Aramex celebrates 40 years of delivering franchise success

08/11/2023

As one of New Zealand's longest-standing franchise companies, Aramex is celebrating 40 years of success built on strong direction, purpose and Kiwi can-do ingenuity.

From humble beginnings in 1983 as Fastway Couriers with a couple of vans in Hawke's Bay, Aramex has been part and parcel of the New Zealand business landscape for four decades and counting.

 

Today, thousands of Kiwi businesses trust Aramex to deliver. Many have been loyal customers for decades. A network of 18 regional franchisees and thousands of courier franchisees and depot team members provide courier and freight services that are reliable, affordable and integral to the everyday operations of local businesses.

"Our driving force is ensuring your freight gets to where it needs to go," says CEO of Aramex New Zealand, Mark Little. "Whether that's getting one or thousands of deliveries across Auckland, inter-island or international, we have the network footprint and capability to look after both small and large New Zealand businesses."

Mark has no doubt that achievement in business is a team effort. The franchise model has meant both regional and courier franchisees have created their own success, with the Aramex support team there every step of the way.

Aramex's strong business model saw the company recently recognised as a finalist for the Franchise System of the Year in the 2023 Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards.

Head of the North Shore region for Aramex, Alex Chang.

 

"Being a finalist is acknowledgement that what keeps us moving forward is passionate local franchise partners, business owners in their own right, with access to the best tools and structure," says Mark.

Mark says the network around the country knows how to work together, even when faced with tough times like the Covid-19 lockdowns. When many other operations shut down, Aramex couriers were busier than ever keeping Kiwis connected.

"The rapid growth in demand reinforced the need to be smart and lean with our systems and technology, which have increased efficiency," he says.

In 40 years, it's a given that some things have changed. Gone are the days of customers ordering booklets of prepaid sticky labels. Now they can open an online account in a few minutes and dispatch freight from their smartphone or laptop. As Aramex works towards a more sustainable future, expect to see more electric vehicles in the fleet too.

Technology has also allowed Aramex to evolve and capitalise on the rise of e-commerce, delivering for some of New Zealand's biggest retail brands, such as the Briscoe Group.

"We are a company that was built on business-to-business deliveries, and now e-commerce accounts for a significant percentage of all deliveries," says Mark.

 

At the heart of Aramex's continued success is the commitment of its franchise partners.

Northland courier franchisee Craig Hausman has been with Aramex for over 26 years.

Northland courier franchisee Craig Hausman has been with Aramex for over 26 years.

 

"I think the flexibility of the franchise system is one reason Aramex has been successful for 40 years," says Craig. "As a franchisee, I have the support and structure, and I can also make my own decisions; I recently made the cost-effective switch to an electric vehicle."

Head of the North Shore region for Aramex, Alex Chang, is another long-standing team member, joining in 2007 as a courier franchisee in East Tamaki.

"Over 16 years I've held several roles with Aramex, initially as a courier franchisee before moving into management and recruitment, to now leading 30-plus couriers in the North Shore."

"Aramex has given me the opportunities to grow my skills, and now I thrive off helping our team understand how they can grow their business and increase productivity while keeping a good work/life balance."

 

Giving back and supporting local communities is central to Aramex's values. The company is a long-term supporter of Cure Kids and recently pledged to support Camp Quality, an organisation dedicated to running camps for children living with cancer.

"We're always ready to pitch in and lend a hand," says Mark. "The entire network rallied around regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, distributing much-needed supplies in Hawke's Bay."

Looking to the future, Mark is confident of a strong outlook for Aramex.

"We're always talking to potential franchise partners about the opportunities available in this challenging yet rewarding industry," he says. "The possibilities for those ready to grow their own business are endless."

 

To read the published article, click here.