Compete confidently, no matter your company's size. What FedEx gives us is more than reliability, quality and service — it gives us the ability to meet any customer's expectations. — Richard Low, President, Shoemaker Manufacturing Shoemaker, a manufacturer of specialized parts for air conditioning and heating systems, has never let its size keep it from meeting customers' expectations. For nearly 20 years, FedEx has enabled Shoemaker to compete head-to-head with larger rivals. The flexibility of FedEx Freight's less-than-truckload service allows Shoemaker to provide just-in-time delivery to wholesalers, helping them keep inventory costs to a minimum. What's more, Shoemaker can give builders the advantage of direct purchase and shipment to the construction site, saving them time and money. With the increasing speed of FedEx Freight lanes, plus Shoemaker's recent addition of FedEx Express services, the company is poised to take its products to customers throughout more of the continent and perhaps one day beyond North America. In an industry where one delivery can affect an entire construction schedule, Shoemaker has learned that information is as important as the product itself. The company takes advantage of FedEx technology to arrange and monitor shipments, using FedEx Freight Advance Notice to keep customers informed. Letting customers know ahead of time where their orders are and when they'll arrive is the best way to make sure everyone stays cool. About one in nine of the 1,800 residents of Cle Elum, Wash., work for Shoemaker — and they know they have what it takes to compete with anyone.