As reported by Supply Chain 24/7:

UPS has made additional expansions to its UPS Worldwide Express service, adding 23 additional countries and territories, which it said will result in earlier guaranteed-delivery options for shippers that only previously had end-of-day guarantees.

This service provides customers with guaranteed delivery on the next possible business day by 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, or 2 p.m., based on destination.

UPS said individuals and companies of varying sizes can use it, but it is geared towards ones with time-sensitive international shipment and is available in 88 countries that make up 94 percent of global GDP.

The announcement follows an October expansion for Worldwide Express for 41,000 global postal codes, which took effect on October 19.

“The latest expansion covers growing markets like Colombia, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, which are increasingly important to global trade,” said Nick Basford, vice president of international marketing at UPS, in a statement.

“Colombia has become a key market for U.S. exporters due to the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. Saudi Arabia is a large economy with a growing middle class. And Vietnam is emerging as a manufacturing powerhouse in the Asia Pacific region. UPS Worldwide Express service now gives customers more options to reach these and other key global markets.”

UPS added that it already delivers more packages internationally than any other carrier, with this expansion providing customers, notably those with time-sensitive shipments, guaranteed time-of-day deliveries, which are needed as international trade continues to grow. It also highlighted how trade growth is expected to expand by nearly 4 percent in 2016, according to the World Trade Organization.

The additional 23 countries for UPS Worldwide Express is now available includes: Colombia, Guatamela, Honduras, Ecudaor, Bermuda, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Morocco, Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Serbia, Jersey, Guernsey, Montenegro, Vietnam, and Macau.

UPS spokesman Kyle Peterson said in a previous interview that the need to expand Worldwide Express offerings has been driven by its customers’ desires for more time-definite delivery options.

“With delivery earlier in the day, Worldwide Express gives shippers an additional option for packages that can’t wait,” he said. “UPS chose the postal codes for WWE expansion based on a combination of network capabilities and shipment activity. UPS already has a large geographic footprint that covers the world’s major cities, so [these ongoing expansions] extend that reach beyond city centers and into extended metro areas.

With delivery earlier in the day, Peterson said that Worldwide Express gives shippers an additional option for packages that can’t wait.

Ken Wood is the founder of LJM Consultants. LJM helps clients negotiate “Best in Class” UPS/FedEx agreements. LJM was recently named the “best parcel auditing company in America” and was also inducted into Inc. Magazine’s Top 500/5000 fastest growing companies in America for 2013. To learn how LJM Consultants can help your company get the parcel contract you deserve, call 631-844-9500 or email kenwood@myLJM.com.