The Loadstar leader: Farewell FedEx's Fred Smith, who blazed a trail for so many

FedEx’s Fred Smith was testament to how logistics is a rich and fertile land for entrepreneurs. And those with some of the biggest ideas – but not necessarily the deepest pockets – as well as a strong tailwind, can do what others might find unthinkable. 

The story of Fred Smith, founder of FedEx, who died at the weekend at the age of 80, has hung brightly over the industry as an example of what people with vision can do. 

However, despite the well-known tale about him (successfully) gambling his last $5,000 to be able to pay FedEx’s fuel bill, he did start with money; a $4m inheritance – worth $32m in today’s money – and he raised $91m from venture capital ($742.2m today). Deep pockets certainly help a deep vision, and it was thought we wouldn’t see someone else ever creating a network as huge as FedEx – but then along came Jeff Bezos. 

But there are many others too. 

For 50-plus years MSC owner Gianluigi Aponte has built a company now set to dominate container supply chains in the way FedEx did the express business. It is only in the past few years that we have come to appreciate the extraordinary achievements in his career. 

And it’s not just the headline stars who have disrupted the industry with shiny new visions, others have done so with a weaker start. Jim Crane, founder of EGL and then Crane Worldwide Logistics, kicked off his story with just $10,000. Tushar Jani in India, founder of several businesses including Blue Dart, is another such titan. Each country probably has its own stars: in the UK, for example, Iain Liddell, founder of Uniserve, has grown his company to one with a turnover of more than £1bn, from nothing. 

The logistics industry may have lost a colossus, an inspiration to others with a big idea – but as a sector which thrives on challenges, there are always more on the way up. Some will have money, others will have drive. All will need a fair wind to propel themselves to the forefront – for which read: a healthy dollop of fortune. 

For every Fred Smith, there is another ready try their luck. We lose one trailblazer and await to see who comes next.