FedEx has announced price increases for its US business units FedEx Ground and FedEx HomeDelivery by an average of 4.9% as of January 6, 2014, as it continues to invest in its parcel
network.The details of the new rates and on surcharge changes for FedEx Ground are available from todayat fedex.com/us/2014rates, the company said.
As announced earlier, FedEx Express rates will also rise by an average of 3.9% for US domestic,US export and US import services from 6 January next year.
UPS last month announced a price rise of 4.9% for its Ground, Air and International, and AirFreight rates within and between the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico from December 30, 2013.
Meanwhile, FedEx is continuing to invest in expanding the network of FedEx Ground to increasecapacity and improve its geographical coverage.
In January, FedEx Ground plans to expand its distribution hub in Kernersville, North Carolina,adding 7, 711 sqm to the facility, US media reported. To be completed in summer 2015, the expansionwill include new equipment, additional load/unload doors and more parking space, with the aim totriple the sorting capacity from 15,000 to 45,000 packages per hour. The facility currently has anarea of 37,161 sqm and serves FedEx Ground’s network throughout the eastern part of the state andsoutheast Virginia. About 572 staff are employed at the hub.
Separately, FedEx Ground is building a new 23,597 sqm distribution centre in Spartanburg County,South Carolina, with an investment of up to $40 million and the aim to create at least 22 full-timeand 219 part-time jobs. It will reportedly be one of the company’s fully-automated small packagedistribution centres. The facility will feature state-of-the-art sorting and shipping equipment asthe heart of its operations. It is expected to start operations in 2015.
