Federal Express

Federal Express (or FedEx) is a company that offers overnight courier[?] and logistics services. The company was founded in 1971 by former US Marine Frederick W. Smith[?] in Memphis, Tennessee, and began operations in 1973. The name was chosen to symbolize a national marketplace, and help in obtaining government contracts. The company, the first cargo airline to use jet airplanes for its services, expanded greatly after deregulation of the cargo airlines sector. The company operates most of its US overnight freight through its Memphis hub, thus packages from one side of town to another might find the fastest way through Memphis.

Loading a Federal Express A300-600 aircraft. Larger version

In 1989 the company acquired Flying Tigers[?], an international cargo airline. In January 1998 Federal Express acquired Caliber System, Inc, bringing in a number of units. It acquired Viking Freight and American Freightways.

It is now organized into a number of operating units:

• FedEx Express (The original overnight courier services)
• FedEx Freight East - Less than truckload[?] (LTL) services (formerly American Freightways)
• FedEx Freight West - (formerly Viking Freight)
• FedEx Ground - including slower speed, heavier freight services to businesses and homes (formerly Roadway Package Services or RPS)
• FedEx Custom Critical - non-stop door-door delivery (formerly Roberts Express)
• FedEx Trade Networks - trade and shipping planning on non-FedEx carriers
• FedEx Services - an internal to FedEx unit

Advertising:

• The company made famous the line "Absolutely, Positively" for their overnight service.

Miscellania:

• The movie Cast Away is based on a true story about a Federal Express employee who survived a plane crash.
• Company operating officer Jim Barksdale[?] went on to lead Netscape.
• "The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C', the idea must be feasible." A Yale University management professor comments on Fred Smith's class paper proposing what became Federal Express. 

External links

• http://www.federalexpress.com/
• http://www.federalexpress.com/us/about/express/history?link=4