UPS is looking to slash about 20,000 jobs and close more than 70 facilities as it reduces the amount of
Amazon shipments it handles.
The package delivery company said it anticipates making the job cuts this year. It anticipates closing 73 leased and owned buildings by the end of June. UPS said that it is still reviewing its network and may identify more buildings to be shuttered.
āThe actions we are taking to reconfigure our network and reduce cost across our business could not be timelier,ā CEO Carol TomĆ© said in a statement. āThe macro environment may be uncertain, but with our actions, we will emerge as an even stronger, more nimble UPS.ā
In January, UPS announced that it had reached a deal with Amazon, its biggest customer, to lower its volume by more than 50 percent by the second half of 2026.
During UPSās fourth-quarter earnings conference call in January, TomĆ© said that the company had partnered with Amazon for almost 30 years and that when its contract came up this year, UPS decided to reassess the relationship.
āAmazon is our largest customer but itās not our most profitable customer,ā TomĆ© said at the time. āIts margin is very dilutive to the U.S. domestic business.ā
TomƩ said that UPS considered various options and determined that the volume reduction was the best alternative.
The company employs about 490,000 workers, according to FactSet.
United Parcel Service Inc. also reported its first-quarter financial results this week. The Atlanta-based company earned $1.19 billion, or $1.40 per share, in the quarter that ended March 31.