FedEx and U.S. Commercial Service Renew Commitment to Boost U.S. Exports from Small- and Medium-Size Businesses

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the Commerce Department's U.S. Commercial Service today announced a new five-year agreement aimed at boosting exports from U.S. businesses. The agreement is designed to help simplify the complexity of international trade, particularly for small- and medium-size businesses looking to source and sell in the global marketplace. FedEx and the Commercial Service created the concept for their joint trade promotion initiative in 2004. Since joining forces, FedEx and the Commercial Service have introduced approximately 10,000 clients to the business of exporting. As part of the new five-year agreement, FedEx and the Commercial Service will continue to help U.S. businesses develop successful export strategies through free resources such as market research, trade leads, export seminars, and supply chain management services. "More than 70 percent of the world's purchasing power and 95 percent of its population are outside of the United States,” said Israel Hernandez, assistant secretary for Trade Promotion and director general of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. "We recognize that together, the public and private sectors can do more to help both U.S. exporters and the U.S. economy grow and remain competitive.” "If you do business here in the United States, the most competitive market in the world, then you can certainly sell your product or service in other markets around the world, just like thousands of small-and medium-sized businesses do every day,” Hernandez added. Hernandez said that nearly 97 percent of all U.S. exporters are small- and medium-size businesses, but they still represent a small share of total value of U.S. goods’ exports—less than 30 percent. "By combining FedEx and Commercial Service resources, we can help these companies realize their export potential,” he said. U.S. exporters stand to benefit from the joint resources of FedEx and the Commercial Service. The U.S. Commercial Service has trade specialists in more than 100 U.S. cities and 80 countries to help companies start exporting or increase sales to new global markets. The FedEx network is also extensive, providing access to more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, and connecting markets that comprise more than 90 percent of the world's GDP. FedEx also offers global trade technology and tools to empower U.S. exporters, including customs clearance solutions. "As transportation and communication networks have evolved over the years, businesses and consumers have an unprecedented ability to connect with almost anyone, anywhere,” said Michael L. Ducker, president, International, FedEx Express. "The FedEx-Commercial Service initiative helps create an even greater level of access for U.S. exporters by giving them a direct route to the ideas, materials, capital and new technology they need to compete in the dynamic global marketplace.” U.S. businesses like RockBottomGolf.com of Rochester, N.Y., have improved their bottom line by tapping into FedEx-Commercial Service resources. "This initiative is our one-stop-shop for exporting,” said Todd Rath, chief of Operations & Marketing for RockBottomGolf.com, a distributor of golf-related equipment, clothing and accessories. "On an ongoing basis, we receive export counseling, market research, shipping solutions and other assistance critical to the expansion of our business.” In the last year, export sales for RockBottomGolf.com have increased 40 percent. Ducker added, "The U.S. is the world’s greatest trading nation, exporting more than one trillion dollars in goods and services in 2006. However, the U.S. goods and services trade deficit widened as imports increased more than exports. This underscores the importance for innovative public-private sector solutions such as the FedEx-Commercial Service export initiative.” U.S. sellers can learn more about the initiative, programs and matchmaking events online at: http://export.gov/cspartners/fedex_partner.asp. About FedEx Corp. FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $35 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 275,000 employees and contractors to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit www.fedex.com. For free B-roll/video content about FedEx please log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/fedex to preview and request video. You can receive broadcast-standard video digitally or by tape from this site. Registration and video is free to the media.