What Absolutely does

Absolutely (legal entity: Mach 1 Couriers Limited) is a London-based same-day and specialist courier company founded in 1865 by the Thompson family, positioning itself as "The London Courier" with 150+ years of operating history. It provides a multi-vehicle courier platform spanning pushbikes, motorbikes, electric cargo bikes, small vans, and large vans (up to 1,000kg), operating 24/7 from four London hubs (Central/Holborn, North, South/Bermondsey, and West/Heathrow) plus a 2022-vintage Canary Wharf micro-hub. Core service lines are Same Day, Overnight (via the APC Overnight Network), International, and Temperature-Controlled transport (+8°C to -18°C), with dedicated sector packaging for Food & Drink, Medical/Pharmacy/NHS, and Retail/Fashion customers.

The technology layer is operational rather than software-native: GPS-tracked fleet, an online booking platform with real-time tracking, electronic proof of delivery, and a what3words integration for 3-metre location precision. Revenue is generated through transaction-based / take-rate pricing with quote-driven tariffs that vary by collection and delivery postcode; registered B2B accounts access contracted rates, monthly invoicing, and the full booking platform, while one-off customers can use card booking. GTM combines an enterprise field-sales motion with account managers, 24/7 phone-based inside sales, self-serve online booking, and presence at industry events such as The PA Show. On 23 February 2023, Absolutely was acquired by DPD UK (part of DPDgroup/GeoPost/La Poste), and continues to operate within that group, with CEO Stuart Godman remaining in role.

Name

Absolutely

Legal name

Mach 1 Couriers Limited

Website

https://absolutelycourier.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Absolutely is a London-based B2B same-day and specialist courier serving healthcare, fashion, food, legal, and media clients with multi-vehicle, temperature-controlled, overnight, and international services, acquired by DPD UK in February 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Same Day Courier & Final-Mile Delivery Services

NAICS

Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (4921), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (492210), Couriers and Messengers (492)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Air Courier Services (4513), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Premium B2B Express & Scheduled Time-Window Delivery (TLAAABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Micro-Mobility Couriers (bike/e-bike/scooter walkers) (TLAAAGAH), Secure Chain-of-Custody / High-Value B2B Courier (Electronics, Jewelry) (TLAAAEAJ), Retail Store Replenishment & Inter-Store Transfer (B2B) (TLAAAEAF), Financial & Legal Document Exchange (Banking, Courts, Law Firms) (TLAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Same day courier
• Overnight courier
• International courier
• Temperature controlled delivery
• Final mile logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Same Day Courier Services: Priority courier service for time-sensitive deliveries within London and beyond, using bikes, cargo bikes, motorbikes, and vans. Available 24/7 with varying vehicle options based on package size and weight requirements.
2. Overnight/Next Day Courier: Next day delivery services across the UK through the APC Overnight Network. Includes timed delivery options (10:30 or 12:00) and Saturday delivery service.
3. International Courier Services: Worldwide delivery services including express delivery to major European cities, onboard courier for time-critical packages, special express for bespoke shipments, and economy international service
4. Temperature-Controlled Courier Services: Refrigerated transport operating between +8 and -18°C for food, pharmaceutical and medical products requiring cold chain solutions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Absolutely operates as a London-based final-mile courier company providing same day, overnight, international, and temperature-controlled delivery services via a fleet of pushbikes, motorbikes, electric cargo bikes, and vans operating 24/7. The company specialises in time-sensitive B2B deliveries for fashion/retail, medical/pharmacy, food and drink, and legal/financial sectors, with sector-specific handling capabilities and a sophisticated online booking and GPS tracking platform.

Product overview

Absolutely is The London Courier — a final-mile logistics provider offering a unified platform of courier services, not a modular software product. The core portfolio comprises four primary service lines: Same Day Courier (with sub-services by vehicle type: pushbike, motorbike, cargo bike, small van, large van), Overnight Courier Service (via the APC Overnight Network), International Courier Service (express, onboard courier, special express, economy), and Temperature-Controlled Courier Service. These services are further specialised by sector — Food & Drink, Medical & Pharmacy, and Retail & Fashion — with a shared technology infrastructure providing GPS tracking, online booking, and the what3words location technology. The company operates across four London hubs (Central, North, South, West) and was acquired by DPD in February 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Same Day Courier Service Flagship same day courier service delivering parcels and packages across London and beyond using a fleet of pushbikes, motorbikes, electric cargo bikes, and Euro 6-compliant vans, operating 24/7, 365 days a year.
• Overnight Courier Service Next day courier service operating through the APC Overnight Network, offering standard next day delivery, timed delivery (10:30 or 12:00), and Saturday delivery services across the UK.
• International Courier Service Door-to-door and port-to-port international courier services working with all major international carriers, covering express delivery, onboard courier, special express, and economy international services to all global destinations.
• Temperature-Controlled Courier Service Modern refrigerated van fleet maintaining temperatures between +8°C and -18°C, supporting same day and next day temperature-controlled deliveries for the food and drink and medical and pharmacy sectors.
• Motorbike Courier Service Same day courier service using motorbikes and scooters, the fastest option for beating London traffic, capable of carrying up to 10kg including A4 boxes, A3 flat items, and lever arch files, suitable for long-distance journeys outside London.
• Cargo Bike Courier Service Zero-emission, ULEZ-compliant electric cargo bike courier service available in four sizes (Small: 80kg/260L, Medium: 170kg/620L, Large: 200kg/1,500L, Extra Large: 180kg/2,000L), serving as a viable alternative to small vans in Zones 1 and 2.
• Large Van Courier Service Same day large van courier service with a maximum weight capacity of 1,000kg and dimensions of 224cm (L) x 170cm (W) x 153cm (H), suitable for heavy and awkward loads, with a tail-lift Luton van option and nationwide delivery capability.
• Food & Drink Courier Services Temperature-controlled courier services for the food and drink sector, operating from a specialist chilled distribution hub in WC1, handling chilled and frozen food deliveries with temperatures between +8°C and -18°C, including parcel and pallet distribution, multi-drop, and same day services.
• Medical & Pharmacy Courier Services Specialised medical, pharmacy, and NHS courier services operating 24/7, handling Medicare, pharmaceuticals, controlled drugs, samples, and medical documents, with temperature-controlled vehicles fitted with state-of-the-art temperature monitoring systems.
• Retail & Fashion Courier Services Same day fashion and retail industry courier services in London for brands, PR agencies, and stylists, including specialised handling of hanging garments via adapted electric cargo bikes, with same day and overnight delivery options across London and nationwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average collection time of 20 minutes in central London for same day delivery
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DPD UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2023DPD UK completed acquisition of Absolutely to strengthen same day delivery capabilities. Absolutely operates as part of DPDgroup, Europe's largest parcel delivery network. Customers gain access to DPD's domestic next day and international expertise while Absolutely's same day capabilities complement DPD's existing services.
• Sheltersuit UKminorOthers · 9 February 2023Distribution partnership providing subsidized same day courier services to deliver Shelterbags to those experiencing homelessness. Part of employee community initiative to support local charities.
• what3wordscoreTechnology or Integration · 27 September 2022Technology partnership providing 3-metre precision location addressing to improve first-time delivery accuracy. Absolutely's couriers and customers can identify precise collection and delivery locations using three-word addresses, solving London's complex addressing challenges where postcodes cover large areas and building access points are unclear.
• EcologiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Partnership from September 2021 to December 2023 to build a climate-positive workforce by subscribing to climate change solutions. Offset 1,753.26 tCO2e by funding 23,610 trees. Partnership ended as Absolutely shifted focus to direct carbon reduction rather than offsetting.
• APC Overnight NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading member of the APC Overnight Network, the UK's largest independent delivery network with more than 115 depots nationwide. Provides next day delivery coverage across the UK for Absolutely's overnight courier services.
• Road Haulage Association (RHA)minorOthersIndustry membership association providing representation and support in the road haulage sector.
• National Courier and Despatch Association (NCDA)minorOthersIndustry membership association for courier and despatch companies in the UK.
• European Express Association (EEA)minorOthersEuropean industry association helping build international links and relationships for cross-border delivery services.
• Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS)minorOthersFleet accreditation scheme demonstrating operational excellence in transport operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Evri (formerly Hermes UK): Large UK parcel delivery network with broad B2B and B2C capabilities. Competes for fashion/retail and e-commerce contract volumes that overlap with Absolutely's overnight and retail-sector courier services.
• Royal Mail: UK national postal operator offering tracked, next-day, and same-day services (Royal Mail Tracked 24/48, Special Delivery). Competes for overnight and document delivery contracts that overlap with Absolutely's overnight and legal courier offerings.
• FedEx UK: Global integrator offering priority, same-day, and international courier services in the UK. Competes with Absolutely's international courier and onboard courier offerings for time-critical cross-border shipments.
• DPD UK: Parent company and UK's largest parcel delivery network. Acquired Absolutely in February 2023; offers next-day, international, and now same-day capabilities with broad geographic reach overlapping Absolutely's enterprise client base.

Direct peers

• CitySprint: UK same-day courier also acquired by DPD UK in 2022. Direct competitor in London's time-critical delivery market and now a corporate sibling under DPDgroup, raising both consolidation logic and potential cannibalization risk for Absolutely.
• Addison Lee: Iconic London courier and private hire operator providing same-day document and parcel delivery across London. Direct competitor in the same B2B time-critical courier market with overlapping client base in legal, financial, and corporate sectors.
• Gophr: UK-based same-day courier platform with strong London presence, offering on-demand and scheduled B2B deliveries. Competes head-to-head for SMB and enterprise same-day contracts in London.

Emerging players

• Packfleet: London-based next-day parcel courier focused on premium, sustainable delivery with electric vehicles. Competes for London-based retailers and brands that overlap with Absolutely's fashion/retail customer base.
• Zipline (UK courier): UK same-day and specialist courier providing medical, legal, and corporate deliveries with tracked vehicles. Overlaps with Absolutely's secure chain-of-custody, legal, and medical courier verticals.
• Loop (Eco Courier): UK-based sustainable, zero-emission last-mile courier operating in London with cargo bikes and EVs. Directly competes for ULEZ-sensitive and sustainability-focused B2B clients overlapping Absolutely's eco-fleet positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/absolutely---cars-and-couriers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Absolutely