FedEx Trade networks rolls out five new EMEA offices

FedEx subsidiary FedEx Trade Networks, the company’s global trade arm, is continuing its global expansion efforts, with this week’s announcement that it has opened five new offices in the Europe, Middle East, and Asia (EMEA) region.

The company said the new offices are in: Budapest, Hungary; Prague, Czech Republic; Madrid, Spain; Milan, Italy; and Antwerp, Belgium.

Since 2008, FedEx Trade Networks has opened 33 offices in 20 countries across the globe, in addition to its more than 70 offices in North America and Canada. A company spokesperson told LM that Budapest, Prague, Madrid and Milan are all important air hubs in Central and Southern Europe and the Port of Antwerp is one of the world’s busiest seaports.

“One of the biggest benefits to customers will be access to the FedEx global network and seamless support across other FedEx operating companies in each of the markets where we have opened offices,” said the spokesperson. “Customers of FedEx Trade Networks will benefit from the close coordination and collaboration between FedEx Trade Networks and FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight to provide customers with flexibility for their international trade needs with the same reliable FedEx service standards.”

Other benefits include enhanced global freight forwarding services and end-to-end multimodal services, as well as direct access to local personnel with industry experience and expertise and expanded regional access to services like FedEx International Direct Distribution and Global Order Logistics, according to a company statement.

Some of the industries FedEx Trade Networks is targeting with this ongoing expansion include retail, automotive, electronics, and high-tech. But the spokesperson also explained that the company is always looking for ways to better serve customers as it continues to evaluate new opportunities and markets that will provide shippers with greater access to the global marketplace.

“We are constantly evaluating trade lanes and solutions to provide our customers with a wide portfolio of services to match their needs,” said the spokesperson.  “Our mission is to help our customers engage in international trade. We will work with any potential customer to understand his or her needs and develop a comprehensive supply chain solution to help meet those needs. Our customers tell us that they prefer doing business with providers that have a physical presence in the region in which we trade. So, providing our customers with access to regional support in their local language and time zone allows us the ability to respond quickly to their needs in the markets in which they do business.”

FedEx officials summarized specific benefits each new location offers for shippers:
-Hungary (Budapest) provides excellent access to all major cities of Eastern and Central Europe and the Balkans, and it has successfully transitioned to a market economy with a GDP of over $186 billion. Also, over the next two years, the Budapest Ferihegy International Airport is scheduled to carry out an expansion project that is expected to increase its handling capability to 132,000 tons of air cargo per year, making it one of the premier cargo centers of Central Europe;
-The Czech Republic (Prague) is home to the second largest airport in Central Europe and it has successfully transitioned to a market economy with a GDP of over $256 billion. As one of the most developed and industrialized economies of Central and Eastern Europe, it is a leading exporter of machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuel, and chemicals;
-Madrid (Spain) is both home to the busiest airport in Spain, but it is also the major European hub for flights to Central and South America. Spain also ranks as one of the world’s top ten economies and is a leading exporter of machinery and equipment, chemicals, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, and foodstuffs;
-Milan (Italy) is strategically situated at the crossroads of the continent’s north-south and east-west trade flows and is also home to three international airports, including Milan Malpensa and its terminal dedicated exclusively to cargo. Also, Italy ranks as the seventh largest economy in the world and is a leading exporter of engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals food and beverages, and tobacco; and
- The Port of Antwerp (Belgium) is one of the world’s busiest seaports and serves the world’s major shipping lanes. Not only is it a key center for ocean traffic for all of Western Europe, but it also offers easy access to Europe’s road, rail and water transportation networks. The Port of Antwerp also processes increasingly larger volumes of cargo each year and offers storage and handling capacity for all types of products, regardless of how specialized the services they require.