TPG Post changes name to TNT Post
The Hague, Royal TPG Post today officially changes its name to Royal TNT Post. The new name was first announced on 14 September 2005. Many measures have since been taken to prepare the company for the rebranding. To celebrate the transition from TPG Post to TNT Post, a pre-franked envelope will tomorrow be distributed door to door, enabling people to send a letter or card free of charge as a gift from TNT Post.
The name change is being announced today in national and regional newspapers. Today will also see the launch of radio and television commercials highlighting the new name. Seven million households across the Netherlands will tomorrow receive a mailing explaining the change. The mailing will also contain the complimentary pre-franked envelope.
Special stamp sheetlet marks the name change
TNT Post is today issuing a unique sheetlet of ten gummed stamps, each with a value of 39 euro cents, to add lustre to the transition from TPG Post to TNT Post. The stamps announce the new corporate identity and colours in festive fashion. The sheetlet shows the three colours of the Dutch national flag and TPG Post changing in a wave motion into orange, silver and black. Her Majesty Queen Beatrix has granted TNT Post the right to use the title “Royal” in the Netherlands. The crown therefore takes a prominent place on the sheetlet.
From 11 December 2006, stamps will be available throughout the Netherlands in the new TNT Post stamp packaging. In preparation for the rate change for single-item mail weighing up to 20 grams,
44 euro cent stamps and 5 euro cent supplementary stamps will be available from this date from the usual outlets, including TNT Post service points, post offices and retailers.
Farewell to red
The change of name from TPG Post to TNT Post means a farewell to the colour red. From today, the company’s approximately 40,000 postmen and women will deliver the mail in their new orange and black upper-body wear. Delivery staff have been wearing recognisable clothing since 1850, when it became compulsory to wear a jacket, skirt or smock in blue cloth with a red collar. The clothing gradually became red a century later, with the colour being introduced into the new clothing range in 1987. A total of 750,000 items of clothing (300,000 kilograms) will be supplied to delivery staff this year. Harry Koorstra, Group Managing Director of TNT Post: “From today, the colour orange will be inextricably linked to our postmen and women. Given the sheer number of garments, our new name and appearance will not escape anybody’s attention from now on.”
The change prompted by the new name and corporate identity goes beyond the company clothing. In February this year, new orange TNT Post postboxes began replacing the old-style red boxes. After 92 years, postboxes across the Netherlands are turning orange. Between February 2006 and December 2008, over 4,000 new orange postboxes will have been installed each year. A sticker with the TNT Post logo has now been affixed to the old red postboxes. The 5,300 new-style red postboxes that had already been installed have been equipped with a new red flap bearing the TNT Post logo. In 2009 and 2010, these new-style red postboxes and the single-slot postboxes will be the last postboxes to be replaced by orange models. The approximately 300 trucks, 3,930 delivery vans and 1,250 company cars will also be painted in the new TNT Post livery.
Name change: global company adopts global brand
On 8 April 2005, the TPG Group officially became TNT. It is therefore a logical step for TPG Post to change its name to Royal TNT Post. Globally operating TPG Post will today take on the name of the worldwide TNT brand, meeting the need to base operations on a single, strong international brand. TNT Post operates in eight European countries, including Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Belgium. TNT provides businesses and consumers worldwide with an extensive range of services for their mail and express delivery needs and serves more than 200 countries. TNT is recognisable by its name and the colour orange in all countries and TNT Post will therefore also become a familiar face in the Netherlands.
Although the name is changing, customers will still be able to rely on the same service, quality and reliability they are used to. The new name will be phased in over several years, with the new corporate identity being introduced as much as possible as old equipment is replaced. Harry Koorstra, Group Managing Director of TNT Post: “The gradual introduction of our new corporate identity will drive down costs and give our customers and staff time to get used to the new name and colour. Nothing will change in terms of quality, which will remain our focus both in the Netherlands and abroad.” The total cost of the rebranding up to the end of 2010 will be around €8 to 10 million, which will form part of the regular operating expenses.
