During its initial months of operation in 1980 on the grounds of the former Clinton County AFB in Wilmington, Ohio, Airborne Express moved 14,000 packages a night with a total of 550 employees. After just one year under new ownership, and bracing for growth, Airborne opened a state-of-the-art package sorting facility at its base of operations, steadily growing its package volume.
Airborne Express quickly took off to become the third-largest provider of air freight services, due largely to successful investment in facilities, an aggressive course of instrument landing system upgrades, and precise fleet expansion. By mid-1983, Airborne was the only privately owned, operated, and maintained Category II ILS in the nation - one of many firsts for the air freight maverick.
Through a continuous stream of improvements, expansions and additions, Airborne Express, which officially became ABX Air, Inc. in 1988, experienced tremendous growth in the years to come. Renovations and innovations in everything from fleet to fuel operations equipped ABX to build upon its value as a key supplier in the air cargo industry.