United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) is a global package delivery and integrated logistics company, founded in 1907 and headquartered in Atlanta, serving 200+ countries via 559 aircraft and 128,000 vehicles and delivering 20.8 million packages daily to SMBs, enterprises, healthcare, and consumers.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1907
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What United Parcel Service does
United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and founded in 1907, is a publicly traded package delivery and integrated logistics company serving more than 200 countries with a fleet of approximately 559 aircraft and 128,000 vehicles that processes 20.8 million packages per day. The company operates core shipping services — UPS Ground, UPS Air, UPS Express, and the economy UPS Ground Saver (formerly SurePost) — alongside a portfolio of specialized sub-brands and acquired capabilities, including UPS Healthcare (cold chain pharmaceutical and medical logistics), Roadie (crowdsourced same-day delivery reaching 97% of U.S. households), Happy Returns (box-free, label-free returns at ~8,000 drop-off points), Parcel Pro (high-value goods shipping up to $200K coverage), InsureShield (shipping insurance with 97% claims paid within five days), and UPS Supply Chain Solutions (freight forwarding, customs brokerage, warehousing).
Underlying technology includes a proprietary RFID label-and-sensor tracking system, an AI-powered route optimization layer, the Quantum View B2B shipment visibility platform, the UPS My Choice consumer delivery management dashboard, an InsureShield claims pipeline that has paid $132M in 2025, and a public UPS Developer Portal exposing shipping, tracking, Global Checkout landed-cost, and SmartCrossBorder AI customs-classification APIs with SPD data files for third-party integration. Revenue is generated primarily through per-shipment transaction fees on package delivery, complemented by subscription and unit-priced pickup services (Daily Pickup, On-Call Pickup, Day-Specific Pickup tiers), healthcare cold chain logistics contracts, and insurance and freight forwarding fees.
The go-to-market motion is hybrid: enterprise field sales with dedicated account management for healthcare, B2B ecommerce, and large supply-chain customers, paired with a digital self-serve channel through UPS.com and a physical retail network of more than 5,000 The UPS Store franchise locations. Customer segmentation spans SMB shippers, large enterprise accounts, healthcare and life sciences firms, e-commerce retailers, and individual consumers. As of 2026, UPS is executing the largest network reconfiguration in its 118-year history — closing 93 buildings, automating 127 facilities, reducing roughly 48,000 positions with another 30,000 cuts planned for 2026 — to step away from approximately $5 billion of low-margin Amazon volume and reinvest savings, alongside healthcare M&A (Andlauer, Frigo-Trans/BPL), in higher-margin verticals such as healthcare logistics, B2B ecommerce, SMB marketplace shipping, and Asia Pacific technology supply chains.
United Parcel Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- United Parcel Service
- Legal name
- United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
- Website
- https://ups.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1907
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) is a global package delivery and integrated logistics company, founded in 1907 and headquartered in Atlanta, serving 200+ countries via 559 aircraft and 128,000 vehicles and delivering 20.8 million packages daily to SMBs, enterprises, healthcare, and consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
United Parcel Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Couriers and Express Delivery Services (4921), Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (4922)
- SIC
- Air Courier Services (4513), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Integrated Express Parcel Carriers (Air + Ground) (THABAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ground Express (Time-Definite Road Parcel) (TLAAABAC), International Express (Time-Definite Cross-Border) (TLAAABAB), Express PUDO / Parcel Lockers & Out-of-Home Time-Definite Pickup (TLAAABAL), Parcel Inject / Postal Workshare (Last-Mile Handoff) (TLAAACAJ)
Keywords
Where United Parcel Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
United Parcel Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Package Delivery Services: Core revenue from ground and air package delivery services across domestic and international markets. Revenue is generated per shipment based on weight, dimensions, distance, and service level selected. UPS Ground, UPS Air, and UPS Express services constitute primary revenue streams.
- UPS Healthcare Logistics: Specialized logistics services for pharmaceutical companies, diagnostic laboratories, medical device manufacturers including cold chain solutions, temperature-controlled storage and transport, and specialized handling for time-critical healthcare shipments.
- Roadie Same-Day Delivery: Crowdsourced same-day delivery service leveraging gig economy drivers. Revenue generated per delivery based on size and distance of item being shipped.
- Happy Returns Reverse Logistics: Box-free, label-free returns management solution for ecommerce merchants. Reduces costs for merchants while generating service fees for UPS.
- InsureShield Shipping Insurance: Shipping insurance protection offered through UPS Capital Insurance Agency, covering loss, damage and theft. Claims paid within 5 days, with $132M in claims paid in 2025.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ground Saver (formerly SurePost) - Economy ground shipping with USPS final delivery |
| Subscription | Weekly | Daily Pickup - Scheduled daily driver pickup service |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | On-Call Pickup - One-time scheduled pickup |
| Subscription | Weekly | Day-Specific Pickup - Recurring pickup on selected weekdays |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels9 records
United Parcel Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UPS is a global package delivery and supply chain management company that transports letters, parcels, and freight via integrated air and ground networks in more than 220 countries. Its core service portfolio spans time-definite express delivery (Next Day Air, 2nd Day Air), deferred ground delivery, less-than-truckload and truckload freight forwarding, contract logistics and distribution, customs brokerage, and reverse logistics/returns for e-commerce.
Product overview
UPS offers a comprehensive logistics and delivery platform spanning core shipping services, specialized healthcare logistics, and acquired technology brands. The portfolio includes UPS Healthcare for pharmaceutical and medical logistics, Roadie for same-day crowdsourced delivery, Happy Returns for box-free e-commerce returns, InsureShield for shipping insurance, Parcel Pro for high-value goods, and UPS Supply Chain Solutions for freight forwarding. Core services include UPS Ground, Air, International shipping, and UPS Ground Saver (formerly SurePost) for economy delivery. UPS My Choice provides consumer delivery management while UPS Developer Portal enables third-party integrations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Happy Returns: Box-free, label-free ecommerce returns management solution operating at nearly 8,000 drop-off locations including The UPS Store, Ulta Beauty, Staples, and Giant Eagle.
- Roadie
- Parcel Pro
- InsureShield
- UPS Supply Chain Solutions
Products and services
- UPS Next Day Air Time-definite next-business-day air delivery for letters and packages, available with morning, midday, and end-of-day delivery commitments; used by enterprises and consumers for urgent shipments.
- UPS 2nd Day Air Second-business-day air delivery for less time-sensitive but still expedited shipments, available with AM and standard delivery options across the U.S. and select international lanes.
- UPS Ground Day-definite ground delivery for commercial and residential parcels across all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and select intra-Mexico lanes; typically 1–5 day service.
- UPS Worldwide Express / International Shipping Services International air express services (Worldwide Express, Worldwide Saver, Worldwide Expedited) that move shipments between more than 220 countries and territories with customs clearance and door-to-door delivery.
- UPS Freight (LTL) Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation across North America for palletized shipments that are too large for parcel but too small for full truckload, serving industrial and manufacturing shippers.
- UPS Supply Chain Solutions Contract logistics and distribution services including warehousing, fulfillment, transportation management, freight forwarding (air and ocean), and post-sales reverse logistics for enterprise customers.
- UPS Customs Brokerage Customs brokerage, trade compliance consulting, and import/export documentation services for cross-border parcel and freight shippers.
- UPS Returns Reverse logistics and returns management services — including prepaid return labels, Returns Manager, and drop-off at The UPS Store or UPS Access Points — designed for e-commerce shippers and their end customers.
- UPS My Choice Consumer-facing membership-style service that provides inbound package delivery alerts, delivery window notifications, redirect/hold requests, and consolidated delivery management for residential recipients.
- The UPS Store (Franchise Retail Shipping) Franchise-branded retail locations offering UPS shipping, packing, printing, mailbox, and small-business services to consumers and SMBs across the U.S.
Quantifiable outcome
- 8 years consecutive industry leader in on-time peak delivery
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use United Parcel Service
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
United Parcel Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
United Parcel Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TSMCcoreTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is a key customer for UPS's $100 million Taiwan logistics hub. The facility focuses on high-tech freight including TSMC shipments as part of UPS's strategy to serve the Asian technology supply chain.
- Applied MaterialscoreApplied Materials is a key customer for UPS's $100 million Taiwan logistics center opened March 25, 2026. The facility handles technology sector shipments for Applied Materials and other semiconductor equipment manufacturers.
- Andlauer Healthcare Group (AHG)coreUPS completed acquisition of Canadian healthcare logistics company for $1.6 billion in cash. The deal enhances UPS's healthcare logistics capabilities, especially in North America, and supports the goal to double healthcare logistics revenue by 2026. AHG specializes in temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and healthcare supply chain management.
- Frigo-Trans and BPLcoreUPS announced acquisition of Germany-based healthcare logistics firm Frigo-Trans and its sister company BPL. Transaction expected to close in early 2025. The acquisition expands UPS's logistics and cold chain transportation capabilities in Europe for temperature-controlled healthcare shipments.
- MNX Global LogisticscoreQuad-C Management sold its investment in MNX Global Logistics to UPS in a transaction completed around November 6, 2023. MNX specializes in time-critical logistics for life sciences, medical devices, healthcare, aerospace, and industrial supply chains, expanding UPS's global healthcare and time-critical logistics capabilities.
- Happy ReturnscoreUPS acquired Happy Returns, a US-based software and reverse logistics company from PayPal. The acquisition expands UPS's returns footprint and enhances digital solutions for shippers and consumers. Happy Returns' no-box, no-label return process integrates with UPS's logistics network through nearly 8,000 drop-off locations.
- RoadiecoreUPS acquired Roadie, a technology platform specializing in same-day local delivery services. Roadie operates independently alongside UPS's existing network and extends UPS's ability to handle small, non-standard packages through a gig economy model, opening new growth opportunities in local delivery.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
United Parcel Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Purolator Inc. Purolator is a leading Canadian integrated parcel and freight carrier with a model comparable to UPS Ground, Air, and international services in the Canadian market. Relevant peer given UPS's North American healthcare expansion (Andlauer) and cross-border U.S.–Canada volume.
- Aramex: Aramex is a Middle East-based international express, freight forwarding, and logistics company with particular strength across MENA and emerging markets. Comparable to UPS Supply Chain Solutions and international express in regions where UPS's direct presence is thinner.
- GLS (General Logistics Systems): GLS is a leading European B2C and B2B parcel delivery network operating across most EU markets. Directly comparable as a regional ground parcel alternative to UPS's European operations and relevant given UPS's healthcare logistics expansion into Europe via Frigo-Trans/BPL.
- Yamato Transport (ヤマト運輸): Yamato is Japan's dominant door-to-door parcel carrier offering time-definite domestic and cross-border services. Relevant peer for UPS's Asia-Pacific positioning and comparable last-mile, time-definite parcel model aimed at both consumers and SMBs.
- SF Express (顺丰控股): SF Express is the dominant integrated express parcel carrier in Greater China and an emerging international player. Comparable integrated air+ground express model and is a primary regional competitor for the Asia-Pacific high-tech freight UPS is targeting with its new Taiwan hub.
Direct peers
- FedEx Corporation: FedEx is UPS's primary global competitor across air and ground parcel delivery, offering Express, Ground, Freight, and Services with a comparable integrated air+ground network. Direct overlap on services (Express, Ground), customer segments (enterprise and SMB), and technology (tracking APIs, visibility platforms).
- DHL Express (Deutsche Post DHL Group): DHL is UPS's leading international express competitor and the global market leader in cross-border time-definite parcel delivery. Overlaps directly with UPS's International Express, Supply Chain Solutions, and healthcare logistics offerings, and competes for the same multinational enterprise customers.
- OnTrac (formerly LaserShip): OnTrac is a large U.S. ground parcel carrier focused on eCommerce fulfillment for retailers and marketplace sellers. Directly competes with UPS Ground for the same SMB/marketplace and B2C eCommerce shipments — the exact segment UPS is targeting in its Amazon-volume backfill strategy.
Others
- United States Postal Service (USPS): USPS is both a UPS partner (providing last-mile delivery for UPS Ground Saver/SurePost) and a competitor in last-mile parcel delivery. The relationship is structural and makes USPS an unavoidable peer in U.S. ground parcel economics.
Emerging players
- Amazon Logistics: Amazon's in-house delivery arm is both UPS's largest historical customer (now being deliberately reduced) and a growing third-party delivery competitor. Operates an air+ground network that competes for SMB and enterprise volume and is reshaping the structural economics of the U.S. parcel industry.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
United Parcel Service social profiles
Digital presenceUnited Parcel Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
United Parcel Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
United Parcel Service subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
United Parcel Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
United Parcel Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A25 records
Investments13 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about United Parcel Service
What does United Parcel Service do?
UPS is a global package delivery and supply chain management company that transports letters, parcels, and freight via integrated air and ground networks in more than 220 countries. Its core service portfolio spans time-definite express delivery (Next Day Air, 2nd Day Air), deferred ground delivery, less-than-truckload and truckload freight forwarding, contract logistics and distribution, customs brokerage, and reverse logistics/returns for e-commerce.
Is United Parcel Service a public or private company?
United Parcel Service is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was United Parcel Service founded?
United Parcel Service was founded in 1907. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is United Parcel Service based?
United Parcel Service is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does United Parcel Service make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Package Delivery Services are the primary driver. The others are UPS Healthcare Logistics, roadie Same-Day Delivery, happy Returns Reverse Logistics and insureShield Shipping Insurance.
Who are United Parcel Service's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Purolator Inc., Aramex, GLS (General Logistics Systems), Yamato Transport (ヤマト運輸) and SF Express (顺丰控股). Direct peers are FedEx Corporation, DHL Express (Deutsche Post DHL Group) and OnTrac (formerly LaserShip). United States Postal Service (USPS) is listed as an others. Amazon Logistics is listed as an emerging player.
Does United Parcel Service have an API?
Yes. UPS offers a public Developer Portal providing access to shipping APIs including UPS WorldShip, UPS CampusShip, and UPS Shipping API for building shipping, tracking, customs documentation, rate calculation, and address validation applications. The portal includes an API Access Agreement and API Request Generator Terms of Use. The Global Checkout API enables merchants to offer guaranteed landed cost calculations covering duties, taxes, and fees at checkout. Third-party shipping systems can integrate using SPD data files. Developer documentation is at developer.ups.com.
What industry is United Parcel Service in?
United Parcel Service's product category is Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAEAB, Integrated Express Parcel Carriers (Air + Ground), with a secondary code of TLAAABAC, Ground Express (Time-Definite Road Parcel). Its NAICS code is 4921 and its SIC code is 4513.