UPS seals joint venture with China’s SF Express

UPS and SF Express’s parent company, SF Holding have gained China Ministry of Commerce approval for their planned joint venture.
The two operators will collaborate on international delivery services from, initially, China to the US and, in future, on other trade lanes.
In a statement , UPS and SF Holding said the move would allow the two firms ”to leverage their complementary networks, service portfolios, technologies and logistics expertise”.
SF  Express has extensive network coverage throughout China for small parcels.
The new joint venture is a continuation of UPS and SF’s collaboration that began in 2015, when UPS Worldwide Express service was made available at SF’s Heike retail stores in Shanghai and Shenzhen.
President of UPS Asia Pacific, Ross McCullough, commented: “We’re delighted to help the many customers in China who will now be in a position to trade more easily across borders and better compete on the global stage thanks to product offerings from the UPS and SF joint venture.”
He added that aligning the two networks will increase market presence.
SF group vice president, Alan Wong, added: “The establishment of this joint venture boosts global expansion of Chinese enterprises beyond local borders. SF and UPS are able to maximise the strengths of both companies to continuously innovate and create more competitive products that deliver strong value for customers.”
The two partners are already collaborating on Global Reach Plus, a  deferred express product that offers the full visibility and reliability of a premium express service.