UPS History
"With nearly 500,000 employees in more than 220 countries, UPS sits at the center of global commerce and everyday life."
"Our customers come first. We're driven by innovation and we succeed through the leadership of our people. We are as diverse as the markets and communities we serve. With nearly 500,000 employees in more than 220 countries, UPS sits at the center of global commerce and everyday life. Our people and services create connections and provide the access, agility, intelligence and reliability our customers need, now and in the future."
— David Abney, CEO
2019
New technology and innovation
UPS leads the way in new delivery choices, including one of America's first commercial drone deliveries.
2001
Offering new services
UPS moves into retail by acquiring Mail Boxes Etc., Inc., later re-named The UPS Store. The acquisition of Overnite in 2005 expands UPS’s ground freight services, resulting in the formation of UPS Freight. In 2011 UPS My Choice® tool launches, allowing customers to schedule deliveries based on their preferences.
1994
UPS.com launches
UPS goes online with UPS.com. A year later customers can use the website to track packages.
"The world is now the UPS community. UPSers around the world reflect the UPS image of quality."
"The world is now the UPS community. UPSers around the world reflect the UPS image of quality. We want to provide a service that is in the public interest, that is safe, that is concerned with the environment. We will continue our legacy as a sensitive, responsible corporate citizen with the highest level of integrity."
—Kent C. "Oz" Nelson, CEO 1989–1991
1992
UPS Supply Chain Solutions
UPS Supply Chain Solutions® provides logistics, global freight, financial, and mail services to enhance customers' business performance and improve their global supply chains.
1989
Around the world
UPS extends service into Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Today UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories.
1988
UPS Airlines
UPS starts its own airline – the fastest major airline start-up in FAA history. Today, it's one of the largest airlines in the world.
1975
Crossing the border
UPS goes abroad for the first time by offering services in Toronto, Canada. Services begin in West Germany the following year.
1975
A vision for growth
UPS achieves a longtime goal by becoming the first package delivery company to serve every address in the 48 continental United States.
"We are constantly evolving new and improved ways, methods and facilities to better perform our work and service."
"We are constantly evolving new and improved ways, methods and facilities to better perform our work and service. We are constantly making changes to improve and to meet ever-changing conditions. We don’t have good answers for many things. We are evolving and we are learning more each day. There is no dearth of good, creative thinking throughout our organization. As far as results are concerned, we can feel that we have done fairly well, but we should all take heart in knowing there are tremendous opportunities to make improvements."
—George D. Smith, CEO 1962–1972
1953
Gaining a foothold
UPS begins to make great strides in growing its "common carrier" service. Within a few decades, common carrier rights allow UPS to compete with the U.S. Postal Service and deliver packages between all customers both private and commercial in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast U.S.
1953
Back in the air
UPS re-launches its air service - again using commercial airlines to carry packages. The service would later come to be known as Blue Label Air.
"… we would have to put into it something that had never been done before."
"… we quickly reached the conclusion that if we were to make a success of the parcel delivery business, we would have to put into it something that had never been done before. So we collected ideas from every source that we could and used the ones we believed would improve our service or otherwise contribute to success."
—Jim Casey, CEO 1907–1962
1930
Expanding retail delivery
Despite the Depression, UPS begins deliveries and moves its headquarters to New York City. Throughout the next two decades UPS launches retail delivery services in Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia.
1929
UPS first uses airplanes
UPS briefly offers delivery by air, using private airlines to carry packages long distances. UPS ends the service in 1931.
1919
Delivering retail packages
The company expands from Seattle to Oakland, California, and was delivering retail packages for department stores, renaming itself United Parcel Service.
1907
Launched with a $100 loan
Jim Casey, right, and Claude Ryan start American Messenger Company – which eventually becomes the world's largest package delivery company, UPS.