Innoplex Closing in Atlanta

[Catatonic]

Following careful evaluation, UPS has decided to close the Innoplex in 2009. UPSers currently working at the Innoplex will move to one of our other Atlanta-area Corporate facilities.

Closing the Innoplex reduces general operating, depreciation, and occupancy expenses.

This action is among a number of steps planned to address global business realities and overall economic conditions across the organization. Initiatives have been implemented to consolidate regions, districts, and business units; optimize our network; balance staffing; and leverage non-operations capabilities through shared service models. For example, we recently announced the closing of our gateway in Decatur, IL, and Next Day Air night sorts in Columbia, SC, and Dallas-Fort Worth.

No job eliminations are planned as part of the Innoplex closing.

 

[nervIS]

Not trying to start a rumor, or cause any more concern than already exists, but I wonder when the lease expires at ISMD?

 

[over9five]

Welcome to BrownCafe, nervIS. Great name!

 

[joeyb]

So where do you think that they'll stick the Innoplex'ers - 35, 55, or the SCS building, or some combination thereof?

Joe

 

[Catatonic]

So where do you think that they'll stick the Innoplex'ers - 35, 55, or the SCS building, or some combination thereof?

Joe

combination thereof

 

[an anonymous guest]

Some of the Inno-dudes might be in for a culture shock.

But they will still be working.

Go UPS!
P71

 

[freeloader]

What exactly is the Innoplex used for? I know there is corp HQ, windward, an SCS facility, and a few hubs and centers but I never knew what the Innoplex was for.

 

[Catatonic]

What exactly is the Innoplex used for? I know there is corp HQ, windward, an SCS facility, and a few hubs and centers but I never knew what the Innoplex was for.

First - it is a building where people work. The primary purpose was to bring together the various departments within UPS that determine what will be on UPS.com and the Technical groups that actually develop the applications and content that appears on UPS.com.
The idea is that people working together in the same building will produce better results.
Newsclip - The INNOPLEX brings together teams from information technology, marketing, communications, and other business functions to bring software products and solutions to market faster than ever before.

Name of building Innnoplex - Innovations Complex.
Note: No one in this building has anything to do with UPSers.com or the Talent site.

 

[Catatonic]

What exactly is the Innoplex used for? I know there is corp HQ, windward, an SCS facility, and a few hubs and centers but I never knew what the Innoplex was for.

Recognizing the need for a stimulating and flexible environment that fosters intensive collaboration, creativity, and teamwork, UPS developed the UPS Innovation Complex, or Innoplex. The UPS Innoplex encourages employees from a number of company functions and disciplines to work together to address new e-commerce initiatives, develop or relaunch products, and move ideas from inception to execution with aggressive speed-to-market goals.

 

[freeloader]

Ahhh, that's cool. So the Innoplex was UPS's version of a software development campus with all the perks, bells, whistles that most other software companies provide for their employees. That place must be night and day compared to the rest of UPS. What kinda perks do you get to enjoy there?

 

[Catatonic]

Ahhh, that's cool. So the Innoplex was UPS's version of a software development campus with all the perks, bells, whistles that most other software companies provide for their employees. That place must be night and day compared to the rest of UPS. What kinda perks do you get to enjoy there?

Still UPS ... so very few perks. Bottom line ... it's a place to work.

It does have a fitness room and there is free coffee (not great but it's free).

Everybody sits in shared cubes...I'm forbidden to eat chili anymore!

Most of the uniqueness for UPS is the large number of common meeting rooms or casbahs (curtained rooms). All of these meeting rooms have two or three walls that are actually whiteboards...dweebs like me carry around dry-erase markers.
I find it hard to get in a meeting and not start drawing data flow diagrams or other such things to help explain what we talking about...my pictures are better than my words, I guess.

Most of the neat things about the building are about a creative, collaborative working environment.

One of the unusual features is the large number of skylights and "sails" that lights are shined on to provide lighting.

And one other thing, the building leaks like a sieve. A pool umbrella comes in handy on a rainy day.

 

[Big Babooba]

Everybody sits in shared cubes...I'm forbidden to eat chili anymore!

Hoax, you can move up here and eat all the chili you want. It's heating season and I need help with my gas bill.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

...Everybody sits in shared cubes...I'm forbidden to eat chili anymore!

Come up here to the North Country and you can be my helper. You can have all the chili you want--we'll just leave the doors open.

 

[freeloader]

Hey it sure beats the standard UPS operating environment.

Where I work now, we have whiteboards everywhere. Just about everyone has one in their cube or office and all of the conference rooms have them. People usually just take a picture of their flowchart or diagram and put it up on sharepoint or wiki. Most people here prefer to work in the dark, so the lighting is minimal. Some of our perks are free coffee (from some fancy coffee company), Xbox360 (rockband, halo, etc), movie days, no dress code and work from home privileges.

 

[AirTechSpec]

Funny - in the building we're in whiteboards are pretty much forbidden! If you want one you have to request it, and it can't be any larger than what will stick to an overhead storage door (magnetic). We have lots of meeting rooms, but none have whiteboards - we use flip-charts instead! (Blast from the past)

 

[Dixie Doll]

UPS is closing the Menlo operations at the Tucson airport in February. No more UPS flights coming in or going out of Tucson International to move the Menlo freight from Tucson to Phoenix, where it gets combined with the Phoenix freight before the flight terminates in Rockford, Il. Not sure of the exact people affected but I know that a couple of aircraft mechanics are being laid off. On the ground side, I assume the approximate 5 to 10 people will be relocated to the other Tucson facilities. I think there is a sort closing in Columbia, North Carolina. I can't remember the other locations specified.

 

[Catatonic]

I think there is a sort closing in Columbia, North Carolina. I can't remember the other locations specified.

closing of our gateway in Decatur, IL, and Next Day Air night sorts in Columbia, SC, and Dallas-Fort Worth.

 

[Hawk780]

Still UPS ... so very few perks. Bottom line ... it's a place to work.

It does have a fitness room and there is free coffee (not great but it's free)...

Hoax, I'm so disappointed, I'd always pictured you guys sitting around on bean bags, with guys playing ping pong in the background, and sitar music radiating from above...

 

[Catatonic]

Hoax, I'm so disappointed, I'd always pictured you guys sitting around on bean bags, with guys playing ping pong in the background, and sitar music radiating from above...

Sorry you were disappointed but like I said, "It's still UPS...". Your vision is just too radical for UPS and me for that matter too. We are not creating new software products but technologies that support shipping packages and the information surrounding those shipments.
However, I do miss the buzzers and the announcement "Now starting all belts."

.

 

[Catatonic]

Two and a half years later, it's actually happening ... my department will be the last occupants of the Innoplex when we move out on July 22nd.