Abstract
This paper provides a brief outline of the company United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS), which includes the mission and vision of the company, type of ownership, size, location, activities and a brief history.
United Parcel Service, Inc. is a company involved in the delivery of parcels. In addition it also provides transportation, logistics and financial services, both in the United States of America and around the world. It is a public limited company and the shares are publicly owned and listed on the Dow Jones Composite, Dow Transportation, S&P 100, S&P 500, and S&P 1500 Super Comp. (1).
Company Profile
The mission statement of UPS is “To guide the company’s efforts to provide responsible, ethical business behaviour and manage business conduct to achieve and maintain compliance with all applicable regulations and policies for all aspects of UPS business worldwide, including all wholly owned subsidiaries”. (2).
The vision of the company is “Our vision for the future is to synchronize the world of commerce, managing the complexities of our customers’ supply chain needs. Our goal is to develop business solutions that create value and competitive advantages for all size customers through product differentiation, market penetration, better customer service and improved cash flow”. (3).
The company has its headquarters in Atlanta Georgia and delivers more than fourteen million packages daily in the United States of America and to two hundred countries around the world, which is an indication of the size of the company. UPS operates through a hub and spoke logistic model and there are twenty-four UPS hubs spread over the United States of America. It owns a fleet of its aircraft to move the packages to and from these hubs and to and from the two hundred countries it operates from. (4). The number of aircraft that it owns is approximately six hundred. In addition to these aircraft it owns a fleet nearly 101,000 package cars, vans, tractors and motorcycles. Its full time employee strength is approximately 246,000. The key executives responsible for the management of the company are Scott Davis CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee, David Abney COO and Sr. V.P, John McDevitt, Sr. V.P. Global Transportation Services, James Winestock Sr. V.P. of U.S. Operation, and Kurt Kuehn CFO. (1).
Brief History
The history of UPS more than reflects the pioneering spirit in the United States of America, wherein a young nineteen year old boy started a messenger service company in Seattle in 1907, and led it to become the largest package delivery company in the world and a reputed global leader in supply chain services. (5).
The key milestones in the history of the company since its founding in 1907 as the American Messenger Company start with in, when 1913 it merged with Evert McCabe, changing its name to Merchant Parcel Delivery. In 1919 it changed its name to United Parcel Service, by which it is known today and expanded into Oakland and California. In 1960 it introduced its familiar shield logo, which was designed by Paul Rand. By 1975 UPS expanded its operations to all the land bound 48 states of the United States of America. In 1977 the Congress deregulated the air cargo industry and UPS made its foray into air delivery service. In 1997 strike by the 185,000 Teamster Union of UPS led to it having to shutdown for sixteen days, leading to losses in business and customers. In 1999 the privately owned company of UPS transformed to a publicly traded company through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) that was considered at that time to be the largest IPO in the history of the United States of America. In 2001 UPS acquired Mail Boxes, Etc. a company focused on business activities in the package shipping, receiving, and mailing and changed its name to The UPS Store. In 2003 UPS went in for a new brand image through changes in its logo, website and design of its UPS vehicles, and introduced the slogan” Synchronizing the World of Commerce”. (4).
Works Cited
“United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS)”. YAHOO! FINANCE. 2009. Web.
“Fact Sheets”. UPS Pressroom. 2009. Web.
“The UPS Vision”. UPS Investor Relations. 2009. Web.
“United Parcel Service”. 2005. Fact-Archive.com. 2009. Web.
“Company History”. UPS Pressroom. 2009. Web.