Apc Overnight
APC Overnight (The Alternative Parcels Company Limited) is a UK parcel delivery network, founded in 1994, operating through 90+ independently owned member depots and a central sortation hub in Cannock, serving primarily SMEs with overnight, timed, specialist, and international delivery services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersCannock, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Apc Overnight does
APC Overnight, legally The Alternative Parcels Company Limited, is a UK parcel delivery network founded in 1994 and headquartered at the National Sortation Centre in Cannock, Staffordshire. The company operates a hub-and-spoke model in which a central sortation facility works with more than 90 independently owned member depots to provide overnight, timed, next-day, specialist handling, secure, international, and tracked parcel services. The depots are independent businesses that operate under the APC brand and use its national infrastructure, systems, and sortation capacity while retaining entrepreneurial control over local operations.
The company's primary customers are UK small and medium-sized enterprises that require reliable, flexible parcel delivery — frequently for products that need careful handling such as craft beverages, bakery goods, plants, garden supplies, pet products, and glassware. Several disclosed customer relationships span 10-15 years, and the value proposition centers on combining national reach with named, accountable local depot contacts. Revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis through the member depot network; pricing is not publicly disclosed and quotes are arranged through individual depots based on parcel specifications, service level, and destination. Marketing is conducted via the corporate website, case studies, a depot finder tool, and Trustpilot.
Operationally, APC holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications, and has received a 2026 Gold Award and a 2025 UK Enterprise Awards winner designation. The company is privately held under a cooperative-style structure owned by its member depot operators; no venture capital, private equity, or institutional investor ownership is disclosed in the available data.
Apc Overnight firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Apc Overnight
- Legal name
- The Alternative Parcels Company Limited
- Website
- https://apc-overnight.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- APC Overnight (The Alternative Parcels Company Limited) is a UK parcel delivery network, founded in 1994, operating through 90+ independently owned member depots and a central sortation hub in Cannock, serving primarily SMEs with overnight, timed, specialist, and international delivery services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Apc Overnight industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Parcel Delivery Services
- NAICS
- Couriers and Express Delivery Services (4921)
- SIC
- Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Non-Time-Definite Parcel (Day-Definite) (TLAAACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Parcel Inject / Postal Workshare (Last-Mile Handoff) (TLAAACAJ)
Keywords
Where Apc Overnight is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cannock
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Apc Overnight business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Parcel Delivery Services: APC Overnight generates revenue through its network of 90+ independently owned member depots that deliver parcels on behalf of businesses across the UK. Services include timed, next-day, and specialist handling deliveries.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Apc Overnight product offering
Product offeringCore offering
APC Overnight is a UK parcel delivery network that collects, sorts, and delivers parcels primarily for SMEs through 90+ independently owned member depots and a national sortation centre in Cannock. Its core services include overnight, timed, next-day, specialist handling, secure, and international parcel deliveries, supplemented by parcel tracking and rescheduling tools. The network combines national coverage with local depot accountability and personalised account management.
Product overview
The APC (Alternative Parcels Company) operates as a single unified parcel delivery platform rather than a modular platform architecture. The core offering is overnight and time-sensitive parcel delivery across the UK through a network of over 90 independently owned member depots. The product suite is organized around core delivery services (Overnight Parcel Delivery, Parcel Tracking) supplemented by value-added service modules (Timed Delivery Services, Next Day Delivery, Specialist Handling, International Delivery, Secure Deliveries, and Reschedule Delivery). The company positions itself as serving SMEs with flexible, bespoke services that combine national coverage with local depot expertise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Overnight Parcel Delivery Core overnight parcel delivery service for UK businesses, providing time-sensitive shipment across the UK through a network of over 90 independently owned depot locations.
- Timed Delivery Services Time-specific delivery options allowing parcels to arrive before a designated time, meeting urgent or time-critical business needs.
- Next Day Delivery Next-day parcel delivery service for customers requiring rapid turnaround times within the UK.
- Specialist Handling Specialized handling services for fragile, heavy, or sensitive items such as glass-filled parcels, perishable goods, and delicate products requiring extra care in transit.
- International Delivery Cross-border parcel shipping services enabling UK businesses to reach international customers through APC Overnight's network.
- Secure Deliveries Secure delivery services providing enhanced protection and peace of mind for valuable or sensitive shipments.
Companies that use Apc Overnight
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Apc Overnight technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Apc Overnight partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- APC EdinburghcoreIndependently owned member depot operating under The APC network. Provides local parcel delivery services in the Edinburgh region with personal account management and reliable overnight delivery.
- Priority ExpresscoreMember depot partner providing personal touch delivery services. Known for understanding unique customer needs and delivering fresh products like bread and plants across the UK including remote areas.
- Lines Distribution ServicescoreLong-standing member depot partner (10+ years relationship) handling heavy, glass-filled parcels with care. Provides high-quality service through The APC's nationwide network.
- Chase FreightcoreMember depot partner chosen for reliability and exceptional customer service. Provides local contacts who understand customer business needs and go the extra mile.
- Delivered UKcoreMember depot partner providing parcel delivery services. Their peace of mind service has enabled customers to expand into other markets.
- The Dash GroupcoreLocal team member depot that fits with customer ethos. Provides trusted, phone-accessible service that understands how customer businesses work.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Apc Overnight competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Evri (formerly Hermes UK): One of the UK's largest parcel delivery networks, offering doorstep and standard parcel services for e-commerce and SMBs. Directly comparable to APC Overnight on parcel delivery for UK SMEs and marketplace shippers.
- DPD UK: Major UK parcel carrier offering next-day, timed, and international services through a depot-based network. Closely matches APC's overnight, timed, and SME-focused delivery proposition.
- Yodel: UK parcel delivery carrier serving retailers and SMEs with doorstep and tracked services. Comparable to APC Overnight on domestic parcel delivery for online and SMB shippers.
- Parcelforce Worldwide: Royal Mail Group's express parcel arm offering timed, signed-for, and international parcel services across the UK. Closely matches APC's timed, secure, and international delivery modules.
- DX (Delivery) Group: UK carrier offering parcel, freight, and secure delivery services via a depot network. Comparable to APC Overnight on SME parcel delivery, secure/specialist handling, and overnight services.
Broad incumbents
- Royal Mail Parcels: UK's designated universal postal operator offering letters and parcels incl. Tracked and Special Delivery. Competes with APC Overnight across standard, next-day, and tracked parcel services, but is far broader in scope and scale.
- DHL Express UK: Global integrator with significant UK operations for time-definite domestic and cross-border parcel services. Overlaps with APC's timed, specialist handling, and international delivery offerings but operates a much broader global network.
- UPS UK: Global integrator offering parcel, freight, and supply chain services in the UK. Overlaps with APC's timed, next-day, and international parcel delivery but at far greater scale and breadth.
- FedEx UK: Global integrator with UK parcel and express services. Comparable on time-definite, specialist handling, and international shipping, but positioned as a broad incumbent rather than an independent SME-focused network.
Emerging players
- Amazon Logistics: In-house delivery arm increasingly handling Amazon and third-party parcels in the UK. Increasingly competes with APC for e-commerce and SME parcel volumes, especially in dense urban areas.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Apc Overnight social profiles
Digital presenceApc Overnight compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Apc Overnight financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Apc Overnight leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Apc Overnight funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Apc Overnight M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Apc Overnight
What does Apc Overnight do?
APC Overnight is a UK parcel delivery network that collects, sorts, and delivers parcels primarily for SMEs through 90+ independently owned member depots and a national sortation centre in Cannock. Its core services include overnight, timed, next-day, specialist handling, secure, and international parcel deliveries, supplemented by parcel tracking and rescheduling tools. The network combines national coverage with local depot accountability and personalised account management.
Is Apc Overnight a public or private company?
Apc Overnight is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Apc Overnight founded?
Apc Overnight was founded in 1994. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Apc Overnight based?
Apc Overnight is headquartered in Cannock, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Apc Overnight make money?
One revenue line is on record: parcel Delivery Services.
Who are Apc Overnight's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Evri (formerly Hermes UK), DPD UK, Yodel, Parcelforce Worldwide and DX (Delivery) Group. Broad incumbents are Royal Mail Parcels, DHL Express UK, UPS UK and FedEx UK. Amazon Logistics is listed as an emerging player.
Does Apc Overnight have an API?
No public API is recorded for Apc Overnight.
What industry is Apc Overnight in?
Apc Overnight's product category is Parcel Delivery Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAAACAE, Non-Time-Definite Parcel (Day-Definite), with a secondary code of TLAAACAJ, Parcel Inject / Postal Workshare (Last-Mile Handoff). Its NAICS code is 4921 and its SIC code is 4210.