The United States was battered by destructive tornadoes and storms for another night, this time in the Southeast.

After devasting Michigan the day before, overnight Wednesday storms lashed the Southeast, causing significant property damage and at least three reported deaths and several injuries.

Possible Shipment Delays

FedEx and the United States Postal Service are reporting that packages may be delayed due to the weather.

In a statement on the weather’s effect on deliveries, the USPS notes, “Weather events in the South, Southeast, and Midwest U.S. are impacting the processing, transportation, and delivery of mail and packages. Please allow additional time for final delivery of your item.”


Headquartered in Memphis, FedEx reports that it experienced substantial disruptions at its hub overnight that created hazardous working conditions. The carrier noted that while contingency plans are in place, delays are possible for package deliveries across the U.S. with a delivery commitment of Thursday, May 9.

  • For specific shipment status information, customers can track their shipment at fedex.com.


Industry Impacts

The storms were particularly intense in the South overnight, with authorities in Tennessee reporting the worst of the damage. The state accounted for two of the reported deaths – the other was in North Carolina – and Maury County, Tennessee, south of Nashville, suffered extensive tornado damage and more than a dozen injuries.

PPAI Media has reached out to several industry companies in the affected areas. Operationally, promo businesses report little effect, but disruptions in their employee’s lives have been more significant.

  • “Around 3 o’clock yesterday it got pitch black and we experienced some hail and treacherous thunderstorms,” says Tim O’Boyle, president of JournalBooks/Timeplanner Calendars (PPAI 110769, Gold). “Fortunately, our business was not impacted, and all of our team members are safe.”

  • Matt O'Dell, MAS, national sales director at supplier The Sourcing Department (PPAI 223864, Silver) in Brentwood, Tennessee, says, “Our business locations are fine. There are a few flooded roads that are preventing a few workers from making it in today, but everyone on our team is safe.”

  • Supplier Shepenco (PPAI 114083, Silver) in Shelbyville, Tennessee, was not in the direct path of the storm. Alex Moltz, the company’s director of marketing, shares that his 14-year-old son Madden was involved in an attempt to rescue a neighborhood child pulled into a storm drain. “My son fearlessly went into the water to try and save the boy. He was quickly pulled out by four adults and is shaken up but okay. The other child and family are in desperate need of prayers.”


A Michigan Update

On Tuesday, Edwards Garment (PPAI 198530, Platinum) – ranked the No. 20 supplier in the inaugural PPAI 100 – reported that its business may be impacted following a series of tornadoes that devastated parts of Michigan the night before, including a FedEx facility in Portage that manages the Kalamazoo-based company’s outbound shipments.


“Our thoughts are with those affected by the tornado in Portage, Michigan, and we’re grateful there were no serious injuries resulting from the damage to our facility at 6701 Portage Road,” FedEx told FOX News in a statement. “We continue to assess the damage, and we’re implementing contingency plans to lessen any potential impacts on service. Customers with questions about their shipments can check fedex.com for updates.”

Brian Deissroth, director of national accounts at Edwards, says employees at its distribution center followed safety procedures and went into shelter. They and the facility are unscathed, although the wider Kalamazoo community suffered extensive property damage.

The supplier lost power following the tornado, but was able to operate off of onsite generators from 6pm to 3pm Wednesday, when utility power was restored. In a statement on social media, it told customers that it only foresaw a one-time, one-day delay in shipments.

Edwards has also been in contact with FedEx, which, following the destruction of the Portage facility, fell back to backup facilities in Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne to handle Edwards’ volume beginning Wednesday.