FDX FedEx Corp

By Paul Ziobro 

Millions of packages pass through FedEx and UPS facilities on a typical day, making it hard to prevent the type of explosion that rocked a FedEx Corp. sorting center in Texas early Tuesday.

The massive volumes that move through these delivery networks makes screening each package for explosives or other hazardous or illegal materials impractical, industry consultants said. FedEx last year processed about 12 million pieces a day, while United Parcel Service Inc. handles more than 20 million a day.

"The costs of it and the practicality of it would be so outrageous," said Satish Jindel, president of SJ Consulting Group Inc., a parcel-industry research firm. "If someone wants to be destructive, they can do it."

FedEx does X-ray some packages that travel through its system and has dog-sniffing teams that conduct checks, a former FedEx executive said. FedEx also uses algorithms that can trigger further inspections based on a package's dimensions and delivery locations, this person said. Most of the screenings are for drugs, but they also are used to try to find explosives and other materials.

On Tuesday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said an explosion at the facility outside San Antonio may be linked to a recent spate of bombings in Austin.

In addition, police said they were responding to reports of a suspicious package at another FedEx facility in Austin.

FedEx confirmed that a single package exploded at a FedEx Ground sortation facility, and one employee was being treated for minor injuries. The company said it was working closely with law enforcement on the investigation.

"We don't disclose the specifics of our advanced security measures, but they are designed to protect the safety of our people, customers and communities, and to assist law enforcement as appropriate," a FedEx spokesman said.

UPS declined to discuss its security measures "in order to maintain their effectiveness," a spokesman said, adding that the company is cooperating with law enforcement.

The U.S. Postal Service, which delivers more packages than any other carrier, says it uses a combination of technology, screening protocols and employee training to protect its network. The agency has response teams that investigate suspicious parcels. They are trained to identify signs of suspicious mailings and have portable equipment like X-ray machines at their disposal.

"Any reports of suspicious mailing are taken very seriously, as they may impact the safety of postal employees and disrupt the processing of mail, " a USPS spokesman said. The Postal Service delivers nearly half a billion mail pieces daily.

Write to Paul Ziobro at Paul.Ziobro@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 20, 2018 14:59 ET (18:59 GMT)

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