Thursday, February 23, 2012
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Dec 122011
...At this year’s Americas competition (Latin America and the Caribbean) student teams competed as judges considered their business plans, presentations, trade fair booths, products and services, teamwork, presentations and other criteria. For the FedEx Access award, we considered their success in creating jobs, driving global commerce, improving the environment, and growing small business.
This year’s winner of the FedEx Access award was a team from Ecuador. They named their company Uywa (pronounced “Oo-ee-wah”) a word taken from the Quechua (Ecuadorian Indian) language that means “animal.” Their product was an amazing collection of stuffed animals representing endangered animals in Ecuador...Comment (1) -
Oct 212011
Earlier today, I had the honor of joining President Obama at the Rose Garden on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate the signing of trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia. This is a victory for our company, our customers and the overall economic health of the United States. FedEx has long supported these agreements and we are pleased this day has come.
Open markets are one of the key foundations to U.S. competitiveness, economic growth and job creation. As our chairman, Frederick W. Smith, so often says, global trade is now the largest single economy out there – and it will only continue to grow. Open markets enable people outside of the U.S. to sell their goods here and allow American workers, manufacturers and producers to export theirs globally. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in 2008, exports in goods and services supported more than 10 million American jobs and generated more than $1.5 trillion in income for American families in 2009. -
Oct 032011...One of our small-business clients in California was able to increase sales almost 19,000 percent in five years and create a supply chain that wraps around the world with no physical headquarters and only 32 employees. This was possible due to its imagination and entrepreneurial spirit, and also because of access to markets around the globe and an ability to get its products to its customers. Free trade creates growth.
FedEx regularly ships high-tech products, pharmaceuticals, auto parts, medical equipment and many other goods to Korea, Panama and Colombia. Passing bilateral FTAs will ease market barriers and provide significant opportunities for American businesses that are looking to grow and reach new customers. In fact, according to a 2008 estimate from the U.S. Trade Representative, America’s small- and medium-sized enterprises could export up to $173 billion to the Asia-Pacific region... -
Sep 272011..At FedEx we have an internal philosophy, a guiding principle if you will, which we call P-S-P. That stands for “People-Service-Profit.” This started with our founder and he has often described the circular nature of that mantra by explaining that if you invest in your people they will provide a superior service which will generate profit, which in turn allows you to invest in your people. It is all interconnected, much like the world economy has become and is continuing to become...
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Jul 282011
- What is your advice for companies expanding their supply chains globally?
Expanding globally is certainly an exciting thing, but it comes with its challenges. I cannot over-state the importance of personal relationships and communication as we bridge East with West to operate efficiently in multiple regions. The trust that can only result from relationships and consistent personal behavior built on a foundation of trust and integrity is priceless. Adjusting to different time zones, cultures, and work styles are all things that take time. The best way to adapt to this new set of expectations and responsibilities is to communicate often and clearly with your global partners... -
Jul 272011
What comes first to your mind when you think of Southern Poland? Dumplings? Cabbage? Vodka? The Carpathian Mountains? Well, I had TONS of ideas when I started my trip to Katowice – and, to be honest, a growing economy was not on top of my list.
Katowice is located in the heart of the Upper Silesian Region in Southern Poland and, compared to other Polish cities, it won´t be winning a national beauty contest any time soon. “Industrial” seems to be a good word to describe the special atmosphere: The city´s history is closely linked to the manufacture of coal and steel. Today it has become a growing business centre. And this is exactly where FedEx gets involved… -
Jul 012011When the U.S.-India Business Council honored FedEx with a Global Leadership Award June 23 in Washington, the audience got to hear from two dynamic innovators – Fred Smith and Chanda Kochhar, CEO of ICICI Bank, India’s largest private-sector bank.
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Jun 162011Are there any challenges to having a supply chain that spans the globe?
No.
Oh wait, YES! About a zillion.
Honestly, Loudmouth is about having fun. And supply chain "challenges," as you euphemistically referred to them are NOT fun. However, FedEx has been able to solve most of them, so the supply chain isn't as much a "ball and chain" for us, which frees us up to be the fun stylish guys designing, producing, golfing in and partying in LOUD PANTS. -
Jun 082011
...Efficient design. We’re constantly working to reduce our carbon footprint, and the Boeing 777 Freighter supports our commitment to the environment with:
· 24 percent better fuel economy per pound of revenue payload than the 747-400.
· 18 percent fewer emissions than the MD-11 (McDonnell Douglas).
· Advanced noise reductions on landings and takeoffs.
Top performance. It’s the longest-range twin-engine freighter in the world, with a flight range of about 6,675 land miles — or nearly three times the distance between the east and west U.S. coasts. That means fewer stops and shorter cargo delivery times for businesses looking to reach their trade partners and customers faster. Plus, the Boeing 777 Freighter’s payload capacity of 112 tons — or 102 metric tons — lets us fly more freight farther than ever before... -
Jun 012011
...“One notable finding is that a subset of developing countries, such as China, India, and Mexico, have experienced trade growth while also decreasing their greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP.”
This is encouraging, and it tends to support the idea that trade, and the economic growth that goes with it, increases the capacity of countries to improve their environmental performance. It also reminds me of our work on Access, which includes a great deal of data analysis...
