Volume growth drives Fedex Express expansion in Canada
FedEx Express has boosted its service in western and midwestern Canada, with the expansion of an airport facility and two new daily flights. The company said today that it has completed a new facility to improve its services in and around Calgary, Alberta.
FedEx Express has also added new daily flights between its World Hub in Memphis and Winnipeg, Manitoba and Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
The US express giant said its expansion was driven by demand for its next-day shipping, deferred delivery, large-consignment air freight and specialised solutions, particularly among the small business sector.
In Calgary the company has added 28,000 sq ft of operational space to its airside package sorting and distribution facility, which it said would allow for faster package sorting and earlier deliveries to downtown Calgary.
The facility now has 104,095 sq ft total, with more than 375 employees based there, along with more than 90 courier and cargo vehicles.
Lisa Lisson, the president of FedEx Express Canada said the firm was modifying the airport facility to accommodate increasing cargo volumes.
She said: “These improvements allow us to exceed the expectations of our customers in Southern Alberta while positioning our company for anticipated growth in this region.”
Flights
The new daily flight to Winnipeg will take the form of a new wife-bodied Airbus 310, which has a maximum payload of 80,000 lbs (36.3 tonnes), and a maximum range of 3,500 miles (5,632 km).
FedEx said the new flight would allow business and online shoppers in Manitoba greater connectivity to global markets.
“We are very encouraged by the economic performance of Manitoba and Canada’s mid-west,” said Lisson. “The upgrade of our daily service to Winnipeg from a smaller, narrow-body aircraft to the A310 reflects our confidence and offers our customers in Manitoba a clear edge in connectivity to global markets.”
The new daily Cessna 208 flight to Nanaimo Airport on Vancouver Island will allow better connectivity for businesses in the north of the island, with extended pick-up and drop-off windows promised by FedEx.
The flight is due to start next month.
“North Vancouver Island is an important regional business hub, with a strong small business sector and a growing high-tech industry,” said Lisson. “The introduction of a daily FedEx Express flight to Nanaimo illustrates our commitment to this region and our ongoing determination of maintaining our competitive advantage for our customers.”
