INTERNATIONAL – FedEx said on Wednesday that it would hire about 55 000 workers and increase hours for some existing employees for the holiday shopping season as the US package delivery company prepares to cater to the expected jump in shipments due to online shopping boom.
The company said it would also expand its US ground-shipping operations to six and seven days a week for the busiest shopping season of the year.
FedEx said the six-day ground-shipping operations would be extended throughout its US network all-year round.
“The rise in demand for e-commerce goes beyond peak. It’s a year-round phenomenon…,” said Raj Subramaniam, chief marketing and communications officer.
“FedEx Ground has operated six- and seven-day operations during the holidays for several years as e-commerce has grown, and thanks to strategic investments in our network, we are now well-positioned to operate six days a week in the US all year to best serve the rapidly growing demand.”
The company said it had been investing for years in its facilities and automation and other technology to meet the growing demand for online deliveries as it is handling more than 14 million shipments on an average day.