Dépêches

Fineffe Group Becomes Franchisor for International Mail Boxes Etc.

Dépèche transmise le 12 mai 2009 par Business Wire

Fineffe Group Becomes Franchisor for International Mail Boxes Etc.

ATLANTA, Ga. & MILAN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MBE Worldwide, a newly formed affiliate of Italy’s Fineffe Group, has acquired the Mail Boxes Etc. international network making it the franchisor outside the United States, Canada and India. The global agreement provides for UPS (NYSE:UPS) to continue as the preferred carrier for express services offered at the international retail stores.

Fineffe Group, already the largest international Mail Boxes Etc. master licensee with locations in Italy, Germany, Spain and Austria, as the franchisor assumes existing master license agreements in more than 30 countries that operate 1,227 Mail Boxes Etc. locations, including franchise sales, training and network support. MBE Worldwide plans to grow its business concept in other countries not currently offering the Mail Boxes Etc. brand.

“We started as a Master Licensee in 1993, and it was our dream to have the opportunity to develop this network globally,” said Paolo Fiorelli, CEO of MBE Worldwide. “The UPS relationship is critical moving forward as we collaborate to add greater value to the Mail Boxes Etc. brand as we grow.”

Under the new global agreement, UPS will position the Mail Boxes Etc. network as a preferred international retail location for UPS express shipping services with the same customer convenience of store location information available on ups.com country web sites.

San Diego-based Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. (MBE), acquired by UPS in 2001, continues as a wholly-owned subsidiary of UPS to focus growth and development of The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. brands in the United States, Canada and India, where there are approximately 4,800 independently owned and operated locations.

“The success of Fineffe Group in building the Mail Boxes Etc. model in four countries lays a foundation for continued network growth that creates even more accessibility for UPS products around the world,” said Dan Brutto, president of UPS International.

The Fineffe Group is the holding company of the Fiorelli Family business interests, operating since 1993 with affiliates for retail services under the following brands: Mail Boxes Etc., Western Union, Direfarestampare and Credit Planet. Founder and Chairman Graziano Fiorelli joins son Paolo, CEO, to direct more than 300 associates from its Milan headquarters. The company generated consolidated revenue of more than US$193 million (€145 million) in 2008.

UPS (NYSE:UPS) is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain and freight services. With more than a century of experience in transportation and logistics, UPS is a leading global trade expert equipped with a broad portfolio of solutions. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.