MEMPHIS, Tenn. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is visiting Memphis Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, to announce Mid-South infrastructure investments meant to help shipping during the holiday shopping season.
Buttigieg is visiting Memphis International Airport, considered a key cargo hub for getting goods from planes to shelves. He was joined by federal, state, and Mid-South leaders, as well as FedEx officials.
Buttigieg is announcing the completion of 3.3 million-square-foot de-icing pads at the airport, which is home to FedEx's largest air cargo sorting facility. The Department of Transportation (DOT) said the pads will help improve the supply chain across the U.S., by helping to get goods to their destinations more efficiently and quickly for the holiday shopping season.
The DOT said it invested $174 million into the project. This comes after a DOT investment of more than $76 million in the last year for snowplows and deicing equipment at other U.S. airports.
From the DOT:
Memphis is a key part of the U.S. Supply Chain
- Business Facilities Magazine ranked Memphis #1 on its "2022 Metro Rankings Report – Logistics Leaders," which ranks logistics leaders across the U.S.
- #1 business cargo airport in the U.S. and #2 busiest in the world by tons handled (Airports Council International, 2022)
- Third busiest trucking corridor in the U.S. 40% of the U.S. population lives within a one-day drive and 75% of the U.S. population lives within a two-day drive.
- Over 181,000 people employed within Trade, Transportation and Utilities – giving Memphis the third largest employment location quotient (1.55) in the U.S.
"We want to thank the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration and Memphis International Airport for their support of this new Consolidated De-icing Facility - an example of how to deploy technology to improve operational efficiency,” said Richard W. Smith, president and CEO, FedEx Express, in a news release. “The timing could not be better as FedEx enters the busy holiday season. This facility is a shining example of how we can help ensure our team members are safely operating throughout the winter season as we deliver outstanding service for our customers."