Mail Boxes Etc.
MBE Worldwide S.p.A. ("MBE"), is a third-party provider of shipping, fulfillment, print and marketing via a network of franchised locations. MBE is a family-owned Italian holding company based in Milan, Italy, is one of the world's largest networks of conveniently located Service Centers offering shipping, logistics, printing, marketing and design to business and private customers. History. Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) was founded in the United States in 1980 by Gerald Aul, Pat Senn and Robert Diais. By 2000, MBE had expanded to 4,000 locations including Korea and Sweden. MBE is a network of  retail centers offering pack and ship, logistics, communications and marketing services to business and private customers. On December 31, 2016, MBE Worldwide had almost 1,600 locations in 30 countries, with aggregated sales of 427 million euros in 2016. Acquisitions. In 2017, MBE Worldwide acquired two US companies, PostNet International Franchise and AlphaGraphics Inc. With these acquisitions, the MBE network now reaches around 2,500 service centers, including 500 in the US and 2,000 in 43 countries around the world. Acquired by UPS. In 2001, UPS acquired Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. locations in the United States and Canada. On April 7, 2003 , UPS began converting the 3,000 Mail Boxes Etc. locations in the United States and Canada (at the time, nearly 90% of the domestic U.S. network) to The UPS Store and began offering lower (around 20% on average) UPS direct shipping rates. The centers remain locally owned and operated, and continue to offer a variety of packing, shipping, freight, postal, printing and business services.