Estafeta tracking

First private door-to-door delivery service in Mexico since 1979

Estafeta is a leading Mexican logistics integrator, specializing in courier, parcel, and supply chain services. Founded on August 8, 1979, by German entrepreneur Gerd Grimm, the company distinguished itself as the first private company to offer door-to-door mail and parcel delivery service in Mexico. Today, Estafeta remains a 100% Mexican company and has developed a vast national network as well as comprehensive logistics solutions for businesses of all sizes.

History and structure of Estafeta

La Sociedad Mexicana de Estafeta S.A. de C.V. was established in 1979, starting its activity with a single vehicle and two employees to handle a hundred shipments during its first month. In the 1980s, Estafeta rapidly expanded its presence: it set up a network of agencies gradually covering the entire country, a network that would become the largest in Mexico and which it still maintains to this day. At the same time, the group created its first land transport subsidiary (Operadora Terrestre), marking the beginning of Grupo Estafeta's expansion and the development of its road logistics capabilities.

At the end of the 1990s, Estafeta officially launched its national courier and parcel service, reaching 430 agencies across the country to ensure its deliveries. During this decade, the company also innovated by introducing real-time electronic shipment tracking, becoming a pioneer in Mexico in the field of parcel tracking. In 2000, to strengthen its network, Estafeta created its own air freight company, Estafeta Carga Aérea, which began operations with regular cargo flights to several Mexican cities. This air fleet allowed the service to expand to international deliveries as early as 2002.

During the 2000s and 2010s, Estafeta evolved from a courier company to an integrated logistics provider. It notably inaugurated a "Logistics Solutions" division to offer comprehensive services across the entire supply chain, beyond simple parcel transport. Under the leadership of Ingo Babrikowski, appointed CEO in the 2000s, and then Jens P. Grimm, the company strengthened its structure and invested in new infrastructure. In 2019, Estafeta was awarded the National Logistics Award in Mexico for its role as a reference logistics operator.

In 2020, Estafeta entered into a strategic alliance with American giant UPS to enhance its international service offering. This collaboration connects Estafeta's vast land network to UPS's air infrastructure, opening access to more than 220 countries for its Mexican clients. In July 2024, UPS announced its plan to acquire Estafeta as part of its global growth strategy. However, the acquisition was abandoned in 2025, with UPS ending the buyout plan due to not meeting all required conditions. Estafeta thus remains an independent company, with over 45 years of experience in the logistics sector.

Logistics services offered

Estafeta offers a wide range of logistics services, covering both domestic and international needs. Its historical core business is express courier and parcel delivery throughout Mexico, handling shipments of documents and parcels of various sizes. For domestic shipments, Estafeta provides standard and urgent delivery services, relying on its land and air network to efficiently transport parcels to all regions.

Internationally, Estafeta offers shipping solutions worldwide. Thanks to its partnership with UPS and agreements with more than 25 international airlines, the company connects Mexico to over 220 destinations across the globe. Clients can ship both small parcels and large freight for export and import. In particular, Estafeta provides a privileged air link to the United States (notably via Miami) to ensure very short delivery times to this country.

In addition to parcel transport, Estafeta has developed freight and supply chain logistics services. It handles the transport of palletized goods in Less Than Truckload (LTL) or Full Truckload (FTL) mode nationally, thus offering distribution solutions for heavier or bulkier shipments. The company also offers customs brokerage services to facilitate import and export formalities (customs agent service), simplifying the passage of goods across borders for its clients. Furthermore, Estafeta manages reverse logistics services (returns of parcels and goods), which are particularly useful for online commerce.

Finally, Estafeta positions itself as an integrator of tailor-made logistics solutions for businesses. Its offering includes end-to-end supply chain management: warehousing and warehouse management, order preparation, last-mile distribution, and even technological integration tools (web portals, APIs, and e-commerce platforms). Professional clients, whether local SMEs or large multinationals, can thus entrust Estafeta with the outsourcing of all or part of their logistics, with the company adapting its services to the specific needs of each industrial sector. Estafeta also provides online solutions for its clients, such as a web store for purchasing prepaid shipping labels, real-time tracking systems, electronic invoicing, and on-demand service options (such as pickup scheduling or delivery rescheduling).

National and international network

Estafeta has a distribution network covering the entire Mexican territory. The company operates more than 1,000 agencies and points of sale across the country, ensuring a presence in every Mexican state. It also relies on a vast network of local partners and contact points. Through its PUDOS (Pick Up & Delivery Options) program, Estafeta offers more than 2,000 drop-off and pickup locations (including its own branches, convenience stores (mini-markets, stationery stores, pharmacies, etc.), and partner parcel points), thus providing clients with a very fine mesh for sending or retrieving their shipments. This capillarity of the national network ensures fast deliveries even to remote areas and offers solutions like pickup at a relay point when the recipient prefers it.

Beyond borders, Estafeta extends its reach through strong partnerships. For shipments to the United States, its main partner is UPS, with whom it has connected its operations since 2020. Estafeta also has a subsidiary in the United States (Estafeta USA), having established an office in Laredo, Texas, in the 1990s to facilitate cross-border shipments to Mexico. Over time, the company has opened several commercial agencies in various American locations to support the growing trade between the two countries. Through interline agreements and collaborations with other carriers, Estafeta also ensures deliveries to Canada, Central America, Europe, Asia, and other markets, relying on partner networks that share its service standards. This international presence allows it to offer Mexican exporters and importers complete logistics solutions, from the point of origin to the final destination abroad.

Infrastructure and fleet

To support its network, Estafeta has equipped itself with substantial logistics infrastructure throughout Mexico. The company operates more than 120 distribution centers nationwide, including several major centers that serve as regional hubs. Three main logistics sorting centers concentrate a large part of the operations: one in the state of San Luis Potosí, another in Veracruz, and a third in the Mexico region (Valle de México). These sorting centers ensure large-scale sorting and consolidation of shipments for their routing to different regions. In San Luis Potosí, Estafeta also has a sorting center with a bonded warehouse, adjacent to the local international airport, allowing it to efficiently process incoming and outgoing international parcels with on-site customs clearance. The San Luis Potosí infrastructure, the heart of Estafeta's air network, has an announced processing capacity of up to 50,000 shipments per day under the simplified regime, to absorb the growing foreign trade flows.

In addition to its sorting centers, Estafeta manages approximately 33 logistics warehouses dedicated to storage and inventory management on behalf of its clients. These strategically distributed warehouses offer value-added services such as e-commerce order preparation or regional distribution. The company regularly invests to modernize and expand its infrastructure: in 2020, for example, it opened eight new distribution centers and renovated or expanded fourteen other sites to accommodate the increase in shipment volumes.

Estafeta's transport fleet is also sized to effectively cover the entire country. The company operates more than 5,000 utility vehicles (trucks, vans, and motorcycles) to ensure ground collections and deliveries. It has also invested in expanding this fleet: in 2020, in response to the rise of online commerce, Estafeta acquired 560 additional delivery vans. Committed to innovation and environmental responsibility, the company is gradually introducing electric vehicles for last-mile delivery, already having a dedicated 100% electric fleet in certain urban slots.

On the air side, Estafeta operates its own cargo fleet via Estafeta Carga Aérea. This includes six Boeing 737 cargo planes, configured for cargo, which operate regular routes between several Mexican cities and to Miami in the United States. The main air platform is based at San Luis Potosí International Airport, where loading and unloading operations are centralized. The planes serve 13 airports across Mexico (including Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana, Mérida, etc.) as well as Miami for international exchanges. Thanks to more than 25 intercompany agreements, this air fleet is connected to partner carriers, allowing it to send parcels beyond its own network to other continents. All of this infrastructure (warehouses, sorting centers, vehicles, and planes) forms an integrated logistics chain giving Estafeta complete control over the delivery cycle.

Solutions for businesses and e-commerce

Estafeta develops specific solutions to meet the needs of businesses, particularly in the context of the growth of e-commerce. The company presents itself as a logistics partner for e-commerce players, offering tailored services such as online order system integration, simplified returns management, and flexible delivery options for end customers. For example, in response to the massive increase in online sales in 2020, Estafeta saw 60% of its shipments come from e-commerce during the end-of-year period. To support this trend, it invested in strengthening its network (new distribution centers, additional vehicles) and setting up services dedicated to online retailers.

Business solutions include digital tools such as the Mi Estafeta platform, which allows professional clients to manage their shipments, print shipping labels, track their parcels, and analyze shipping histories to optimize their operations. Estafeta also offers integrations with merchant websites and marketplaces, so that orders placed online are automatically transmitted for shipping. For international businesses, the partnership with UPS offers an opportunity to expand their reach: Estafeta facilitates the export of Mexican products by offering simplified cross-border logistics to North American markets and beyond. This is particularly advantageous for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that can access a global logistics network without having to manage the complexity of international shipments themselves.

Furthermore, Estafeta works closely with its industrial clients to develop tailor-made solutions based on their sector. Whether in the automotive, retail, online fashion, or pharmaceutical industries, the company is able to set up dedicated logistics schemes (just-in-time deliveries for factories, store supply, omnichannel distribution, etc.).

Tracking number format

Each shipment handled by Estafeta is identified by a unique tracking number, the format of which may vary depending on the type of service. There are mainly two tracking reference formats used by the carrier. The most common is a 10-digit tracking code, for example, "3066123456", which is assigned to most standard parcel shipments. Additionally, for freight shipments or certain specific services, Estafeta uses a 22-digit guide number (a long reference containing 22 digits, such as "1234567890123456789012"). These two identifiers (10-digit code or 22-digit guide) appear on the shipping label affixed to the parcel, usually printed at the top of the document next to the barcode.

The tracking number is essential for checking the status of a shipment. Estafeta's tracking system indeed requires one of these digital identifiers to display information; it is not possible to track using the recipient's or sender's name, for confidentiality and reliability reasons. Once the code is entered on Estafeta's tracking portal, the client accesses the details of the shipment's journey: successive statuses, scan dates and times, current location of the parcel, etc. In short, the unified format of tracking numbers (entirely numeric) ensures unambiguous identification of each parcel in the network and allows for automated tracking throughout the logistics process.

Shipment processing process

The journey of a parcel within Estafeta's network follows several key steps, each associated with a specific tracking status. It all begins with the acceptance of the shipment: the parcel is either dropped off by the sender at an Estafeta office/relay point or picked up directly at the sender's home/business by an Estafeta courier (during a scheduled pickup). Once the shipment is admitted, it is registered in the system and receives its tracking number. The parcel is then directed to the origin distribution center where it will be processed. Upon arrival at this center, the status usually indicates a reception, for example, "Arrived at the distribution center", meaning that the package has indeed entered the departure warehouse to be handled.

Next comes the sorting stage. At the distribution center, parcels are sorted according to their final destination. A status like "In sorting process" then appears, indicating that the shipment is being directed to its next step. Once sorted and grouped with other shipments destined for the same region, the parcel is dispatched out of the center: the status then becomes "Dispatched to destination" or "In transit". This stage means that the parcel has left the origin center and is being transported via the network (road or air) to the recipient's geographic area.

When the parcel reaches the destination region, it first arrives at a local distribution center or directly at the nearest Estafeta agency to the recipient. The status is updated to "Arrived at local agency", indicating that the shipment is ready for the final delivery phase. The shipment is then entrusted to a field delivery person: this is the "Out for delivery" stage (sometimes labeled "On route for delivery"). The courier makes the round to the recipient's address. If all goes well, the parcel is delivered, and the final status "Delivered" is recorded, usually with the delivery time and the name of the signatory.

It may happen that the delivery does not succeed on the first attempt. In case of the recipient's absence or unforeseen circumstances, Estafeta reports an unsuccessful delivery attempt: the status "Delivery attempt" then appears, meaning that a delivery was attempted but could not be completed (for example, recipient absent). Estafeta generally makes a second attempt the next business day to try to deliver the parcel. If the second attempt also fails, the parcel is held at the nearest agency where the recipient can come to pick it up. After a certain unclaimed period, or if the recipient refuses the parcel, the shipment is returned to the sender (status "Return to sender" indicating that the reverse transport is in progress or completed).

During transit, other statuses may also appear to inform about specific situations. For example, "Delivery delayed" will indicate an exceptional delay in transit (due to logistical issues, adverse weather conditions, or prolonged customs procedures). Similarly, an incident status or "Exception/Incident" may be recorded in case of a specific problem requiring action (incorrect delivery address, damaged parcel, security check, etc.). In this case, Estafeta opens an internal file and works to resolve the issue, while inviting the client to contact support if necessary. Through its client portal or even via the WhatsApp application, Estafeta also allows senders and recipients to generate an online incident report to request assistance on an ongoing delivery.

Throughout this process, Estafeta relies on real-time traceability. Each passage of the parcel through a center or each status change is accompanied by a barcode scan that feeds the central system. Thus, both the sender and the recipient can follow the shipment's journey step by step and know its precise location at each stage. This transparency, combined with the responsiveness of the teams (delivery personnel, agency staff, and customer support), helps ensure reliable deliveries and proactively inform clients in case of setbacks.

International partnerships

In an increasingly globalized logistics sector, Estafeta relies on international partnerships to extend its services beyond the domestic market. The most notable partnership is the one established with UPS, one of the world's leaders in express delivery. Initially signed as a commercial agreement in 2020, this partnership allows the combination of Estafeta's land network with UPS's air network. Concretely, a parcel shipped via Estafeta can use UPS flights to quickly cross borders, thus benefiting from UPS's international infrastructure. This partnership provides Estafeta's clients with easy access to foreign markets, with the reliability of end-to-end integrated transport. Mexican SMEs, in particular, gain the ability to export their products to more than 220 countries by relying on a single local contact (Estafeta) for drop-off and tracking, while UPS handles air transport and final delivery abroad. Besides UPS, Estafeta also works with other international carriers to transport parcels to destinations it does not directly serve, relying on reliable local partners for last-mile delivery.

Innovations and technologies

Technological innovation has been at the heart of Estafeta's strategy since its inception. The company has often been a pioneer in Mexico in adopting new logistics technologies. As early as the 1990s, it introduced computerized parcel tracking, offering its clients the ability to track their shipments in real-time: a first in the country at that time. In the early 2000s, Estafeta was also a pioneer in the dematerialization of transport and billing documents: it was one of the first to issue digital tax invoices for its services, anticipating the transition to digital in logistics (an initiative known as "Buzón-E").

In the field, Estafeta is gradually equipping its vehicles and infrastructure with modern tools. The use of GPS geolocation for tracking trucks and vans has improved the accuracy of delivery estimates and route management. The sorting centers are partially automated, notably the sorting center in the State of Mexico opened at the end of 2019, which integrated high-speed conveyors and sorting systems capable of processing up to 18,000 parcels per hour. Estafeta also invests in omnichannel technologies for customer support: in addition to traditional channels (phone, physical agencies), it has deployed a unified platform combining website, mobile app, and social networks to interact with clients. In 2023, the company launched "Beatriz", familiarly nicknamed Bety, a virtual assistant based on artificial intelligence that is available 24/7 to instantly respond to common client requests (tracking a parcel, locating a drop-off point, scheduling a home pickup, etc.). This conversational AI helps relieve the call center and offer immediate service, without waiting, for simple queries.

In terms of sustainable development, Estafeta also integrates innovation to reduce its environmental footprint and improve safety. As mentioned, the transition to electric vehicles for urban distribution is underway to reduce CO2 emissions. The company has also implemented an institutional road safety program aimed at training its drivers and optimizing driving practices, supported by onboard telematics tools (to analyze routes, fuel consumption, etc.). It adheres to the international Sedex program, promoting ethical and sustainable supply chains. All of these technological and sustainable initiatives aim to increase operational efficiency while addressing contemporary logistics challenges (digitalization, speed, traceability, environmental respect).

Presence in Mexico and internationally

Estafeta stands as the main private carrier in the Mexican market and plays a pivotal role in logistics exchanges with foreign countries. Thanks to its partnership with UPS and its global alliances, it serves as a gateway to connect Mexico to international markets. In the context of the rise of North American trade and the regional repatriation of supply chains (nearshoring), Estafeta helps facilitate cross-border flows and integrate the Mexican economy into global logistics networks.

Shipment tracking statuses