"The key to Airborne's 50 years of success has been our commitment to customer satisfaction," said Robert Cline, CEO of Airborne who began with the company in 1965. "Airborne builds partnerships with customers, but more importantly we strive to increase our customers expectations of value. Their success is our success."

Airborne begins its 50th year of business well positioned for the future. Recent operational improvements include the christening of a second runway at its privately owned and operated airport hub in Wilmington, Ohio, and the acquisition of a new line of aircraft in the Boeing 767-200.

Additionally, Airborne achieved a new company record for domestic daily shipment volume in a month when the average was 1,010,982 per day during December 1995.

"I'd like to thank Airborne's customers for making our success possible," said Cline. "The relationships with customers is the reason Airborne is looking forward to another 50 years of success."

Cline's statement reflects Airborne's historic approach to business. At the close of World War II, Airborne began delivering cut fresh flowers from Hawaii and California to the East Coast, filling the needs of entrepreneurial individuals wanting to take advantage of business opportunities created by all of the GI's returning home to mothers, wives and sweethearts. The success of this first partnership cemented Airborne's commitment to providing business distribution solutions for customers. It was also the seed of what would become a $2.2 billion dollar international corporation.

In fact, Airborne recently introduced two new services that demonstrate its commitment to customers - LIGHTSHIP TRACKER, a Windows™ based shipment tracking software, and new, more time specific delivery options.

Airborne Express provides shipping and logistics solutions for business. It serves the air express, air freight and ocean freight needs of corporate customers with the delivery of time-sensitive documents, letters, small packages and freight across the U.S. and to more than 200 countries. The company offers same-day, next-morning, next-afternoon and second-day delivery options and is in its fifth decade of providing international services.