Parcel powerhouse sees momentum building into 20th year of business.
OSM Worldwide, a leading provider of eCommerce domestic and international shipping, celebrates its growth with an eye to the future of its business as the company enters its 20th year.
“We’re coming up on 20 years as a shipping partner to some of the top eCommerce and subscription brands on the market and looking at some of those growth drivers as a way of framing up the next 20,” said Gaston Curk, chief executive officer, OSM Worldwide. “As long as we’ve been doing this and as much as we’ve learned along the way, we feel like we’re just getting started.”
Fueled by the strength of sales in direct-to-consumer (DTC) eCommerce and subscription model businesses, OSM’s growth has been continuous since its founding. This year marks the 12th consecutive year the shipper has been honored on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies, underscoring the company’s agility and commitment to innovation and operational improvements.
“We’ve grown at a tremendously steady level, it’s been both exciting and challenging at the same time,” said Curk. “We’re contributing to what is ultimately consumer satisfaction in health and beauty, clothing and apparel, bound printed matter, and other DTC channels. That growth has kept us on our toes, allowing us to anticipate the needs and wants of our customers and the trends they experience in those channels.”
This year, OSM Worldwide ranked among the top 35 percent of honorees on Crain’s Privately Held Companies List, positioning itself in the 141st spot, a 31-position increase since 2021.
In a changing retail landscape, the COVID-19 pandemic saw even more consumers turn from in-store to online purchases, a trend in consumer behavior that continues today. Working with reputable, recognizable brands such as Harry’s, OSM provides cost-effective and methodical shipping that meets both the expanded consumer demand and allows brands to extend their physical reach.
“We at OSM believe we are responsible for a key aspect of customer experience: speedy, accurate delivery. In 2020, when DTC orders skyrocketed, we sent more than 107 million pieces through our network and saw a year-over-year volume increase of nearly 51 percent,” said Curk. “In 2021, that year-over-year growth was nearly 27 percent, over 136 million pieces. We’re proud support our over 200 customers with the delivery experience their customers are looking for during a trying – but exciting – time in the eCommerce landscape.”
During the first few years of business, OSM operated with less than 10 employees, but the organization has now expanded its team to over 600 strong, a 126 percent increase in workforce in the last year alone.
“The growth we’ve experienced at OSM has been incredible, we’ve opened new buildings, created countless new positions to support the business, and given employees opportunities to develop and grow with the business,” said Eric Hermonson, senior director of human resources for OSM. “The rapid growth has certainly brought its challenges, but the culture and care the company shows its employees has only improved over the last 20 years.”
Informed by the past 20 years of domestic and international eCommerce shipping, OSM Worldwide eyes continued growth fueled by a variety of factors, including consumer demand and challenges for competitive carriers.
“Because of our partnership with the USPS, we’re uniquely poised to deliver 98 percent of parcels in less than five days,” said Curk. “While our competitors in parcel shipping are scaling back routes and eliminating weekend deliveries, we’re reaching anyone with a mailbox, as frequently as their mail carrier.”
While consumer demand and other challenges for competitive carriers continue to arise, OSM continues to dedicate itself to providing excellent service in domestic and international ecommerce shipping. Despite the many changes and challenges over the past three years, OSM plans to continue its momentum into the next 20 years.
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