FedEx Express rolls out new delivery services for shippers

In response to customer demand, FedEx subsidiary FedEx Express said this week it is adding new services focused on earlier delivery of freight shipments.

Among the new offerings are:
-FedEx First Overnight Freight, a new service offering nationwide, early-morning delivery of critical air freight shipments, with most markets having a 9 a.m. delivery commitment. FedEx said this service is geared towards shippers in the distribution, manufacturing, industrial machinery and science/medical sectors with urgent manufacturing, distribution or replenishment needs and for palletized shipments weighing more than 151 pounds (this service launches on February 28); and
-FedEx 2Day A.M., a new service with a 10:30 a.m. delivery commitment time for shipments with two-day delivery to meet most U.S.-based areas, which is also available for return shipments.

“Our research showed that customers could benefit from the addition of earlier delivery of freight shipments, a two-day morning commitment and an expansion of FedEx First Overnight,” a FedEx spokesperson told LM. “The launch has been in planning for several months.”

The spokesperson added that FedEx First Overnight Freight benefits customers who need earlier delivery of their large critical part shipments, adding it can shave off up to 4.5 hours of delivery time in some service areas compared to the FedEx 1-day Freight service.

As for FedEx 2Day A.M., the spokesperson said this service primarily benefits shippers who want to ship to facilities that are closed or have peak operations in the afternoon and customers looking to turn around shipments on the same day they receive shipments in order to reduce inventory levels.

FedEx said it has also made upgrades to its FedEx First Overnight Service, offering a money-back guarantee and next business day delivery by as early as 8 a.m. depending on destination and zip code and is available in all 50 states and geared towards manufacturing, banking, law, and entertainment sectors. Effective February 28, FedEx First Overnight and FedEx International First will be able to ship most dangerous goods types, including international shipments headed to the U.S. and from Canada, Europe, and Latin America, said company officials.

The company also announced that it has extended the on-call pickup time for FedEx Express On-Call Pickup in 7,000 zip codes since January 2010, which it said provides shippers with roughly an additional hour per business day to prepare last-minute shipments.

For more articles on FedEx, please click here.