FedEx is a global provider of transportation, e-commerce and supply chain management services and is the world's largest express transportation company, delivering packages and freight to over 220 countries and territories each day. The company's main sorting centre and world-wide headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
History
Founded in June 1971 in Little Rock, Arkansas by current FedEx Corporation Chairman Frederick W Smith. The company relocated to Memphis,Tennessee late in 1971 and operations were launched with a fleet of fourteen Dassault Falcon 20DC freighters in 1973.
The company's rate of growth increased dramatically following air cargo deregulation in the United States in 1977. FedEx's response to deregulation was to introduce much larger Boeing 727 freighters, capable of carrying nearly seven times more freight than the Falcon 20s.
Federal Express Corporation was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1978, with International delivery services introduced in 1981, to Toronto, Canada. 1981 also saw the opening of the FedEx SuperHub, adjacent to Memphis International Airport. Following the first several international acquisitions, overseas operations began in 1984 with services to Europe and Asia.
Federal Express acquired Flying Tiger Line (established 25 June 1945) to expand its international presence in 1989.
In 1994 FedEx became the first global express transportation company to receive simultaneous system-wide ISO 9001 certification. 1994 was also the year of the first evolution of the company's corporate identity, whereby "FedEx" was officially adopted as its primary brand. In 1995 FedEx acquired air routes from Evergreen International with authority to serve China. That year a new Asia Pacific Hub was established at Subic Bay, in the Philippines. In 1997 a new US hub was opened at Alliance Airport near Dallas, Texas.
The second branding evolution came in 2000 when the airline was renamed "FedEx Express" to reflect its position in the overall FedEx Corporation portfolio of services. Round the world flights, in both easterly and westerly directions, were launched in 2005 to provide faster, better connectivity to the world's major markets. In 2005 FedEx also announced the development of a new Asia Pacific hub in Guangzhou, China.
In 2006 the airline announced the US$ 2.6 billion contract to replace 90 Boeing 727-200 freighters with a similar number of 757s. The first Boeing 757-200(F) converted freighter entered service on 31 July 2008. Deliveries of the 757 are scheduled to be completed in 2016.
Fleet (in active service)
- 68x Airbus A300
- 66x Airbus A310
- 1x ATR 42
- 4x ATR 72
- 86x Boeing 727
- 2x Boeing 757
- 1x Bombardier Global Express
- 5x Bombardier Learjet 45
- 81x McDonnell Douglas DC-10
- 58x McDonnell Douglas MD-11
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