UPS Capital Business Credit Designated "Preferred Lender" by SBA

Atlanta, May 02, 2005

UPS Unit Also Doubling Its U.S. Lender Network

The financial services subsidiary of UPS (NYSE:UPS) has significantly expanded its geographic participation in the U.S. Small Business Administration's Preferred Lender Program, slashing the amount of time and effort it takes for business customers to secure SBA loans.

In a related illustration of its commitment to helping small and medium businesses grow, UPS Capital Business Credit^SM also has expanded its lender network to cover every region of the United States, nearly doubling its team of lending agents around the country.

Being a Preferred Lender Program (PLP) participant is the highest designation extended by the SBA for the processing of loans under its 7(a) program. It gives the lender the ability to make loan decisions on behalf of the SBA, thereby reducing the time it takes UPS Capital^SM to process, approve and fund loans from weeks to days. UPS Capital Business Credit, a subsidiary of UPS Capital, now has been designated by the SBA as a PLP participant in the SBA's 75 districts covering all of the contiguous United States. Previously, UPS Capital Business Credit was a PLP participant in 16 SBA districts.

"Enhancing cash flow and accessing working capital are certainly among the most pressing needs for small and medium businesses," said Bob Bernabucci, president, UPS Capital. "By bolstering our SBA PLP participation and the reach of our lender network, UPS Capital can further help small businesses obtain much needed funding while also assisting companies synchronize the movement of their funds with their goods and information."

According to the SBA, the demand by American small business for capital continues to accelerate. Indeed, small businesses established a new record pace of borrowing during the first quarter of fiscal 2005.

UPS Capital Business Credit has consistently been a leading lender in the SBA's 7(a) loan program and for fiscal year 2004 was a top 20 SBA lender providing 69 SBA transactions valued at US$47 million. Additionally, UPS Capital Business Credit is a leading lender in the government-guaranteed loan programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Export-Import Bank of the U.S.

In addition to facilitating loans through these programs, UPS Capital also provides a broad array of services from traditional commercial lending to accelerated payments for UPS's Collect On Delivery (C.O.D.) service and insurance products from UPS Capital Insurance Agency, Inc.

Learn more about UPS Capital and small business lending.