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Airlines

Memphis: A Transportation Hub with Global Reach

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Memphis has earned the reputation as "America's distribution center" thanks to its unique transportation infrastructure. The city's strategic location as a river crossing, coupled with its modern port, intermodal rail yards, and one of the nation's fastest growing airports, makes it a prime hub for global transportation. FedEx Corp., a $18 billion global transportation conglomerate, calls Memphis home and is credited with making Memphis International Airport the world's busiest air cargo center for the past seven consecutive years.

Key Takeaways:

  • Memphis International Airport is the world's busiest air cargo center for the past seven consecutive years, thanks in part to FedEx Corp.'s operations.
  • FedEx Corp. has over 30,000 employees in the Memphis area, making it the largest private employer in Tennessee.
  • The majority of FedEx Express's Memphis employees work at the superhub located at the airport, where over one million packages pass through every night.
  • Northwest Airlines Corp. has launched the fourth "bank" of flights in Memphis, adding 48 new departing flights and an equal number of arrivals, and is expected to handle 3.5 million passengers in the city this year.
  • The airport is expected to become one of the nation's larger hubs, driven by increased air service and passenger traffic.
  • The 2-mile "world runway" is expected to open this fall, allowing fully loaded wide-body planes to fly nonstop to Asia.
  • Memphis is working to expand its role as an international rail and road carrier, with developments including the opening of Union Pacific's $70 million intermodal rail yard and the Port of Memphis's efforts to open a similar facility.
  • Intermodal cargo terminals are being developed near the port to accommodate changes in transportation mode from rail to road to air to water.

Statistics:

  • 1 million packages pass through FedEx Express's Memphis superhub every night.
  • FedEx Corp has over 30,000 employees in the Memphis area.
  • Northwest Airlines Corp. expects to handle 3.5 million passengers in Memphis this year.
  • The Memphis airport is expected to become one of the nation's larger hubs.
  • The "world runway" will be 11,100 feet long.
  • The value of the multiyear terminal and airfield expansion plan is $500 million.

Sources:

  • The Commercial Appeal
  • FedEx Corp.
  • Northwest Airlines Corp.
  • Port of Memphis
  • M.S. Carriers Inc.

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