COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 492110

Couriers

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

18companies1907–1993founding years18still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedUnited Parcel Service, Inc.FoundedUnited Parcel Service, Inc.
1907
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedGreyhound Lines, Inc.FoundedGreyhound Lines, Inc.
1926
FoundedYamato Transport Co. Ltd.FoundedYamato Transport Co. Ltd.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
FoundedNippon Express Company, Ltd.FoundedNippon Express Company, Ltd.
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedGefco SAFoundedGefco SAFoundedOtto Versand (GmbH & Co.)FoundedOtto Versand (GmbH & Co.)
1949
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedDHL Worldwide Network S.A./N.V.FoundedDHL Worldwide Network S.A./N.V.
1969
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedLauda Air Luftfahrt AGFoundedLauda Air Luftfahrt AG
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedVelocity Express CorporationFoundedVelocity Express Corporation
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

United Parcel Service, Inc. →
Active · founded 1907
Known in the industry as "Big Brown," United Parcel Service, Inc.
United Parcel Service, Inc. →
Active · founded 1907
Known in the industry as "Big Brown," United Parcel Service, Inc.
Greyhound Lines, Inc. →
Active · founded 1926
Greyhound Lines, Inc.
Greyhound Lines, Inc. →
Active · founded 1926
Greyhound Lines, Inc.
Yamato Transport Co. Ltd. →
Active · founded 1929 · Japan
Early 1980s:Yamato partners with UPS to provide worldwide delivery services.
Yamato Transport Co. Ltd. →
Active · founded 1929 · Japan
Early 1980s:Yamato partners with UPS to provide worldwide delivery services.
Nippon Express Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
Nippon Express Company, Ltd., is one of Japan's largest transportation companies, with nearly 1,170 service centers in…
Nippon Express Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
Nippon Express Company, Ltd., is one of Japan's largest transportation companies, with nearly 1,170 service centers in…
Gefco SA →
Active · founded 1949 · France
Gefco SA, based in Courvevoie, France, is one of Europe's leading logistics groups and one of the top ten in the…
Gefco SA →
Active · founded 1949 · France
Gefco SA, based in Courvevoie, France, is one of Europe's leading logistics groups and one of the top ten in the…
Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) →
Active · founded 1949 · Germany
While Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) is the world's largest mail-order company with subsidiaries and affiliates in Europe,…
Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) →
Active · founded 1949 · Germany
While Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) is the world's largest mail-order company with subsidiaries and affiliates in Europe,…
DHL Worldwide Network S.A./N.V. →
Active · founded 1969 · Belgium
1970s:Service to and from Far Eastern markets begins.
DHL Worldwide Network S.A./N.V. →
Active · founded 1969 · Belgium
1970s:Service to and from Far Eastern markets begins.
Lauda Air Luftfahrt AG →
Active · founded 1979 · Austria
Lauda Air Luftfahrt AG is a unit of Austrian Airlines Group specializing in charters and Far East travel.
Lauda Air Luftfahrt AG →
Active · founded 1979 · Austria
Lauda Air Luftfahrt AG is a unit of Austrian Airlines Group specializing in charters and Far East travel.
Velocity Express Corporation →
Active · founded 1993
Velocity Express Corporation is one of the largest providers of same-day delivery and distribution/logistics services…
Velocity Express Corporation →
Active · founded 1993
Velocity Express Corporation is one of the largest providers of same-day delivery and distribution/logistics services…
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