UPS, SF Holding joint venture wins regulatory approval in China

UPS and Chinese transport and logistics company SF Holding – parent company of carrier SF Express – received approval of their planned joint venture from China’s Ministry of Commerce.

The joint venture, which the companies announced back in May, will establish international delivery services, beginning with deliveries from China to the United States, giving Chinese e-commerce sellers access to the U.S. market. UPS and SF Holding began collaborating in 2015 when SF’s retail stores in Shanghai and Shenzhen began offering UPS Worldwide Express service.

Under the J.V., customers in China “will now be in a position to trade more easily across borders and better compete on the global stage,” said Ross McCullough, president of UPS Asia Pacific.

The J.V. approval means shippers looking for options for less-urgent shipments can access Global Reach Plus, the joint venture’s deferred express product. The product will offer shipping in five to seven business days utilizing UPS and SF networks, a single point of contact for customers through SF’s customer service, tracking options using SF’s tracking tools integrated with UPS technology, and flexibility for shipment pick-up times and delivery options with UPS My Choice and UPS Access Point.