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"Federal Express" redirects here. For Federal Express is also the former name of an Amtrak Regional train, see Federal Express (disambiguation).
FedEx
Company typePublic (NYSE: FDX)
IndustryCourier
Founded1998
HeadquartersUnited States Memphis, TN, USA
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Frederick W. Smith
Chairman, President & CEO
ProductsSee complete products listing.
RevenueIncrease US$ 37.953 billion (2008)
Decrease US$ 2.075 billion (2008)
Decrease US$ 1.125 billion (2008)
Total assetsIncrease US$ 25.633 billion (2008)
Total equityIncrease US$ 14.526 billion (2008)
Number of employees
252,000 (2008)
SubsidiariesFedEx Office, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Custom Critical, FedEx Supply Chain, FedEx Trade Networks, FedEx Services
WebsiteFedEx.com

FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX), originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States. The name "FedEx" is a syllabic abbreviation of the name of the company's original air division, Federal Express, which was used until 2000.

History

FedEx Corporation was founded as FDX Corporation in January 1998 with the acquisition of Caliber System Inc. by Federal Express. With the purchase of Caliber, FedEx started offering other services besides express shipping. Caliber subsidiaries included RPS, a small-package ground service; Roberts Express, an expedited, shipping provider; Viking Freight, a regional, less-than-truckload freight carrier serving the Western United States.; Caribbean Transportation Services, a provider of airfreight forwarding between the United States and the Caribbean, Caliber Logistics and Caliber Technology, providers of logistics and technology solutions. FDX Corporation was founded to oversee all of the operations of those companies and its original air division, Federal Express.[2]

In January 2000, FDX Corporation changed its name to FedEx Corporation and rebranded all of its subsidiaries. Federal Express became FedEx Express, RPS became FedEx Ground, Roberts Express became FedEx Custom Critical, and Caliber Logistics and Caliber Technology were combined to make up FedEx Global Logistics. A new subsidiary called, FedEx Corporate Services was formed to centralize the sales, marketing, customer service for all of the subsidiaries. In February 2000, FedEx acquired Tower Group International, an international logistics company. FedEx also acquired WorldTariff, a customs duty and tax information company,TowerGroup and WorldTariff were rebranded to form FedEx Trade Networks.[3]

FedEx Corp. acquired privately held Kinko's Inc. in February 2004 and rebranded it FedEx Kinko's. The acquisition was made to expand FedEx retail access to the general public. After the acquisition, all FedEx Kinko's locations exclusively offered only FedEx shipping.[4] In June 2008, FedEx announced that they would be dropping the Kinko's name from their ship centers, with FedEx Kinko's changing to FedEx Office.[5][6]

In September 2004, FedEx acquired Parcel Direct, a parcel consolidator, and rebranded it FedEx SmartPost.[7]

In December 2007, the Internal Revenue Service of the United States 'tentatively decided' that FedEx Ground Division might be facing a tax liability of $319 million for 2002, due to misclassification of its operatives as independent contractors. Reversing a 1994 decision which allowed FedEx to classify its operatives that own their own vehicles, the IRS is auditing the years 2003 to 2006, with a view to assessing whether similar misclassification of operatives has taken place. FedEx denies that any irregularities in classification have taken place, but is facing legal action from operatives claiming benefits that would have accrued had they been classified as employees.[8]

On October 22, 2008, the Internal Revenue Service withdrew its tentative assessment of tax and penalties for the 2002 calendar year ($319 million plus interest) against FedEx Ground Package System, Inc. (“FedEx Ground”) relating to the classification of FedEx Ground’s owner-operators for federal employment tax purposes.

Operating units and logos

FedEx is organized into operating units, each of which has its own version of the wordmark, designed by Lindon Leader of Landor Associates, in 1994. The Fed is always purple and the Ex is in a different color for each division and grey for the overall corporation use. The original "FedEx" logo had the Ex in orange; it is now used as the FedEx Express wordmark. The FedEx wordmark is notable for containing a hidden right-pointing arrow in the negative space between the "E" and the "X".

FedEx Airbus A310-200
  • FedEx Express (Orange "Ex"): The original overnight courier services, providing next day air service within the United States and time-definite international service. FedEx Express operates the largest civil aircraft fleet in the world and the largest fleet of wide bodied civil aircraft; it also carries more freight than any other airline.[9]
  • FedEx Ground (Green "Ex"): Guaranteed day-definite delivery within the United States and Canada at a cost savings as compared to time-definite FedEx Express. Uses a large fleet of trucks which are owned by the independent owner/operators and drivers are independent contractors who control individual delivery routes and territories. Formerly Roadway Package System (RPS). [10]
    • FedEx Home Delivery: A division of FedEx Ground, specializing in residential delivery Tuesday through Saturday and offers delivery options to provide more flexibility for residential recipients. The logo includes a drawing of a dog carrying a package known as spot.com. FedEx Home Delivery only operates in the United States. To make up the difference, FedEx Ground in Canada performs the business deliveries and residential deliveries.[11]
    • FedEx SmartPost: Consolidates parcels from merchants such as e-commerce and catalog companies and uses the United States Postal Service for the final delivery. Formerly the independent company Parcel Direct until FedEx acquired them for $120M in 2004.[12]
FedEx Ground delivery truck
  • FedEx Freight (Red "Ex"): Less than truckload (LTL) and other freight services. FedEx is one of the largest LTL carriers in the United States, behind YRC Worldwide, and Con-way.
    • FedEx Freight East: Formerly American Freightways.
    • FedEx Freight West: Formerly Viking Freight.
    • FedEx National LTL: Formerly Watkins Motor Lines.
    • FedEx Freight Canada: Formerly Watkins Canada Express.
    • Caribbean Transport Services: Up until 2003, a part of FedEx Trade Networks. Provides airfreight forwarding services between the U.S. mainland, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and other Caribbean islands.
  • FedEx Custom Critical (Blue "Ex"): Delivers urgent, valuable, or hazardous items using trucks and chartered aircraft. Freight not accepted for transport includes perishable food, alcohol, livestock, household goods, hazardous waste and money.[13] Drivers are independent contractors. Service in Mexico uses interline carriers. Formerly Roberts Cartage or Roberts Express.
    • Passport Transport: Transports cars, especially those of high value.
    • White Glove Services: Handles high-value or sensitive freight which may require special handling, extra security, or temperature controlled transport. For example, bacteria cultures, temperature sensitive medications, and certain food items[14] can be transported at the temperature intended by the shipper.
    • Air Expedite: Formerly known as CharterAir. Specializes in same and next day delivery of freight, including Saturday delivery. Capable of chartering exclusive-use aircraft from Cessna Caravans up to Antonov An-124s for both domestic and international shipments. Also provides airfreight options for freight normally considered too large and/or heavy to be shipped via normal Express Freight service.
  • FedEx Trade Networks (Yellow "Ex"): Provides services relating to customs, insurance, and transportation advice. Formerly C.J. Tower & Sons, then Tower Group International.
  • FedEx Supply Chain Services (Grey "Ex"): Provides logistics services including Critical Inventory Logistics, Transportation Management Services, Fulfillment Services, etc. Formerly Roadway Logistics System, then Caliber Logistics.
  • FedEx Services (Grey "Ex"): Provides marketing and information technology (IT) services for the other FedEx divisions.
  • FedEx FCIS or FedEx Customer Information Services: Offering a customer service toll-free telephone line for customer questions. It is operated by an automated operator then will prompt the user to a live agent for uses of tracking, claims, scheduling pick-ups (Express, Ground, Same Day, Custom Critical, Freight Express, and Freight LTL), compliments and complaints, locations (both staffed counter locations and drop-boxes), ordering supplies, setting up FedEx accounts, billing etc.
FedEx Kinko's
  • FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinko's) (Blue "Ex"): The retail arm of the corporation, offers copying and digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, Internet access, computer rentals, videoconferencing, signs and graphics, notary, direct mail, Web-based printing, and FedEx shipping. Formerly an independent company, known as Kinko's until it was acquired by FedEx in 2004 and rebranded to FedEx Kinko's. In June 2008 the company was finally rebranded as FedEx Office.[15]
    • FedEx Office and Print Centers: Provides services such as copying, printing, Internet access and FedEx shipping.
    • FedEx Ship Centers: Provides a central location for FedEx customers to deposit their packages for shipping, also offering a self service photocopy and fax machine, office products for packing and shipping, boxes and packaging services. Formerly, these locations were called FedEx World Service Centers.

Political donations

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, FedEx Corp is the 21st largest campaign contributor in the United States. They have donated over $21,124,184 since 1990, 45% of which went to Democrats and 55% to Republicans. Strong ties to the White House and members of Congress allow access to international trade and tax cut debates as well as the rules of the business practices of the United States Postal Service. In 2001, FedEx sealed a $9 billion deal with the USPS to transport all of the post office's overnight and express deliveries.[16]

In 2005, FedEx was among 53 entities that contributed the maximum of $250,000 to sponsor the second inauguration of President George W. Bush.[17] [18] [19]

Advertising

Some of FedEx's best-known ad campaigns:

  • “Absolutely, Positively Overnight” – 1978 – 1983
  • “It’s not Just a Package, It’s Your Business” – 1987 – 1988
  • “Our Most Important Package is Yours” – 1991 – 1994
  • “Absolutely, Positively Anytime” – 1995
  • “The Way the World Works,” 1996 – 1998
  • “Be Absolutely Sure,” 1998 – 2000
  • “This is a Job for FedEx,” 2001 – 2002
  • “Don’t worry, there’s a FedEx for that,” 2002 – 2003
  • “Relax, it’s FedEx,” 2004 – 2008
  • "We Understand," 2009-present

References to Movies and Television

  • Steve Irwin's 2000 commercial about being bitten by a snake, but dying because FedEx did not send the antivenin. A parody of the The Ten Deadliest Snakes in the World. [20]
  • a 2003 spoof on Tom Hanks in Cast Away, delivering a package that could have brought him rescue from the island, including a satellite phone, fishing rod, water purifier, GPS unit, and some seeds.[21] [22]

Motorsports

  • From 1997 to 2002, FedEx was the title sponsor of Champ Car World Series when it was known as CART. The series was known as the CART FedEx Championship Series, which led to the official "Champ Car" designation in reference to the fact they were the FedEx Championship.
  • FedEx became the sponsor of the #11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyota owned by Joe Gibbs Racing in 2005. FedEx uses four (predominantly black) paint schemes to showcase its different products (Express, Freight, Ground, and Office), and in 2005 also ran a special scheme to promote a charity event at the FedEx St. Jude Classic golf tournament. The car is driven by Denny Hamlin.
  • FedEx sponsors the Formula 1 team McLaren. The two cars on the team are driven by Lewis Hamilton of Britain and Heikki Kovalainen of Finland. Prior to that FedEx has sponsored Ferrari, Benetton (now Renault) and Williams F1.

Golf

  • Beginning in 2007, FedEx became the title sponsor of the FedEx Cup, a championship trophy for the PGA Tour.

Venues

[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Company Profile for FedEx Corporation (FDX)". Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  2. ^ http://about.fedex.designcdt.com/our_company/company_information/fedex_history
  3. ^ http://about.fedex.designcdt.com/our_company/company_information/fedex_history
  4. ^ http://about.fedex.designcdt.com/our_company/company_information/fedex_history
  5. ^ " The Marketing Doctor Says: FedEx Does It Again!" Marketing Doctor Blog. June 3, 2008.
  6. ^ "FedEx Ditches Kinko's" Business Week. June 3, 2008.
  7. ^ http://about.fedex.designcdt.com/our_company/company_information/fedex_history
  8. ^ Ron Da Parma (2007-12-27 accessdate=2008-01-03). "IRS says FedEx may owe $319 million" (html). Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing pipe in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "WATS Scheduled Freight Tonne - Kilometres". International Air Transport Association. 2006.
  10. ^ FedEx Ground | About FedEx
  11. ^ fedex service info - u.s. - home delivery
  12. ^ FedEx SmartPost | About FedEx
  13. ^ ""Fedex Custom Critical FAQ"". 2007-09-12.
  14. ^ Freight Transport - Track Shipments - Custom Critical(60)
  15. ^ FedEx Office | About FedEx
  16. ^ Donor Profiles
  17. ^ Drinkard, Jim (2005-01-17). "Donors get good seats, great access this week". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
  18. ^ "Financing the inauguration". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
  19. ^ "Some question inaugural's multi-million price tag". USA Today. 2005-01-14. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
  20. ^ http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2006/fedex-fierce-snake-with-steve-irwin/
  21. ^ http://www.openwave.com/us/news_room/press_releases/2003/20030127_adbowl_0127.htm
  22. ^ http://www.break.com/usercontent/2007/2/Fed-Ex-Cast-Away-Commercial-230172.html
  23. ^ http://about.fedex.designcdt.com/our_company/marketing_and_advertising
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