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Airborne Express's Overview

Total employees95
HeadquartersSeattle
Founded

Airborne Express was a prominent American express mail and cargo delivery company, founded in 1946. It grew to become the third-largest express delivery company in the United States, known for its own airline (ABX Air) and a significant logistics network. In 2003, DHL acquired Airborne Express's ground operations, integrating them into its own network, while the airline portion was spun off as ABX Air, Inc. The Airborne Express brand was subsequently phased out.

Where is Airborne Express's Headquarters?

Airborne Express officeAirborne Express officeAirborne Express officeAirborne Express office
*Images sourced via web search. Rights belong to original owners

HQ Function

The Seattle headquarters served as the central administrative, strategic planning, and corporate operations center for Airborne Express's global activities.

Notable Features:

The company also operated a significant air hub, Airborne Airpark, in Wilmington, Ohio, which was crucial for its domestic and international sorting and flight operations.

Work Culture:

As a logistics and express delivery company, the work culture at Airborne Express was likely fast-paced, operations-focused, and centered on efficiency, timeliness, and customer service to compete in a demanding industry.

HQ Significance:

The Seattle headquarters was significant as the command center for a major player in the US and international express delivery market, orchestrating a complex network of air and ground transportation.

Values Reflected in HQ: The dual focus on a corporate HQ and a massive operational hub reflected values of strategic oversight combined with operational excellence, speed, and reliability.

Location:

Prior to its acquisition, Airborne Express had a significant global presence, offering express delivery and logistics services to many countries worldwide. It operated its own airline and a network of international partners to support import and export services, primarily focusing on North America, Europe, and Asia. Its global operations were integrated into DHL's network after 2003.

Street Address:

3101 Western Avenue (Corporate HQ)

City:

Seattle

State/Province:

Washington

Country:

USA

Airborne Express's Global Presence

Wilmington, Ohio, USA

Address: 145 Hunter Dr, Wilmington, OH 45177 (Airborne Airpark)

Served as the central nervous system for Airborne's flight operations across North America and connections to international destinations.

Various cities, USA & International

Address: Multiple regional offices and sorting facilities across its network.

These locations facilitated local pickups, deliveries, and consolidation of shipments for transport through the main Wilmington hub or directly to other regions.

Buying Intent Signals for Airborne Express

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Executive Team of Airborne Express

As of April 2025, Airborne Express' leadership includes:

Carl Donaway - Chairman and CEO (at the time of acquisition)
Robert G. Brazier - President and COO (influential in building the company)
Lanny H. Michael - Executive Vice President and CFO

Investors of Airborne Express

Airborne Express has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Publicly Traded (NYSE: ABF prior to acquisition)
DHL (Acquiring entity in 2003)

Executive New Hires/Exits in the Last 12 Months

Hire0
Exits0

Information on specific executive hires and exits in the 12 months immediately preceding the 2003 DHL acquisition is not readily available in public archives. The most significant executive event was the leadership navigating the acquisition process by DHL.

Technology (Tech Stack) used by Airborne Express

Discover the tools Airborne Express uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Airborne Express Email Formats and Examples

As Airborne Express was acquired by DHL in 2003, its original email domain (e.g., airborne.com) is no longer active. Historically, companies of that era often used formats like first initial + last name or first name . last name.

Historical, likely [first_initial][last_name]@[airborne_domain_placeholder].com (e.g., jsmith@airborne.com) or [first_name].[last_name]@[airborne_domain_placeholder].com

Format

example@airborne.com (This email address is no longer active)

Example

0%

Success rate

News and media

DHL Press Release / News ArchivesAugust 15, 2003

DHL Completes Acquisition of Airborne Express

DHL announced the completion of its acquisition of Airborne, Inc., integrating Airborne's US domestic ground network and air operations. This move significantly expanded DHL's presence in the United States....more

The New York TimesApril 2, 2003

Deutsche Post to Buy Airborne for $1.05 Billion

Deutsche Post, the parent company of DHL, announced its agreement to acquire Airborne Inc. for $1.05 billion. The deal aimed to bolster DHL's competitive position in the U.S. market against rivals FedEx and UPS....more

Seattle Times Archives / Company Press ReleaseMarch 26, 2001

Airborne Express Reports Record Revenue and Earnings for 2000

Airborne Express announced strong financial results for the year 2000, highlighting its competitive strength in the express delivery market prior to increased competition and economic shifts that eventually led to its acquisition....more

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