Navis Logistics Network

Navis Logistics Network (NLN) was a United States-based franchising company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. It served as the former parent organization of Navis Pack & Ship and previously franchised the Handle With Care Packaging Store concept. The company’s business model centered on retail shipping, professional packing, freight coordination, and the handling of large, fragile, awkward, or valuable items. NLN began in 1980 as a single company-owned retail outlet operating under the Handle With Care Packaging Store name. The original concept provided packaging and shipping services for customers who needed more specialized assistance than conventional parcel counters typically offered. In 1984, the business began franchising, allowing independent operators to use the Handle With Care name and related operating model. A major development came in 2002, when the company introduced Navis Pack & Ship Center as a separate franchise concept. Unlike the original retail-oriented format, Navis Pack & Ship was designed to operate from warehouse-style locations and focus on difficult-to-ship merchandise. Its target items included fragile goods, unusually large or awkward objects, and valuable products requiring specialized packing and transportation arrangements. The company used the trademark FLAV to describe this service focus, referring to items that were fragile, large, awkward, or valuable. Navis franchise locations relied on established parcel and freight providers, including United Parcel Service, FedEx, and Yellow, rather than presenting themselves as a single-carrier network. This positioned the brands as packaging, preparation, and shipping-service intermediaries capable of selecting or coordinating transportation options for different types of consignments. NLN later exited direct control of both of its principal franchise concepts. In late 2007, it sold the Handle With Care Packaging Store brand to Annex Brands, Inc., a San Diego-based franchising company active in the mailing, packaging, shipping, and copy-services sectors. In January 2011, NLN sold the Navis Pack & Ship brand to the same buyer. Annex Brands also operated or franchised other service concepts, including PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Centers, Sunshine Pack & Ship, and Annex Copy Center. Following these divestitures, Navis Logistics Network is best understood as a former parent and franchisor rather than an active standalone consumer brand. The available reference material does not establish a current website, public listing, executive roster, or continuing operations under the NLN name. Its principal historical significance lies in developing specialized shipping-center formats and transferring those brands to Annex Brands.

Navis Logistics Network originated in 1980 with a single company-owned retail location operating as the Handle With Care Packaging Store. The business was built around packaging and shipping assistance for customers whose requirements extended beyond ordinary parcel drop-off services. Its early retail format emphasized the preparation of goods for shipment and the practical handling of items that could require more care or specialized materials. The company began franchising the Handle With Care Packaging Store concept in 1984. Franchising enabled the format to expand through independently operated locations while preserving a common brand identity and service model. The available historical account does not identify the company’s founder or provide a detailed breakdown of its franchise footprint. In 2002, Navis introduced Navis Pack & Ship Center as a new franchise concept. The format was based on the original franchise business but differed in its physical and commercial emphasis. Navis Pack & Ship locations operated in warehouse-style settings and concentrated on challenging consignments, including fragile, large, awkward, or valuable items. The company used the FLAV trademark to characterize this category of merchandise. This specialization gave the Navis concept a distinct position within the broader packing, parcel, and freight-services market. Navis franchisees used recognized shipping and freight providers such as United Parcel Service, FedEx, and Yellow. The brand therefore functioned primarily as a specialist packing and shipping-service provider and coordinator, rather than as a transportation carrier owning a proprietary delivery network. Its value proposition involved assessing shipment requirements, preparing goods, and arranging suitable transportation for items that might not fit standard parcel-service routines. The company subsequently transferred its brands to Annex Brands, Inc. In late 2007, Navis Logistics Network sold the Handle With Care Packaging Store brand to Annex Brands, which was headquartered in San Diego and already associated with several mailing, packaging, shipping, and copy-service franchise systems. In January 2011, Navis sold the Navis Pack & Ship brand to Annex Brands as well. The transactions removed the two principal named franchise concepts from NLN’s portfolio and placed them under a larger multi-brand franchising organization. The available material does not document a later operating business, successor structure, current leadership, or continuing corporate activity under the Navis Logistics Network name. Accordingly, NLN is treated here as a defunct or former parent company and franchisor. The brands it developed, particularly Navis Pack & Ship, represent its enduring contribution to specialized shipping and packaging services.

• 2011

  Navis Pack & Ship brand is sold

  [1]Navis Logistics Networken.wikipedia.org

  In January 2011, Navis sold the Navis Pack & Ship brand to Annex Brands, Inc.

• 2007

  Handle With Care brand is sold

  [1]Navis Logistics Networken.wikipedia.org

  In late 2007, Navis Logistics Network sold the Handle With Care Packaging Store brand to Annex Brands, Inc.

• 2002

  Navis Pack & Ship Center is introduced

  [1]Navis Logistics Networken.wikipedia.org

  Navis launched a warehouse-oriented franchise format focused on fragile, large, awkward, and valuable shipments.

• 1984

  Handle With Care begins franchising

  [1]Navis Logistics Networken.wikipedia.org

  The company expanded the Handle With Care Packaging Store concept through franchising.

• 1980

  First Handle With Care Packaging Store opens

  [1]Navis Logistics Networken.wikipedia.org

  Navis Logistics Network began as a single company-owned retail store operating under the Handle With Care Packaging Store name.

Specialized, franchise-based packing and shipping services for difficult-to-ship, fragile, oversized, awkward, or valuable items.

• Specialized packing and shipping franchise · 2002

  Navis Pack & Ship Center

  Introduced in 2002, Navis Pack & Ship Center was a warehouse-oriented franchise concept for difficult-to-ship goods. Its service focus included fragile, large, awkward, and valuable items that could require custom packing, careful preparation, freight coordination, or special handling. The concept used the FLAV trademark to describe this merchandise category and relied on established carriers and freight providers for transportation.

• Retail packing and shipping franchise · 1980

  Handle With Care Packaging Store

  The original Navis franchise concept began as a company-owned retail store in 1980 and began franchising in 1984. It provided packaging and shipping services through independently operated locations. The concept was later sold by Navis Logistics Network to Annex Brands in late 2007.

• 2011

  Divestiture of Navis Pack & ShipM&A

  Background

  After selling Handle With Care, Navis Logistics Network also transferred its specialized shipping-center brand.

  Action taken

  Navis Pack & Ship was sold to Annex Brands in January 2011.

  Aftermath

  The sale placed the principal Navis Pack & Ship franchise network under Annex Brands and left Navis Logistics Network without the major brands described in the available history.

  Source

• 2007

  Divestiture of Handle With Care Packaging StoreM&A

  Background

  Navis Logistics Network reorganized its brand portfolio by transferring its original franchised packaging-store concept.

  Action taken

  The Handle With Care Packaging Store brand was sold to Annex Brands in late 2007.

  Aftermath

  Annex Brands added the concept to its broader portfolio of mailing, packaging, shipping, and copy-service franchises.

  Source

• 2002

  Create a specialized warehouse-format shipping franchiseStrategy

  Background

  The original Handle With Care franchise format did not fully describe the opportunity to serve unusually large, fragile, awkward, or valuable shipments.

  Action taken

  Navis introduced Navis Pack & Ship Center as a warehouse-oriented franchise focused on difficult-to-ship merchandise and used the FLAV trademark for that service category.

  Aftermath

  The new concept became the principal Navis brand later transferred to Annex Brands.

  Source

1. 1Navis Logistics Networken.wikipedia.org