FedEx Supply Chain and AT&T
Restoring logistics connectivity after severe storm disruption
Climate-related network risk: Severe storms, tornadoes, power outages, telecommunications failure and loss of warehouse connectivity
Solution pathway: Network redundancy, disaster recovery planning, backup data infrastructure, telecoms continuity and rapid network restoration
Business type: Large third-party logistics and supply chain services provider, working with a telecommunications partner
Sector: Warehousing, e-commerce fulfilment, distribution and supply chain services
Geography: United States
In practice
Warehousing and fulfilment operations depend on digital systems to manage inventory, orders, routing, labour allocation and customer communication. When severe weather damages buildings, power systems or telecoms infrastructure, the physical disruption can quickly become a digital systems failure. Without connectivity, warehouses may be unable to process orders, track stock, communicate with customers or coordinate recovery.
FedEx Supply Chain faced this kind of disruption when tornadoes struck Nashville, Tennessee. The storms damaged one FedEx Supply Chain business centre and destroyed another, while also causing wider power outages and communications disruption. At the same time, the business was already under pressure from rising e-commerce and technology equipment demand linked to the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company’s resilience depended on both pre-existing preparation and rapid external support. FedEx Supply Chain had built redundancy into its infrastructure, including backup and recovery arrangements for data and IT services. Its teams also carried out disaster recovery planning and drills, meaning the organisation had a tested basis for response rather than having to design recovery from scratch during the event.
Working with AT&T, FedEx Supply Chain was able to stand up replacement connectivity. AT&T supported the company with managed VPN, dedicated internet and voice services, first helping establish a temporary network and then implementing a longer-term solution at a nearby temporary location. This allowed FedEx Supply Chain to resume operations quickly, continue supporting major customers and fulfil thousands of orders despite the loss of physical facilities.
The case is useful for this section because it shows that digital systems resilience is not just about software. It depends on telecoms connectivity, backup data infrastructure, recovery sites, trusted service providers and rehearsed continuity plans. For logistics businesses, the ability to recover digital coordination systems can determine whether disruption remains localised or spreads across customer supply chains.
Why this example was selected
This case study was curated because it provides a detailed, publicly documented example of a logistics business restoring critical digital connectivity after a severe weather event. AT&T’s customer case study, which includes testimony from FedEx Supply Chain IT personnel, describes how the March 2020 Nashville tornado outbreak damaged one FedEx Supply Chain business centre, destroyed another and brought all network circuits at the affected facilities down.
The case documents the role of pre-existing redundancy, backup recovery arrangements and disaster-recovery drills, alongside the rapid deployment of managed VPN, dedicated internet and voice services at an alternative location. FedEx Supply Chain reported that circuits were restored within three days rather than the usual 60–90 days, enabling the company to resume operations quickly and fulfil thousands of orders. The severity of the underlying event is independently confirmed by the National Weather Service and FEMA, which documented the Nashville tornado, widespread structural damage and tens of thousands of electricity outages.
The example is valuable for the Business Knowledge Hub because it shows that digital resilience in logistics depends on more than software. Redundant data infrastructure, tested recovery plans, alternative operating locations and reliable telecommunications partners can help prevent physical storm damage from becoming a prolonged network-wide systems failure.
Key lesson
Digital continuity plans should be treated as core logistics resilience. Warehousing and fulfilment businesses need tested recovery arrangements for data, networks, telecoms and operating systems — not only plans for repairing physical buildings.
