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When UPS consolidated its Harlan location in 2016, there were even more jobs that left the county and a strain was placed on those still delivering packages whose daily routines were lengthened by a daily drive to Hazard or London.

Now, UPS is re-opening its doors, bringing back 20 positions and an additional 40 news jobs to locals.

“Due to the surge in E-Commerce and to improve customer service in southeastern Kentucky, UPS is returning to Harlan County and will re-open the Extend-It Center at Baxter in November,” said Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley.

Packages are expected to being their distribution from the facility in November, with the re-opening of its customer service office slated for February.

Mosley said it is hard to believe it has been four years since the Harlan UPS center consolidated its operation into the Hazard and London facilities, but he is elated for locals to be able to work closer to home and the opportunity it brings to new employees.

“I am grateful that UPS sees the benefit of having an Extend-It Center in Harlan County,” he said.

UPS Business Manager Wally Asher said it was a difficult decision to close the Harlan office in 2016, but the hope to open it again was never lost.

“It’s the loyalty of our customers and the community over the past four years that has brought back a larger facility with state of the art technology,” he said.

Shannon Hall, UPS operations/delivery driver supervisor, was selected to operate and manage the new facility, noting she jumped at the opportunity.

“The welcoming kindness I’ve experienced from Harlan Countians over the past four years as I have accompanied delivery drivers on theirs routes has made me want to be a part of the community,” Hall said. “I am beyond excited about the future of the Harlan facility.”

The excitement for new jobs in Harlan, along with the “increased logistics capacity they bring to our community,” is something Colby Kirk (One Harlan County Executive Director and Harlan County Chamber of Commerce President) also mentioned about UPS’ return.

“[UPS] will help us continue to build a strong business case for new industries to locate here, creating additional jobs,” he said.

“The Harlan County Fiscal Court, Harlan County Economic Development Authority and One Harlan County collectively welcome UPS back to our county and look forward to working with this cooperation for years to come to grow and service the citizens of our communities,” Mosley said in a Facebook post.

Career opportunities with UPS can be found on their website, at www.jobs-ups.com.