FedEx Express (FedEx) is bolstering support for cross-border trade and e-commerce growth in Korea with the launch of its new FedEx Incheon Gateway located at Incheon International Airport, South Korea.
The new facility offers enhanced capabilities that will benefit local businesses looking to access international markets and support the growing demand for e-commerce and cold-chain shipments, the firm said in a statement.
The new Incheon Gateway spans 23,395 square meters, more than double the size of the previous facility, and is equipped with 78 conveyor belts and an advanced automated sortation system that can sort up to 12,000 packages per hour, doubling the previous sorting capacity.
It also includes a 15,207-square-meter warehouse that can safely store up to 40,000 packages. With 31 weekly flights, the new facility connects Korea to over 220 countries and territories through the FedEx global network.
The new Gateway supports importers and exporters including SMEs and heavy-weight shippers with greater and more reliable access to and from international markets.
“With South Korea tracking as the fourth biggest exporter in Asia last year and the world’s fifth-largest e-commerce market, the new Incheon Gateway will further boost our already extensive network to create possibilities for customers across the region.
“As trade lanes continue to diversify, businesses particularly across the North Pacific region will benefit from this newly opened facility as they continue to harness the full potential of global trade opportunities,” said Kawal Preet, president of the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) region at FedEx Express.
“The new FedEx Incheon Gateway will not only enable our customers to enjoy enhanced connectivity to the U.S., Europe and Intra- Asia markets, but it will also meet customers’ growing demand for cold-chain solutions. The new facility, built with sustainability in mind, also brings us one step closer to becoming carbon neutral by 2040. We are now well placed to deliver a better experience for customers today to support their future growth.”
Expanded temperature-controlled facilities
To further facilitate the reliable and safe transportation of cold-chain shipments, including samples for clinical trials and healthcare products such as vaccines as well as perishable or temperature-sensitive items, the new gateway’s cold storage area is now five times larger.
The enhanced cold-chain capabilities at Incheon enable FedEx to facilitate transportation of a wider range of temperature-sensitive shipments within Korea, or to destinations within the FedEx global network. It contains three separate chambers compliant with European Guidelines (Good Distribution Practice) for temperature-controlled storage including freezer, cool, and ambient room.
With decades of experience serving the healthcare industry, FedEx has been further boosting its cold-chain capabilities in priority locations since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carbon neutral operations
Supporting the company’s goal of global carbon neutral operations by 2040, the new Gateway has adopted many features with sustainability in mind. As a G-SEED (Green Standard for Energy and Environmental Design)-certified building, the facility will generate renewable energy through 2,400 solar panels on its rooftop, supplying approximately 19% of the facility’s energy needs per month.
A green roof will reduce heat flux and energy consumption for cooling or heating. The building features 100% LED lighting to save more than 22,000kW per year versus traditional lighting and a skylight installation (more than 1,000 square meters) to increase the amount of natural light.
“Our new Incheon Gateway will help Korean businesses tap import and export opportunities. With our state-of-the-art modern facility combined with our expertise in transporting time-definite and temperature-sensitive shipments, we’re well positioned to facilitate seamless customs clearance to support industries such as electronics, automotive, life sciences and healthcare in Korea to participate in the global supply chain,” said Wonbin Park, managing director, FedEx Express Korea.
“We’re proud to launch the new facility that enables us to not only serve our customers more efficiently but adopt sustainable practices and reduce our carbon emissions.”
