FedEx Express has opened a new depot in Lyon, south-eastern France, while FedEx Trade Networks,the growing international ocean and air freight forwarder, has successfully completed its first
year of operations in Turkey.The 4,000 sqm facility in Lyon is linked to the FedEx European hub at Roissy-Charles de Gaulleairport in Paris through a road network. The new depot has a fleet of 25 vehicles and sorted 2,764parcels in its first two operational days alone while creating 20 jobs in the region. It is thefifteenth depot that FedEx Express has opened in France since October last year.
The city of Lyon is strategically located in the south-east of France at the crossroads betweennorthern and southern and eastern and western Europe. It comprises more than 135,000 companiescovering a large number of industries such as biotechnology, clean technologies, textiles, IT andcommunication, financing and service sector.
“The entrepreneurial and industrial dynamism of the city of Lyon representing 32% of the exportsof the Rhône-Alpes region shows its needs in international trade,” Dirk van Impe, DirectorOperations, FedEx Express France, explained. “Thanks to this new depot, it will be easier for the4,000 foreign companies based in Lyon to access and effectively trade with international marketswith very short transit times.”
Meanwhile, the company’s fast growing FedEx Trade Networks expanded its operations in Turkeysince the opening of its first office in Istanbul in May 2011 with new offices in Ankara and Izmirnow serving customers across the country. It aims to increase its volumes over the next three yearsby targeting companies in sectors including textiles, automotive, technology, construction anddefense.
FedEx said Turkey has enormous growth potential with its economy expanding by 8.5% last year andmaking it the fastest growing economy in all of Europe. The country also generated internationaltrade volume of $375 billion, 55% of which was transported by sea, 25% by road and 8% by air.Strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Turkey offers easyaccess to 1.5 billion customers throughout those regions, in addition to its own population of 74million people.
“The opening of our offices in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir within six months of each other was asignificant move for us and one that shows our commitment to operating in Turkey,” Fred Schardt,president and CEO of FedEx Trade Networks, said.
“We offer our customers in Turkey years of experience in freight forwarding, a unique technologyinfrastructure and Turkish language support in multiple locations throughout the country,” addedKerim Bilgic, FedEx Trade Networks Country Manager of Turkey.
