FedEx steps up investment in commercial print services
FedEx said yesterday that it is accelerating investment in new printing technology for its business services arm, FedEx Office. Eight years after entering the print services arena, the US corporation is stepping up its pursuit of market share, with efforts appearing to be paying off, judging by a major new commercial printing deal with aerospace manufacturing giant Boeing.
The company said yesterday it was installing new grand-format inkjet printing machines within its centralised production centres throughout the US, where it produces materials like rigid signs, oversized prints and retail sales materials.
FedEx Office is also expanding its workforce with new hirings, it said, but did not disclose numbers.
The FedEx subsidiary has already deployed almost 8,000 new printing machines in North America since May 2010, recntly adding new automated finishing systems at its offset printing facility. Regulatory filings suggest FedEx has invested $943m in its FedEx Services division in the past three years,mwhich includes FedEx Office, FedEx Services and FedEx TechConnect.
Some of Its latest investments will see new high-speed print equipment fitted this spring, in the form of Jeti 3020 Titan inkjet printers from Agfa Graphics and Zund G3 M-2500 digital table cutters, technology it said was “critical” for high quality grand-format production print runs.
The new systems will boost capabilities to produce signage and oversize prints for customers including national wholesale retail chains, other large corporations and also small businesses.
Aimee DiCicco, vice president of sales for FedEx Office, said: “FedEx Office offers a broad range of print solutions that meet the needs of customers of all sizes, and we’re continuously enhancing both our production and retail network as well as our support structure to make that happen.”
Boeing
The recent Boeing contract win was held up yesterday by FedEx as “further evidence” of its growing stature within the commercial printing field.
From March 1, FedEx Office will be serving as Boeing’s “primary print provider”, producing various large or grand format printed materials for operational and sales purposes.
FedEx Corp has a longstanding relationship with Boeing for the supply of aircraft, which most recently saw it signing a deal back in December for 27 new aircraft.
“Our corporate print solutions are a perfect fit for Boeing’s needs and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to leverage our capabilities for this leading Fortune 100 company,” said DiCicco.
