Out Of the Box

UPS STILL DELIVERS PACKAGES, OF COURSE, BUT IT'S ALSO HELPING FIRMS LIKE NIKE AND TOSHIBA ASSEMBLE, STORE AND REPAIR PRODUCTS. WHO KNEW?

Harold Erickson knows his pet food. Every week he doles out thousands of pounds of Royal Canin therapeutic chow for every kind of pet, from aged Afghans to plump Persians. After Hurricane Charley blew through Florida late last summer, the former Army sergeant knew work might get hectic. He had no idea. On Aug. 16, French-based Royal Canin called with an urgent order, and within the hour Erickson, 46, and his co-workers mixed, packed and shipped a whopping 500 lbs. of premium dog and cat food--which can cost up to $30 per 16-lb. bag--to panicked pet owners in the Sunshine State.

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