Delivery Digest: Milestone for eCourier; Willett joins MetaPack
More news on delivery companies and suppliers – including the latest from Hermes, Courierboard, MetaPack and eCourier
Courierboard.com launches “freight pooling” campaign
US courier portal Courierboard.com has launched a new campaign urging courier companies and users to try out “freight pooling” as a way to save on climate change emissions.
The company says using its website, shippers can find a courier company among its network of 1,800 firms, and could use a courier that is already making a journey to a similar delivery area, saving money and reducing unnecessary travel. The website also allows courier companies making a certain journey to post the availability of their vehicles for customers with similar shipments.
CEO Chris Kane said the campaign promoted a similar principle to car-pooling. “Whay have two courier drivers with half-filled trucks in the same delivery area when one driver with one trick can handle the same volume?” he said.
Bob Willett appointed chairman of delivery software firm MetaPack
The former chief executive of UK electrical retailer Best Buy’s international activities, Bob Willett, has been appointed chairman of the UK delivery software specialist MetaPack.
Willett (pictured right), who retired from Best Buy in 2009 to become Group Chief Executive of UAE corporation Al-Futtaim, has a long background in corporate management including time with Accenture and Marks & Spencer. His appointment follows the investment and advisory involvement in Metapack by Sir Terry Leahy, the former CEO of UK supermarket giant Tesco.
Commenting on his appointment, Willett said MetaPack played a “vital role” in providing superior customer experience for retailers shipping goods through to the last mile. “MetaPack is well positioned to support its retail and carrier partners, further innovate its capabilities and continue to provide consistently superior service where it is an imperative,” he said.
eCourier passes 2m delivery mark
London company eCourier has now passed the two million delivery milestone, since its founding back in 2004.
The company, which has a fleet of 150 vehicles operating around the UK capital, said it has seen steady growth so far, and now provides deliveries for an “impressive” list of blue chip companies. “By offering customer quotes and
bookings within 15 seconds, live street tracking and instant proof of delivery and management reporting and billing eCourier brought a new level of transparency to a business which, in parts, is still reliant on the knowledge and customer service skills of controllers,” the company said.
One of the company’s van couriers, Brian Lloyd, recently scooped the “Four wheel courier of the year award” at the 2011
Institute of Courier Awards.
Hermes provides deliveries for iPhone queue “experiment”
Package delivery company Hermes has been helping a blogger running an “experiment” to see if he could survive only on products and services donated to him, while waiting 10 days in a queue for the new iPhone at London’s Apple Store.
Rob Shoesmith (pictured right) has received so many gifts, including electrical gadgets and food products, that he has been offering them as prizes for his blog readers, which Hermes has been delivering.
“I wanted to share some of my donations with the huge number of people supporting me and myHermes.co.uk has provided the perfect way of doing so,” said Shoesmith.
