From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation 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;
Services,
Caribbean Transportation Services a provider of air-
Type Public company freight forwarding between the United States and the
Technology,
Caribbean; and Caliber Logistics and Caliber Technology
Traded as NYSE: FDX
S&P 500 Component providers of logistics and technology solutions. FDX Cor-
poration was founded to oversee all of the operations
Industry Courier of those companies and its original air division, Federal
Founded Little Rock, Arkansas (1971) Express.[4] In the 1980’s FedEx planned, but later aban-
as Federal Express Corporation doned, a joint service with British Airways to have BA
fly a Concorde to Shannon, Ireland with FedEx packages
Founder(s) Frederick W. Smith
onboard and then FedEx would have flown the packages
Headquarters Memphis, Tennessee subsonically to their delivery points in Europe. Ron Pon-
Area served Worldwide der, a vice president at the time, was in charge of this
proposed venture. In January 2000, FDX Corporation
Key people Frederick W. Smith changed its name to FedEx Corporation and re-branded
(Chairman, President & CEO)
all of its subsidiaries. Federal Express became FedEx Ex-
Products See complete products listing. press, RPS became FedEx Ground, Roberts Express be-
Critical,
came FedEx Custom Critical and Caliber Logistics and
Revenue US$ 34.734 billion (FY 2010)[1]
Caliber Technology were combined to make up FedEx
Operating US$ 1.998 billion (FY 2010)[1] Logistics.
Global Logistics A new subsidiary called FedEx Corporate
income Services was formed to centralize the sales, marketing,
Net income US$ 1.184 billion (FY 2010)[1] customer service for all of the subsidiaries. In February
2000, FedEx acquired Tower Group International, an in-
Total assets US$ 24.902 billion (FY 2010)[1] ternational logistics company. FedEx also acquired
Total equity US$ 13.811 billion (FY 2010)[1] WorldTariff,
WorldTariff a customs duty and tax information com-
pany, TowerGroup and WorldTariff were re-branded to
Employees 290,000 (May 2010)[1] form FedEx Trade Networks.[4]
Subsidiaries FedEx Office, FedEx Express, FedEx FedEx Corp. acquired privately held Kinko’s Inc. in
Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Custom February 2004 and rebranded it FedEx Kinko’s. The acqui-
Critical, FedEx Supply Chain, FedEx Trade sition was made to expand FedEx retail access to the gen-
Networks, FedEx Services eral public. After the acquisition, all FedEx Kinko’s loca-
Website FedEx.com tions exclusively offered only FedEx shipping.[4] In June
2008, FedEx announced that they would be dropping the
FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX), originally known as FDX Kinko’s name from their ship centers, with FedEx Kinko’s
Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the changing to FedEx Office.[5][6]
United States with headquarters in Memphis, Ten- Direct,
In September 2004, FedEx acquired Parcel Direct a
nessee.[2] The name "FedEx" is a syllabic abbreviation of parcel consolidator, and re-branded it FedEx
the name of the company’s original air division, Federal SmartPost.[4]
Express which was used from 1973 until 2000.
Express, 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
History 2002, due to misclassification of its operatives as inde-
FedEx Corporation is a Delaware corporation, incorporat- pendent contractors. Reversing a 1994 decision which al-
ed October 2, 1997.[3] FDX Corporation was founded in lowed FedEx to classify its operatives that own their own
January 1998 with the acquisition of Caliber System Inc. vehicles, the IRS is auditing the years 2003 to 2006, with a
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia FedEx
view to assessing whether similar misclassification of op-
eratives has taken place. FedEx denies that any irregular-
ities in classification have taken place, but is facing legal
action from operatives claiming benefits that would have
accrued had they been classified as employees.[7]
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.
In June 2009, FedEx began a campaign against UPS
and the Teamsters union, accusing its competitor of re-
ceiving a bailout in an advertising campaign called FedEx Express Airbus A310-200
"brown bailout". FedEx claims that signing the Federal
Aviation Administration re-authorization bill, which
would let some of its workers unionize more easily (and,
according to the Memphis-based company, "could ex-
pose [its] customers at any time to local work stoppages
that interrupt the flow of their time-sensitive, high-value
shipments”),[8] is equivalent to giving UPS a ’bailout’.
Independent observers have heavily criticized FedEx’s
wording,[8] claiming that it was "an abuse of the term".[8]
FedEx Express employees are regulated under the Rail-
way Labor Act.[9]
FedEx Ground delivery truck
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, of San Francisco, in 1994.[10]
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-point-
ing arrow in the negative space between the "E" and the
"X", which was achieved by designing a proprietary font,
based on Univers and Futura, to emphasize the arrow
shape.[10]
FEDEX OPERATING COMPANIES SCAC CODES FOR
FEDEX: FedEx Freight Truck
The Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is a unique
code used to identify transportation companies. It is typi- service. FedEx Express operates the second largest
cally two to four alphabetic letters long. It was developed civil aircraft fleet in the world (after Delta Air Lines)
by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association in the and the largest fleet of wide bodied civil aircraft; it
1960s to help the transportation industry for computer- also carries more freight than any other airline. [11]
izing data and records. • : Until 2008, a part of FedEx Freight. Provides
• FDE – FedEx Express airfreight forwarding services between the US
• FDEG – FedEx Ground mainland, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic,
• FXFE – FedEx Freight and other Caribbean islands.
• FDCC – FedEx Custom Critical • (Green "Ex"): Guaranteed day-definite delivery
within Canada and the United States at a cost savings
• (Orange "Ex"): The original overnight courier as compared to time-definite FedEx Express. Uses a
services, providing next day air service within the large fleet of trucks which are owned by the
United States and time-definite international independent owner/operators and drivers are
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia FedEx
independent contractors who control individual
delivery routes and territories. Formerly Roadway
Package System (RPS).[12]
• : 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 .
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.[13]
• (Grey "Ex"): Consolidates parcels from merchants
such as e-commerce and catalog companies and FedEx Kinko’s
uses the United States Postal Service for the final
delivery. Formerly the independent company
• (formerly FedEx Kinko’s) (Blue "Ex"): The retail arm of
Parcel Direct until FedEx acquired them for
the corporation, offers copying and digital printing,
$120M in 2004.[14]
professional finishing, document creation, Internet
• (Red "Ex"): Less than truckload (LTL) and other
access, computer rentals, signs and graphics, direct
freight services. The second largest LTL carrier in the
mail, Web-based printing, and FedEx shipping.
United States, with $4.5 billion in revenue for
Formerly an independent company, known as
2008.[15]
Kinko’s until it was acquired by FedEx in 2004 and
• : Formerly American Freightways, Viking Freight,
rebranded to FedEx Kinko’s. In June 2008 the
Lines.
and Watkins Motor Lines
company was finally rebranded as FedEx Office.[17]
Express.
• : Formerly Watkins Canada Express
• : Provides services such as copying, printing,
• : Delivers urgent, valuable, or hazardous items
Internet access and FedEx shipping.
using trucks and chartered aircraft. Freight not
• : Provides a central location for FedEx customers
accepted for transport includes perishable food,
to deposit their packages for shipping, also
alcohol, livestock, household goods, hazardous
offering a self service photocopy and fax
waste and money.[16] Drivers are independent
machine, office products for packing and
contractors who own their vehicles. Service in
shipping, boxes and packaging services.
Mexico uses interline carriers. Formerly Roberts
Formerly, these locations were called FedEx
Express.
Cartage or Roberts Express
Centers.
World Service Centers
• (Yellow "Ex"): Provides services relating to customs,
• Both and Ship Centers now offer Hold at
insurance, and transportation advice. Formerly C.J.
Locations for FedEx Ground & FedEx Express
Tower & Sons, then Tower Group International.
shipments for easy pick up. Transfer to Office/
• (Grey "Ex"): Provides logistics services including
Ship centers takes 1 to 2 business days (example:
Critical Inventory Logistics, Transportation
calling the customer service line one day prior to
Management Services, Fulfillment Services, etc.
pick up. This ensures package is put with proper
Formerly Roadway Logistics System, then Caliber
route of courier that services that area).
Logistics.
Logistics
• (Grey "Ex"): Provides global marketing, planning and
information technology (IT) services for the other Political donations and lobby-
FedEx operating companies.
• : Offering a customer service toll-free telephone line
ing
for customer questions. It is operated by an According to the Center for Responsive Politics, FedEx
automated operator then will prompt the user to a Corp is the 21st largest campaign contributor in the Unit-
live agent for uses of tracking, claims, scheduling ed States. The company has donated over $21 million
pick-ups (Express, Ground, Same Day, Custom since 1990, 45% of which went to Democrats and 55% to
Critical, Freight Express, and Freight LTL), Republicans. Strong ties to the White House and mem-
compliments and complaints, locations (both staffed bers of Congress allow access to international trade and
counter locations and drop-boxes), ordering tax cut rebates as well as the rules of the business prac-
supplies, setting up FedEx accounts, billing etc. tices of the United States Postal Service. In 2001, FedEx
Formerly FCIS or FedEx Customer Information sealed a $9 billion deal with the USPS to transport all of
Services.
Services the post office’s overnight and express deliveries.[18]
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia FedEx
In 2005, FedEx was among 53 entities that contributed • FedEx does not currently sponsor any F1 team, but
the maximum of $250,000 to sponsor the second inaugu- does have its brand logo placed on the McLaren
ration of President George W. Bush.[19][20][21] crash suit collar.
During the first three months of 2010, FedEx spent
nearly $4.9 million lobbying the federal government Football
(UPS, FedEx’s main competitor, spent $1.6 million on lob- • From 1989 to 2010, FedEx was the title sponsor of the
bying over the same period), a 4% increase from the Orange Bowl, played in Miami, FL.[24]
$4.7 million spent during the last quarter of 2009, but • FedExField, home of the National Football League’s
more than twice what it spent on lobbying during the Washington Redskins in the Maryland suburbs of
first quarter of 2009.[22] Washington, D.C.[25]
Advertising Other sports
• FedEx sponsors FedExForum, home of the NBA’s
Some of FedEx’s best-known ad campaigns:
Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis
• “When it Absolutely, Positively has to be there
men’s basketball team.
overnight” – 1978–1983
• Beginning in 2007, FedEx became the title sponsor of
• “It’s not Just a Package, It’s Your Business” –
the FedEx Cup, a championship trophy for the PGA
1987–1988
Tour.
• “Our Most Important Package is Yours” – 1991–1994
• “Absolutely, Positively Anytime” – 1995
• “The Way the World Works,” 1996–1998 See also
• “Be Absolutely Sure,” 1998–2000
• ARAMEX (competitor)
• “This is a Job for FedEx,” 2001–2002
• BAX Global (competitor)
• “Don’t worry, there’s a FedEx for that,” 2002–2003
• Brown Bailout
• “Relax, it’s FedEx,” 2004–2008
• Cast Away (movie)
• "We Understand," 2009–present
• Choice Logistics (competitor)
• "WeLiveToDeliver" 2009–present
• Courier
• "Brown Bailout" 2009–present
• DHL Express (competitor)
• "The World On Time" 2009–present
• Freight company
• Package delivery
John Moschitta ad • Purolator Courier (competitor)
In 1981, their advertising firm Ally & Gargano hired per- • TNT (competitor)
former John Moschitta, Jr., known for his fast speech de- • Top 100 US Federal Contractors
livery, to do an ad for Federal Express titled "Fast Paced • United Parcel Service (Primary competitor)
World". This single commercial would be cited years lat- • United States Postal Service (competitor and
er by New York as one of the most memorable ads ever.[23] customer)
• Volumetric weight
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
References
Championship Series", which led to the official [1] ^ "2010 Form 10-K, FedEx Corporation". United
"Champ Car" designation in reference to the fact States Securities and Exchange Commission.
they were the FedEx Championship. http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/
• FedEx became the sponsor of the No.11 NASCAR 1048911/000095012310065730/
Sprint Cup Toyota owned by Joe Gibbs Racing in c03116e10vk.htm#319.
2005. FedEx uses four (predominantly black) paint [2] "FedEx in Memphis." FedEx. Retrieved on February
schemes to showcase its different products (Express, 28, 2010.
Freight, Ground, and Office), and in 2005 also ran a [3] Delaware Department of State, Division of
special scheme to promote a charity event at the Corporations, Online Services; File No. 2803030.
FedEx St. Jude Classic golf tournament. The 11 car is [4] ^ FedEx History | About FedEx.
driven by Denny Hamlin. About.fedex.designcdt.com. Retrieved on July 11,
• FedEx previously sponsored the Formula One team 2011.
McLaren. Prior to that FedEx had sponsored Ferrari, [5] " The Marketing Doctor Says: FedEx Does It Again!"
Benetton (now Renault) and Williams F1. Marketing Doctor Blog. June 3, 2008.
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia FedEx
[6] "FedEx Ditches Kinko’s" Business Week. June 3, 2008. [19] Drinkard, Jim (January 17, 2005). "Donors get good
[7] Ron Da Parma (December 27, 2007). "IRS says FedEx seats, great access this week". USA Today.
may owe $319 million". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ 2005-01-16-inauguration-donors_x.htm. Retrieved
business/s_544387.html. Retrieved 2008-01-03. May 25, 2008.
[8] ^ ’Brown Bailout?’ Hardly, FactCheck.org [20] "Financing the inauguration". USA Today. January
[9] "UPS, FedEx “Brown Bailout” battle rages on". 16, 2005. http://www.usatoday.com/news/
www.fleetowner.com. http://blog.fleetowner.com/ washington/2005-01-16-inaugural-donors_x.htm.
trucking-straight-talk/2010/06/10/ups-fedex- Retrieved May 25, 2008.
brown-bailout-battle-rages-on/. Retrieved June 16, [21] "Some question inaugural’s multi-million price
2010. tag". USA Today. January 14, 2005.
[10] ^ The Sneeze: The Man Behind the FedEx Logo, http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/
November 16, 2004 2005-01-14-price_x.htm. Retrieved May 25, 2008.
[11] "WATS Scheduled Freight Tonne – Kilometres". [22] FedEx spends $4.9 million lobbying in 1st-quarter
International Air Transport Association. 2006. Bloomberg Businessweek. 2010-06-11. Retrieved
http://www.iata.org/ps/publications/wats- June 21, 2010.
freight-km.htm. [23] "TV Acres Advertising Mascots".
[12] FedEx Ground | About FedEx. http://www.tvacres.com/admascots_federal.htm.
About.fedex.designcdt.com. Retrieved on July 11, Retrieved September 18, 2008.
2011. [24] FedExName will come off Orange Bowl, Sports
[13] fedex service info – u.s. – home delivery. Business Journal
Fedex.com. Retrieved on July 11, 2011. [25] Marketing and Advertising | About FedEx.
[14] FedEx SmartPost | About FedEx About.fedex.designcdt.com. Retrieved on July 11,
[15] Comments. Logisticsmgmt.com. Retrieved on July 2011.
11, 2011. • Foust, Dean. "Fredrick Smith: No Overnight Success".
[16] "Fedex Custom Critical FAQ". September 12, 2007. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/
http://www.fedex.com/us/customersupport/ 04_38/b3900031_mz072.htm. Retrieved October 30,
customcritical/faq/services.html. 2007
[17] FedEx Office | About FedEx.
About.fedex.designcdt.com. Retrieved on July 11,
2011.
External links
[18] "FedEx Corp: Summary." Center for Responsive Corporate Homepages
Politics. Retrieved on February 28, 2010. • FedEx – Index of national homepages
• Official FedEx Blog
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=FedEx&oldid=471060324"
Categories:
• Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
• Companies established in 1971
• FedEx
• Companies based in Memphis, Tennessee
• Multinational companies
• Logistics companies of the United States
• Transportation companies of the United States
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• Publicly traded companies of the United States
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