Newsbits


U-Ship, Inc. Forms Advanced Courier Services, Inc. and Plans First Acquisition

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 1998--Peter Lytle, Chairman and CEO of U-Ship, Inc. (Nasdaq: USHP - news) announced that U-Ship, Inc. has formed Advanced Courier Services, Inc. as a subsidiary company to serve as a platform for future courier acquisitions.

U-Ship has also signed a letter of intent to acquire Jel Trucking, a Twin Cities courier and dock truck service. According to Lytle, adding courier services is key to repositioning the company's self-service, UPS priority letter and package shipping kiosks and building a time-sensitive package movement network.

``By vertically integrating pick-up from our kiosks and delivery to major carriers, we will now offer a 24-hour shipping service,'' said Lytle. ``Our plan is to first build a model of Automated Shipping Centers serviced by Advanced Courier Services in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, and then to create a national roll-up of courier services across the country.''

In order to build a system with improved cost efficiencies and to market and advertise effectively, U-Ship will implement the following strategies:

-- Up to 200 retrofitted mailing/shipping kiosks will be re-deployed into the Minneapolis/St. Paul market and are planned to be operational by late October, and as many as 500 kiosks will be installed in the next twelve months. U-Ship will pull low-performing units from retail locations beginning immediately.

-- U-Ship's advanced technology, which now allows automated self-service shipping with touch-screen data entry, will be designed to incorporate expanded shipping choices, including courier options.

-- Additional courier acquisitions, expected to be finalized this year, will support the growing network, as well as facilitate local delivery options.

-- New technology will link drivers and kiosks for mid-point pick-ups and create a new standard for operational efficiencies.

In May, l998, Lytle, principal of the Business Development Group, and his management team joined U-Ship after evaluating U-Ship's technology and market options. Significant investments have been made in repositioning U-Ship's business segments over the last quarter. These include creating an OEM (original equipment manufacturing) subsidiary (IQ K) to market the company's state-of-the-art intelligent kiosk systems.

The market leadership in courier services via Advanced Courier Services, along with the company's proprietary technology, are expected to generate growth and increased revenues.

For the past nine years, U-Ship's core business has been the development, manufacture and operation of automated shipping centers for shipping packages and letters through high-tech, user-interactive kiosks. The company has also produced and marketed computerized kiosks for other businesses, such as electronic advertising.

Some of the information in this release is forward-looking and subject to certain risks as described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's Form 10-K for fiscal year ended June 30, l997.


Contact:
     Peter Lytle
     Chairman and CEO
     612/941-4080, Extension 113
              or
     Joan Knight
     Knight Public Relations
     612/593-1508

Newsbit furnished by:


A: NetShift Software Ltd.
A: Hughenden Yard, Marlborough, Wilts,SN8 1LT, UK
T: +44 (0)1672 511 094
F: +44 (0)1672 511 078
E: [email protected]
E: [email protected]
W: www.netshift.com

Thanks Tim and Anna!


Thanks Kinetic!

© 1998 Kiosks.Org.
All Rights Reserved.

>