Tag: FedEx

FedEx Kinko’s Survey Finds Small Businesses Concerned about Economy

FedEx Kinko’s, released the results of its national “Signs of the Times” small business survey, which found 89 percent of those small business owners polled were moderately to very concerned about the current economy’s impact on their business. Despite concerns, decreasing their marketing and advertising budgets is not a likely course of action. In fact, 92 percent of survey respondents say they will either keep their spending the same or increase it this year.
The online survey, conducted in March 2008 with nearly 500 small business owners and decision makers, identified significant trends specific to this important sector of the U.S. economy for the year. In addition to their concerns about the economy, 66 percent of those polled foresee flat or falling profits in 2008, but these companies are looking for ways to combat the tough economy in a cost-effective fashion. Moreover, 41 percent of responding businesses are considering an increase in spending on marketing and advertising initiatives this year.
Blasingame says small businesses often underestimate the basic elements of a marketing program. Only 32 percent of survey respondents said they believe that signs, banners and posters help drive business and customer traffic. According to Blasingame, the lack of good signs inside and outside the walls of small businesses is a missed opportunity—especially for those with modest budgets.

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UPS & FedEx decline points to continuing recession (U.S)

Falling shipments at United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp., which together deliver 80 percent of packages in the U.S., show the economy is in a recession and unlikely to rebound this year.

UPS, whose domestic volume has outperformed the gross domestic product for almost a century until last year, said April 8 that deliveries dropped in the first quarter. UPS also said earnings for the three months through March will miss its previous projection by as much as 7.4 percent, just the third time the Atlanta-based company has made a new forecast that was below an earlier one.

FedEx’s U.S. shipments dropped 2 percent last quarter, and the company said last month it would have “limited earnings growth” this year because of the slowing economy. Both companies are also struggling with soaring jet-fuel, gasoline and diesel costs after crude oil surged 80 percent in the past year. to be.”

UPS Chief Financial Officer Kurt Kuehn said at a March 12 investor presentation that 2008 will be “challenging” because of the cooling economy and that the “downside risks have increased” for volumes.

FedEx’s profit for the fourth quarter ending May 31 may drop 14 percent to USD 525.1 million, according to the average of five estimates in a Bloomberg survey. Chief Financial Officer Alan Graf said last month that lower demand for express shipments in the U.S. will continue into fiscal 2009.

The volume decreases for the two shippers confirms “the outlook that we are projecting for the rest of 2008 as being very bleak,” said Satish Jindel, president of SJ Consulting Group Inc. in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, whose clients have included UPS and FedEx.

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Canada Post and FedEx Express Canada set to launch new International Express Service

Canada Post Corporation and FedEx Express Canada have combined forces in the development of Priority Worldwide, a new international express service that will be sold in Canada through Canada Post’s retail and commercial networks and delivered worldwide through the extensive FedEx international delivery network. Priority Worldwide will be available to customers in the fall of 2008.

Priority Worldwide will offer an on-time, money-back guarantee and delivery standards of next business day by noon to most USA destinations and 2-3 business days to most of the remaining industrialized world. Other key features of Priority Worldwide include tracking, delivery confirmation and signature upon delivery.

Moya Greene, President and CEO of Canada Post said, “Globally, postal administrations and express companies are working together to improve service to their customers. This relationship with FedEx, a world class company, is not only consistent with that trend, it improves our offering to customers, strengthens our business and enhances our brand.”

“FedEx is making it easier for Canada Post’s customers to grow their businesses in a global marketplace,” said David Binks, President of FedEx Express Canada. “FedEx is pleased to be working with Canada Post and the collaboration allows postal users the opportunity and the ability to expand in the more than 220 countries and territories that our network supports.”

Canadian shippers will be able to use Priority Worldwide to send envelopes up to 500 grams, paks up to 1.5 kg and parcels up to 30 kg around the world with the full confidence that Canada Post, Canada’s most trusted federal institution, and FedEx, a trusted international express transportation company, are behind it.

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FedEx adds more solar-powered operations to facilities in California

FedEx Corp. announced that its operating company FedEx Freight has completed the installation of a solar-electric system in Whittier, Calif., and is nearing completion on a similar solar-powered facility in Fontana, Calif. Both systems will provide a substantial portion of the facilities’ peak energy needs.

The 282 kilowatt (kW) solar power system in Whittier has the capacity to produce over 414,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity each year, providing almost 40 percent of the facility’s annual energy needs and significantly reducing the service center’s dependence on the electric grid. The Whittier terminal employs about 500 workers and serves the East Los Angeles area.

In 2005, FedEx Express activated a 904 kW system at its Oakland, Calif., hub facility that meets up to 80 percent of that facility’s peak energy demand and produces power equivalent to that used by more than 900 homes during the daytime. At the time, the Oakland project was California’s largest corporate solar-power roof-top installation.

To complete the Whittier system, 1,445 solar panels were installed on 22,000 square feet of the facility’s roof space. BP Solar, part of the global energy major BP, manufactured the panels and served as the project developer.

FedEx and BP work together strategically to identify, develop and implement a range of solutions to increase FedEx’s security of energy supply while improving its environmental performance.

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DHL, UPS target Latin America growth

DHL Express and UPS plan to invest more in Latin America this year to grow their business in the region and partly compensate for the impact of the slowing US economy.

Roger Crook, CEO DHL Express International Americas, told Chilean newspaper El Mercurio that the company planned to invest about USD 70 million in Latin America during 2008 and aimed to grow about 12 pct. Plans include two new offices in Chile but he did not disclose further details of the investment.

A significant proportion is likely to go to Mexico, however, in view of DHL’s plan to spend USD 112 million there over the next five years. Crook said early last year that DHL would invest USD 80 million in the region and was aiming for 15-20 pct growth in 2007.

Meanwhile, UPS, which during 2006-07 invested USD 7 million on 15 new operation centres to extend its Mexican network to 35 locations, is opening a further eight centres in the country this year, according to Mexican newspaper El Financiero.

Rubén Medina, UPS international sales manager, told the newspaper that despite the US economic slowdown, the operator’s Mexican exports grew by 5 pctin the final quarter of 2007. UPS will also aim to win more business among manufacturing companies along the Mexican border and SMEs this year, he added.

Mexico is the largest market in Latin America for UPS which has five daily flights from Mexico City to five different US airports. UPS has invested USD 39 million in Mexico since launching operations there in 1989, the newspaper said.

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