To learn more about small businesses that made it big as well as keys to business success please visit http://www.smallbusinessdelivered.com . As a bonus visitors that subscribe to the FREE Newsletter will receive 5 FREE E-Books and an additional FREE E-Book each week.
UPS is a package delivery company that has grown into one of the largest delivery companies in the world. With its iconic brown trucks roaming the streets of every major city across the globe the company delivers over 15 million packages each day to over 6.1 million customers. But it wasn't always that way. There was a time many years ago that the company everyone knows today was just the vision of two young men.
The two young men in question were 19 year old Jim Casey and 18 year old Claude Ryan. Together these two men would get together and form a small messenger company in Seattle, Washington known as the American Messenger Company. They formed their new business venture just over 100 years ago in 1907. And they did by borrowing a $100.
These two enterprising young men soon had a thriving business on their hands and in 1913 they would take the company a step further by merging with one of their competitors Evert McCabe. Together the company which was newly renamed as Merchants Parcel Delivery would begin using the Ford Model T as the first ever delivery vehicle. And the company would also introduce the concept of consolidated delivery which insured that packages going to the same area went on the same vehicle.
By 1918 the company owned a fleet of delivery vehicles and expansion would begin outside the Seattle, Washington area. In 1919 the company officially changed its name to United Parcel Service although it wouldn't be until 1930 when the company began entering the Eastern and Midwestern portions of the country that the entire company would officially adopt the name. It was also in 1930 that the company would start to use what is known as Pullman brown on all of its vehicles. The color they still use today.
It wasn't until the early 50's that UPS began to build its own air fleet known as Blue Label Air to help move packages all over the country and it actually took until 1975 for UPS to begin delivering packages to all 48 contiguous states. In 1975 UPS also began their first international deliveries by opening up operations in Canada. But once that border was crossed then true international expansion of the company would begin.
Today UPS operates in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. They not only handle package delivery but freight services, trucking companies, mail box stores, and much more. Chances are you've used UPS to deliver a package at some time or another and many business owners see the UPS guy nearly every day. Now whether a young Jim Casey and Claude Ryan ever thought their small messenger company that they began 100 years ago would become such a global icon who can really say. But they can be proud of it none the less.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Defining Firm Level Entrepreneurship
- Discovering the Success to Franchising and Entrepreneurship
- Changing Demographics in Entrepreneurship
- Gaining a Degree From Entrepreneurship University
- Entrepreneurship – What’s Behind This Economic Movement? is it an Option for You?
- Success Stories of Agribusiness/ Agri-clinics - a Tool of Agri Entrepreneurship
- A Corporate Perspective on Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship and the Business Environment




Got An Office Planning Job In Front Of You?
By: Lauren Hill | 16/11/2009When planning your next office layout plan talk to the experts in office planning who can help you create an office space that is beneficially to you, your business, your clients and your staff.
How to Locate Reliable CMMS Companies
By: Ashley Combs | 16/11/2009When productivity in industrial plants suffers, you are likely to discover that payroll costs and machine maintenance are the culprit. Computerized Maintenance Management Systems can solve both these problems. But how do you find the right CMMS program for you? We have those answers and a checklist to follow.
CV Tips That Work In A Recession
By: Glenn Hughes | 16/11/2009CV Tips That Work In A Recession and help people to get job interviews when previously there was little chance of getting them
Moving Effortlessly to Baltimore
By: Andrew Beene | 16/11/2009A bible passage from Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” True enough, even moving and changing homes and neighborhoods has its own season. For people who live in Baltimore, Maryland, the peak season for moving is summer.
Marketing On The Fringe Review - Marketing On The Fringe Scam2
By: Patricker Mullenissimo | 16/11/2009Are you interested to generate free web traffic with the Marketing on the Fringe System? The owner of this site claims that this is a course that will teach anyone how to create free traffic with less than fifteen minutes a day. He promises that this traffic is targeted and maintains a consistent flow over the long term. Does it really work that way or is it just another Internet scam? 1. How is Marketing on the Fringe Different From Other Available Traffic Methods? I have tried ...
House Renovation for Maryland Residents
By: Andrew Beene | 16/11/2009My first renovation project was the bathroom. Bathroom remodeling in MD is highly regarded by handymen since most residents are more likely to buy a house with a beautiful, spacious and clean bathroom. Next was our kitchen and the bedrooms came as finale.
Promotional bags – Best for New and Existing Customers
By: Alesia Watson | 16/11/2009Promotional bags constitute the perfect giveaways for the customers. Whether it is the new customer or the existing ones, everyone will appreciate such gifts and since they are materials of daily use, it is most likely that your brand name will receive widespread publicity in the process.
Regaining Standards of Customer Service
By: Tom Tessin | 16/11/2009In today's business, customer service is a rapidly vanishing standard for employees of large corporations such as banks, telephone companies and insurance companies. There are several reasons for the demise of true customer service and the circumstances of such demise addressed here are the use of first names only, limited...
From Small Business to Big Business: Costco Wholesale
By: Cash Miller | 04/02/2009 | BusinessEntrepreneurs need inspiration. Because building a business is about having a vision and the will to succeed. The businesses in this series of articles have all started small and have since become icons of the business world. In this article we feature Costco Wholesale.
7 Considerations of a Pay Per Click Campaign
By: Cash Miller | 03/02/2009 | BusinessPay per click campaigns can be expensive. So it is important that you get it right the first time. Conducting a successful campaign takes planning, attention to detail and the willingness to take risks. Plus a strong stomach helps as well. To help you through the process here is a list of 7 things you need to consider about your campaign.
The Pros and Cons of Pay Per Click Marketing
By: Cash Miller | 03/02/2009 | BusinessPay per click marketing is probably the single most prevalent form of internet marketing today. In fact it has become one of the most important forms of marketing period. But there are both pros and cons to this form of marketing that you should be aware of.
From Small Business to Big Business: Eddie Bauer Holdings Inc
By: Cash Miller | 03/02/2009 | BusinessEntrepreneurs need inspiration. Because building a business is about having a vision and the will to succeed. The businesses in this series of articles have all started small and have since become icons of the business world. In this article we feature Eddie Bauer Holdings Inc.
From Small Business to Big Business: United Parcel Service, Inc. or Ups
By: Cash Miller | 03/02/2009 | BusinessEntrepreneurs need inspiration. Because building a business is about having a vision and the will to succeed. The businesses in this series of articles have all started small and have since become icons of the business world. In this article we feature the United Parcel Service, Inc. otherwise known as UPS.
Are You Thinking of Diversifying Your Product Line? Think Long and Hard Before You Do
By: Cash Miller | 03/02/2009 | BusinessYour small business is growing up. It's got you excited about the future and you've gotten good at what you do. Now you think it's time to expand your product line. A word to the wise it could cost you everything if you're not careful. Diversifying your product line can be expensive and time consuming. So much so that you once you've begun you might not realize what kind of affect it's having on the rest of your business until it's too late.
From Small Business to Big Business: Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream
By: Cash Miller | 15/01/2009 | BusinessEntrepreneurs need inspiration. Because building a business is about having a vision and the will to succeed. The businesses in this series of articles have all started small and have since become icons of the business world. In this article we feature Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.
Manage Your Cash Flow or Perish
By: Cash Miller | 28/12/2008 | BusinessThe need to manage your cash flow has never been greater. When businesses to the left and right of you are tightening their purse strings and taking longer to pay you. You might find your business going down the tubes. But if you can protect your cash flow you can protect your business.