DAY sort to close by end of June
UPS gives date for pullout at airport
Parcel service says June will be final month for 1,250
By Timothy R. Gaffney
Dayton Daily News
DAYTON | — Adding details to an earlier announcement, United Parcel Service Inc. has told its 1,250 Dayton air freight hub workers their jobs will go away in the month of June, a spokesman said Friday.
Timing of the Atlanta-based shipper's plans to close the hub at Dayton International Airport hinged on expansion of its main air hub in Louisville, Ky., and construction of five regional hubs at airports across the country.
"We had to make sure that construction stayed on schedule," UPS spokesman Norman Black said. "Our current plan is to use the month of June to slowly transition freight operations to Louisville and other facilities."
The Dayton hub will stay in full operation in June but will close by June 30, he said.
Its closure will cost the airport millions in lost revenues from cargo airline operations.
Local officials are searching for another activity to fill the hub, which UPS acquired from CNF Inc.'s Menlo Worldwide in 2004.
"We're continuing discussions with our consultant and getting better information on the possibilities for reuse.? (UPS has) made it real clear they're willing to work with us," said Stanley Earley, Dayton assistant city manager.
Last year, officials worried UPS might keep the vacant hub to prevent competition from another air freight company. The complex was built for heavyweight air freight.
"We don't want to hold onto the building. We want to sell it," Black said.
He said the hub workers have supported UPS's request not to abandon the hub, and employment has dropped only slightly from the 1,400 at the time of the announcement in Feburary 2005.
UPS has hired an outplacement firm to help employees find new jobs this spring, he said.
Contact Timothy Gaffney at (937) 225-2390.