London 2012 Lands UPS

London 2012 has signed UPS as an official tier two sponsor. The Atlanta-based company will manage all logistics and transportation around the Games.

"UPS is committed to helping London make these Games an unparalleled success and it's a great honor to be entrusted again with such a tremendous responsibility," said Dan Brutto, president of UPS International.

UPS has been a logistics provider to the Beijing Games, and served as an official partner to the Atlanta Games, Nagano, and Sydney Games.

"Staging an Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is probably the biggest peacetime logistical undertaking in the world," Chairman of LOCOG, Sebastian Coe said.

"The Olympic Games is the biggest logistical operation there is. We are start-up organisation and needed to call the best guys.... some of these deals are about financial contributions but the significant advantage to us is the operational experience that UPS will bring," LOCOG Chief Executive Paul Deighton said.

UPS will be responsible for an extensive array of technology systems within Olympic facilities, storage and processing and shipping (custom, freight forwarding and courier services). The company estimates that it will dedicate more than 2,000 staff members to the effort.

"We view our sponsorship of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games [in 2012] as a strategic investment in growing our business throughout the UK," Brutto said. UPS is committed to helping London make these Games an unparalleled success, and it's a great honour to be entrusted again with such a tremendous responsibility."

The deal is estimated to be around $32 million in cash and services.