UPS Helping Small and Mid-Size Businesses Compete Globally

UPS (NYSE:UPS), a longtime advocate of the benefits of international commerce, today announced a series of key global trade initiatives aimed at helping small- and medium-sized businesses expand and compete in today's rapidly changing global business environment.

Among the initiatives are UPS's participation in a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Export Forum later this month; the upcoming release of the latest UPS Business Monitor survey; a series of special export seminars hosted by UPS around the country this summer, and the release of "snapshot" guides for small businesses interested in expanding to five specific countries.

"With 96 percent of the world's consumers living beyond U.S. borders, American small- and medium-sized businesses that don't go global today will be playing catch-up tomorrow," said Dan Brutto, president, UPS International.

"And with its newly announced National Export Initiative, the U.S. Department of Commerce has made it clear that international trade is the driving factor in advancing American small- and mid-sized businesses out of the economic recession," Brutto continued. "We need to ensure all businesses have access to the resources, technology and logistics solutions they need to better compete in today's global marketplace."

The latest round of initiatives begins on May 23-25 when UPS sponsors the Export Forum in Washington, D.C., as part of the SBA's National Small Business Week.

As part of the Export Forum, Dale Hayes, vice president of UPS U.S. Marketing, will participate in a panel discussion along with Luz Hopewell, director, international trade, SBA; Julia Dvorko, central Massachusetts regional director, Massachusetts Export Center; John Joyce, regional manager, SBA export finance program, U.S. Export Assistance Center; Daniel Nanigian, president, Nanmac Corporation, and Paula Murphy, director, Massachusetts Export Center.

Also in May, UPS will release the latest findings from its Business Monitor United States (BMUS), a nationwide survey of small- and medium-sized business owners that identifies global trade insights such as current trends, markets of interest and hurdles to exporting. UPS launched BMUS in 2007 to keep a pulse on the issues facing America's small- and mid-sized businesses, considered the backbone of the U.S. economy.

Beginning in July, UPS will host a series of six "How To" export seminars for small- and mid-sized businesses featuring Jim Beach, entrepreneur and former University of Chattanooga professor, and Chris Hanks, director of the entrepreneurship program at the University of Georgia. Beach and Hanks are co-founders of The Entrepreneur School, an online educational program designed to support the specific needs of entrepreneurs. The seminars will teach small- and medium-sized businesses practical approaches for expanding into international markets and the benefits of global trade. The first seminar will take place in Atlanta on July 27, with future seminars taking place in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, San Jose and Dallas.

Available now are a series of guides developed by UPS that offer compelling insights into business trends in specific international markets. The "Snapshots for Small Business" guides contain an overview of the country of focus, etiquette tips, cultural insights, interviews from U.S. Commercial Service representatives and lessons learned from American businesses already in market. Available Snapshots include Brazil, Canada, China, Poland and Vietnam. Snapshots can be downloaded at pressroom.ups.com/snapshotsforsmallbiz. UPS also offers a number of online resources that small- and mid-sized businesses can access anytime. The complete toolkit is available at ups.com/businesssolutions.

"American small- and mid-sized businesses can help drive our economic recovery if we give them the tools they need to succeed," Brutto concluded. "UPS is proud to help small- and medium-sized businesses learn to reach customers across the globe just as easily as customers across the street."