Private companies need to do more to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) go global, according to influential British business figures who attended the FedEx SME Export Report Roundtable. Exporting has significantly changed as a result of the digital channels, posing new challenges and opportunities for smaller businesses.
FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company and a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), recently hosted an exclusive roundtable with 10 influential British business leaders representing SMEs and business bodies, including British Chambers of Commerce, British American Business, Start-Up Britain and Enterprise Ireland. Delving deeper into the global opportunities, challenges and solutions influencing today’s exporting landscape, the roundtable discussed how they can assist SMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs looking to go global.
Effective immediately, FedEx will now operate 30 of its 58 weekly flights to and from Cologne Bonn Airport with the ultra-modern Boeing 777 (B777F) aircraft. They are used on intra-European routes, to Asia and to the U.S. Previously around 40 per cent of the routes to and from Cologne Bonn Airport were served by the world’s largest twin-engine freight aircraft. In addition to the B777F, FedEx also operates ATR42, B757 and MD-11 aircraft on the routes to and from Cologne Bonn Airport.
FedEx was the first airline to regularly serve Cologne Bonn Airport with a B777F. The first scheduled flight took place in March 2012 and the airport has since been connected via these flights to the World Hub Memphis.
Compared to the MD-11, which is an alternative for long-haul flights, the B777F can transport almost seven more tonnes of freight and fly almost 3,900 kilometres further, while using less fuel. It also generates 18 per cent less CO2 emissions and is significantly quieter.
