UPS acquires Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services, expands global trade capabilities

Taking steps to further expand its already wide-ranging global trade services, freight transportation and logistics bellwether UPS said today it recently acquired Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services (STTAS), the largest global independent provider of global trade management services.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

STTAS is comprised of 750 trade professionals providing services on Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South America. Its core focus is helping clients comply with constantly changing and complex rules regulations, and law focusing on international trade, according to UPS. Close to 70% of the firms employees are based outside of the United States in key trade locales, including Shanghai, Bengaluru, Aberdeen, Warsaw, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo, which UPS said will UPS mesh well with UPS Trade Management Services’ existing global operations in Hefei, Wroclaw, and Singapore.

“UPS customers tell us they are looking for a full suite of brokerage services, including trade management and advisory services, from a partner that can help them on a global basis,” said Jim Barber, President, UPS International, in a statement. “As our customers’ global broker of choice, we can now offer a wider portfolio of services. Combining Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services with our existing UPS Trade Management Services provides customers with an even more powerful set of solutions designed to maximize their trade investments and minimize complexity, time and cost throughout their international trade operations.”

A UPS spokesman told LM that this acquisition will position UPS as the industry leader in managed services, in terms of the depth of services provided, and global geographic coverage. 

From a consulting and trade advisory perspective, he said some of the competitors in this space include Ernst & Young (EY), KPMG, Deloitte and PWC, and major international law firms, like Baker McKenzie, are also competitors in this arena

“However, none of these companies provide the full suite of services that UPS and STTAS will collectively bring to the market,” added the spokesman.

As for other things STTAS offers UPS that UPS wanted or needed, the spokesman cited things like scale, scope, additional subject matter expertise, and additional operating system capabilities for Free Trade Agreement solicitation and qualification. 

What’s more, he said the two companies provide complementary services with slightly different customer bases and locations, with the combination of the two companies creating a powerful set of services spanning a wide range of trade management and advisory services.

“Customers will now have a broader set of global brokerage services, providing a more complete set of trade management and advisory services,” he said. “Additionally, customers will have at their disposal the entire spectrum of UPS small package, freight and supply chain solutions, as well as ready access to UPS services around the world.”