Package delivery giants FedEx and United Parcel Service gave peak package day forecasts, with both predicting higher volumes despite slower US economic growth.
Memphis-based FedEx expects 11.3 million packages to move through its FedEx Express and FedEx Ground networks on December 17, compared with an average daily volume of seven million packages.
Last year, FedEx predicted 9.8 million packages would pass through its network on its peak day.
Spokesman Howard Clabo said last year's figure did not include FedEx SmartPost packages -- a lower cost service in which packages are dropped off at the nearest post office and then taken the last few miles to customers by the US Postal Service.
Excluding SmartPost packages from this year's prediction, the comparable forecast would be 10.4 million, a gain of 6.1 percent.
UPS expects package volumes in its network to reach 22 million on its peak day on December 19.
On average day the world's largest package delivery company moves around 15 million packages through its network.
Company officials said in early 2007 that during the 2006 peak season the company moved more than 22 million packages on three separate days.
Both companies have warned recently that slowing US economic growth will have an impact on their business.
As in previous years, online retail sales are expected to be a boost for both package delivery companies.
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Source: cargonewsasia
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