FedEx Ground (Pittsburgh, Pa.), the package ground carrier and an operating company of FedEx Corp. (Memphis, Tenn.), has opened a new 325,000-square-foot distribution hub in Hagerstown, Md.
The Hagerstown hub is one of nine hubs to open as part of a network expansion plan that will include the relocation or expansion of more than 290 pickup and delivery terminals through 2010. The nationwide expansion will boost the company's current average daily pickup capacity by nearly 70 percent over the next five years. This summer, FedEx Ground also opened hubs in Cincinnati and Dallas. A fourth new hub, under construction near Memphis, Tenn., will begin operations in 2006.
The $70-million hub is capable of processing 22,500 packages per hour and is equipped with the most advanced package-sortation technology, including high-speed conveyors and camera-based scan tunnels to maximize package sorting rates. The Hagerstown facility will also have a workforce of more than 400 employees and independent contractors.
"The opening of this new hub is the next step in our ongoing efforts to better meet growing customer demand by increasing the size, speed and reliability of our network," said Daniel J. Sullivan, president and CEO, FedEx Ground. "Customers already tell us we operate the industry's most reliable ground network, and this new facility will reinforce our reputation for delivering outstanding service and quality."
Situated on 114 acres, the Hagerstown hub is one of 29 centralized distribution centers in the company's network and joins a similar facility in Harrisburg, Pa., in serving the shipping needs of businesses in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Gilbane Building Co. of Providence, R.I., was the construction manager, C. William Hetzer Inc. of Hagerstown, Md., was responsible for site excavation, and HK Systems of Milwaukee, Wis., installed the material handling systems. Pickering Firm, Inc, of Memphis served as the architect for the project.
Source: FedEx Corp.
