Collaboration Creates Digital Twin of Company’s Operations to Optimally Route Orders and Drive Increased Efficiencies and Cost Savings

FedEx Office, a world-class provider of convenient, state-of-the-art printing, packing, and shipping services, and subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), has joined forces with Accenture, (NYSE: ACN), a global professional services company, and River Logic, an innovator in prescriptive analytics, to create a digitally-enabled environment intended to enhance its print production and delivery network. The collaboration aims to make it easier for customers to create the professionally printed materials they need while driving efficiencies and cost savings across the FedEx Office network.

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FedEx® SameDay City courier delivers print order to customer. (Photo: Business Wire)

As part of the project, FedEx Office team members worked with Accenture and River Logic to create a “digital twin” of the company’s operations system, which serves as a virtual representation of its vast printing and distribution network. The teams utilized assets including FedEx Office’s network of nearly 2,200 retail stores, 18 commercial print facilities and its nationwide transportation fleet to visualize scenarios to deliver even more seamless printing and better delivery across both its small and large customers. The digital twin also allows FedEx Office to optimize its operations to meet current customer demands, in addition to creating more meaningful touchpoints, minimizing the opportunity for error or damage, and driving a better overall experience.

“While we’re always exploring how to best deploy our robust network, this is the first time we’ve been able to visualize the actual impacts of potential changes by evaluating ‘what if’ scenarios,” said Tom DeGreve, Managing Director, Production Strategy and Engineering at FedEx Office. “There is a lot of science and technology that goes into the FedEx Office operations. By taking a closer look at how we can improve and adapt our resources to best meet customers’ needs, we’ll create enhanced relationships and drive better business overall.”

Pierre Mawet, a managing director in Accenture’s Supply Chain & Operations practice, said, “By looking below the surface of their operations, and using emerging technologies such as digital twins, organizations can truly transform their operations to drive significant efficiencies and better meet the needs of their customers. FedEx Office’s commitment to re-evaluating its print and delivery networks highlights the company’s dedication to serving its customers in innovative ways and adapting to the future.”

"Together with our Accenture partners, we’re happy to serve FedEx Office as they navigate how to best meet their customer’s changing printing and delivery needs," said Carlos Centurion, President of River Logic. "FedEx Office made it clear from the beginning that they want to deliver end-to-end value for their customers, as well as their business. We believe the digital twin powered by prescriptive analytics they’ve configured using our technology will help them identify and execute the scenarios that best meet their objectives."

With its large footprint of retail stores and fully-connected network of printing and delivery solutions, FedEx Office intends to continue to optimize its operations to best serve the needs of its customers today and for tomorrow.

About FedEx Office

FedEx Office gives small and medium businesses, large commercial customers, and consumers convenient access to expert printing, packing, shipping, and returns. The company’s digital-to-physical capabilities support the growth of e-commerce with online design and print, commercial and grand format signage, local and national logistics solutions. Nearly 2,200 print and ship locations include traditional retail stores complemented by locations inside Walmart, as well as FedEx OnCampus at hotels, convention centers, hospitals, corporate facilities, and universities. Customers work closely with more than 13,000 team members to obtain custom design, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, promotional products, copying, computer rental, free Wi-Fi, and corporate Print OnDemand solutions that include nationwide delivery. The company offers FedEx Express^® and FedEx Ground^® shipping with the flexibility of Hold at FedEx Location and FedEx Returns, as well as packing services backed by the FedEx^® Packing Pledge. FedEx Office is also home to FedEx SameDay City on-demand and scheduled local delivery service, as well as Roxo™, the FedEx SameDay Bot under development for autonomous last-mile delivery. For more information, please visit fedex.com/office or connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 569,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

About River Logic

River Logic has been a global innovator in digital twins powered by prescriptive analytics (optimization) since 2000. Its platform uniquely combines a SaaS planning capability with a digital twin that enables users to configure code-free, end-to-end digital twin representations that are more expansive than those built with other tools. Users leverage prescriptive analytics and powerful visualizations to evaluate hundreds of what-if scenarios to understand how to best utilize cross-functional resources and manage tradeoffs, making significantly more impactful strategic, tactical and operational decisions.

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