
mobilize the Games that will see 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches
visit Los Angeles from July 25-Aug. 2, 2015.
UPS Airlines will transport the Flame of HopeTM torch
from Athens, Greece, to Washington, D.C. In addition to the flight
crew, a UPS management pilot will escort the flame in four
specially designed lanterns or "miners lamps," designed to keep the
flame lit during the trans-Atlantic flight. UPS will
deliver the lamps to Special Olympics in Washington, D.C., in time
for the start of the Law Enforcement Torch Run® race for
Special Olympics.
The journey for the Flame of Hope torch will begin in Athens,
Greece, aboard a UPS aircraft. The flame will make a stopover at
the UPS hub at Cologne Bonn Airport before departing for the
U.S. The UPS Airlines flight will land in Philadelphia on May
19 where the flame will be transferred to a UPS alternative fuel
vehicle for a trip down I-95 to Washington, D.C. UPS will
deliver the flame to Special Olympics later that day.
UPS will also use its unique logistics expertise to coordinate
the receipt, inventory, staging and movement of small parcel and
freight from multiple staging locations throughout Southern
California to all L.A.-based Special Olympics World Games
venues. The company will also donate 10,000 square-feet of
warehouse space to provide storage for apparel and equipment
throughout the week-long event. UPS volunteers will use the same
inventory and tracking services UPS offers its customers around the
world every day for fast and accurate retrieval of items for the
World Games.
"We are excited to be part of the Special Olympic World Games,"
said Noel Massie, UPS president of the South California District.
"We can't wait to support these inspiring athletes from around the
world."
UPS's in-kind support includes:
- Coast-to-coast movement of ten vehicles for the Los Angeles
Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department
through UPS Autogistics for use in the Unified Relay Across
America
- Three "loaned" executives, who are logistics and management
experts responsible for designing, planning and executing the
movement of cargo and sports equipment for roughly 10,000 athletes
to 11 different venues throughout Los Angeles
- UPS drivers dedicated to expedite apparel and equipment
transfer to multiple venues
- Private warehousing and fulfillment to store, track and
retrieve apparel and game gear
- More than 300 UPS volunteers will donate 7,200 hours of
hands-on support
According to organizers, the Special Olympics World Games will
be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world
this year, and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the
1984 Olympic Games.
About UPS
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a
broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages
and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the
deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the
world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than
220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found
on the Web at ups.com®and its corporate blog can be
found at Longitudes.ups.com. To get UPS
news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.
CONTACT: Dan Cardillo
404-828-8744
dcardillo@ups.com
