Newsletters Contact Us
Air CargoAmerican ShipperEuropeNewsParcel Freight

FedEx opens dedicated freight facility at UK airport

Separate parcel, freight operations improves efficiency, carrier says

Eric Kulisch
·
FedEx has built a dedicated freight facility at East Midlands Airports in the United Kingdom. Moving freight to a new space is intended to improve efficiency for general cargo and parcel operations. (Photo: FedEx)
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • FedEx opened a new 19,000 sq ft freight facility at East Midlands Airport (UK) for large cross-border air shipments, separate from its parcel operations.
  • This expansion is part of FedEx's Tricolor strategy to improve asset utilization and reduce costs.
  • The new facility increases freight capacity, improves efficiency, and enhances safety for handling large shipments.
  • This investment, along with similar recent upgrades in Manchester and Stansted, strengthens FedEx's UK air network and improves access to global markets for UK businesses.
Key takeaways sponsored by SONAR
See a mistake? Contact us.

Businesses in the United Kingdom will be able to utilize FedEx Express for large cross-border air shipments thanks to a new freight facility at East Midlands Airport.

The integrated parcel logistics giant said Tuesday it has opened a 19,000-square foot dedicated facility for freight that operates independently from the company’s existing parcel sorting operation. 

The investment appears connected to FedEx’s new Tricolor strategy, which aims to improve asset utilization and reduce costs by segregating express parcel and less-urgent heavy freight operations. 

The new facility is equipped with multiple trailer docks and recessed building pits designed for safer pallet handling. FedEx said the new facility enables a more streamlined and efficient process for preparing freight. It also provides a significant increase in freight capacity to meet rising customer import/export demand. 

The East Midlands investment follows the July opening of a replacement logistics center located a half mile from Manchester airport. The 38,000-square foot facility features an advanced automated sorting system and x-ray machines to increase throughput speed and efficiency. The facility supports freight and e-commerce shipments. 

“Together, these commitments create a more resilient and connected FedEx network, enabling us to support the increasing flow of goods between the East Midlands, the Northwest, and international markets. For businesses in the East Midlands, the additional capacity and enhanced safety features mean more efficient access to the U.S., [Asia-Pacific}, EU, and beyond – helping them seize growth opportunities in a rapidly evolving global trade environment,” said Steve Johnson, managing director for UK air operations at FedEx, in a news release. 

FedEx operates three air hubs in the United Kingdom. In December, 2023, FedEx installed a new parcel sorting system for imports at its Stansted Airport terminal, located 42 miles from London. 

FedEx is also making significant air network investments in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Last week, the express carrier moved to a larger facility at Istanbul airport and said it would build a regional air hub in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

FedEx, DHL relocate to larger air package facilities on Europe’s edge

FedEx sends specialists to streamline European operations

Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Parcel and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com