1907-1913   1913-1918   1919-1930   1930-1975   1975-1990   1991-1999   1999-2007

1907 – 1913: Creating a Messenger Service
At the beginning of the 20th century, the United States was about to embark on an era of transformation and innovation. America was focused inwardly on its growth, and the West was largely undeveloped. While Seattle, Washington, was fairly well-established, the city was still rife with opportunity, particularly for service-based businesses.

In 1907, two teenage entrepreneurs created what would become the world’s largest package delivery service. Starting in a Seattle basement with a $100 loan, Claude Ryan and Jim Casey opened the American Messenger Company. With telephones and automobiles scarce, the company fulfilled a range of tasks, from running errands and carrying notes on foot or on bicycle, to making home deliveries for drugstore customers. Their fledgling business entered a competitive marketplace, facing numerous firms that also specialized in message and parcel delivery.

Already experienced in business when he began the company, Jim hired other teens as messengers, and his younger brother George joined the firm’s leadership ranks. Operating under the principle of providing the best service at the lowest rates, the company prospered. Jim’s steadfast commitment to reliability, courtesy, neatness, and high ethical standards helped establish the values that continue to guide UPS today.

The statistical information included here was current at the time it was published in 2007. To see more recent statistics, visit our pressroom.