Express Delivery Services Industry Profile

The US express delivery services industry includes about 7,500 companies with combined annual revenue of more than $70 billion. The industry is divided into large networked couriers capable of nationwide and international delivery, and smaller local services that transport packages within a metropolitan area. The courier segment of the industry is highly concentrated and accounts for most of the industry's revenue; United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx) alone generate more than 80 percent of the revenue. The local segment, which is much smaller, is highly fragmented.

The global express delivery industry generates annual revenue of approximately $180 billion. DHL (Germany) and TNT (The Netherlands) are the largest express delivery companies based outside the US.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by business transactions and online consumer spending. The profitability of individual companies depends on price, reliability, quality, and services. Large companies compete by offering a wide range of services. Small companies compete through specialized customer service. The industry is labor intensive: average revenue per employee is about $130,000.

Barriers to entry into the industry vary. National and international delivery services require heavy capital investments in vehicles, material handling equipment, and other technology. Conversely, barriers are low for local market service providers, which rely primarily on labor.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

The express delivery industry primarily transports parcels that are small enough to be handled by a single delivery person without the need for special equipment; this differentiates the ...