Welcome to this week’s news round-up. Post&Parcel was ‘one’ this week. We hope you’re enjoying the service; please get in touch and let us know your thoughts.

It was the news we all knew was coming – it was more of a case of ‘when’ than ‘if’. But today was the day the UK government said Royal Mail is to be privatised or sold. Business secretary Vince Cable made the admission after receiving updated recommendations from businessman Richard Hooper. The coalition government will push ahead with the strategy after Hooper’s latest report highlighted the need for ‘urgent action” – stating that the universal postal service can only be maintained by an injection from the private sector. Cable said: “Royal Mail is facing a combination of potentially lethal challenges – falling mail volumes, low investment, not enough efficiency and a dire pension position. “We will come forward with new legislation in the autumn. It will draw heavily on Hooper’s analysis and recommendations and the government’s wider objectives, including the need for employees to have a real stake in the future of the business.” The Communication Workers Union (CWU) condemned the plans and said it will fight the “politically motivated” move by all means. To read the full story, click here.

There was terribly sad news from the UPS last week when two UPS crewmembers died after a cargo plane crashed near Dubai. Captain Doug Lampe and first officer Matthew Bell lost their lives when their 747-400 crashed near Dubai International Airport shortly after take-off last Friday. The aircraft was bound for Cologne. “This is a terrible tragedy, and all of us at UPS extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of both of these crewmembers,” said UPS CEO Scott Davis. “Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with them during this difficult time.” The UPS Family Assistance Team is working with the victims’ families to help them in their time of need. Captain Lampe, 48, had been with UPS since 1995. First officer Bell, 38, has been with UPS since 2006. Both crewmembers flew out of UPS’s Anchorage, Alaska domicile, or pilot base. Post&Parcel wishes both families well.

TNT announced this week plans to invest €170m over the next few years to strengthen its presence in the Chinese domestic road delivery market. The investment will enable TNT Hoau, TNT’s road distribution arm in China, to enhance its day-definite road distribution network, introduce new services, and hire additional staff. For the first half of 2010, sales of TNT Hoau’s day-definite service exceeded those of the entire year of 2009. Service coverage expanded early 2010 to 26 of the biggest cities in China. The day-definite network now covers 800 depots throughout China, with a concentration on the major economic regions, including the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Bohai Bay. The on-time delivery rate is 99%.

And finally…

“Happy Birthday to us, Happy Birthday to us…”

Source: Chris Dolan, Post&Parcel

Tags: Government, Royal Mail, TNT, UPS