Market share of the leading couriers and local delivery providers by region 2017

The market share of courier companies varies by region: Germany-based DHL maintains the largest market share in Europe and the Asia Pacific region with market shares of 44 percent and 49 percent respectively, while U.S-based FedEx has the largest market share in the Americas at 43 percent. Overall, DHL is the largest provider, with 38 percent of the consolidated global market.

The global CEP market

Courier, express and parcel (CEP) providers differ from freight companies in that they deliver non-palletized items that are generally below 50 kilograms, and from traditional postal services through being private companies rather than state monopolies. The global CEP market is expected to grow by almost 37 percent between 2015 and 2020, reaching 315 billion U.S. dollars. Growth is expected to be highest in the Asia Pacific region.

Reasons for growth

Increasing use of e-commerce is the primary driver generally cited for the growth of the global CEP market, as e-commerce relies on CEP companies (along with local postal services) to deliver goods to consumers. This is the case across all regions. For example, in the Unites States e-commerce sales of almost all product categories saw double-digit growth in 2017. Growth rates are significantly higher in China, fueled by the increasing size of the middle class. This dynamic is a key reason why the Asia Pacific region is expected to see the strongest growth.