The week that was – 29 June 2012
Rounding up the top news stories of the week on Post&Parcel including Royal Mail’s profitable year, DHL Express withdrawing from its New Zealand and Australia ventures and SingPost’s new online shipping platform…
Royal Mail “delivering results” as profits increase 400%
Royal Mail Group is now cash positive for the first time in four years, it said on Friday as it posted full year results for 2012.
The UK postal operator said the 12 months up to 25 March, 2012, saw a 4% increase in group revenue, to GBP 9.5bn. Operating profit for the year grew from GBP 39m in 2011 to GBP 211m.
Parcels were the single biggest contributor to revenues, although the parcel network was loss-making in 2012.
DHL pulls out of express, parcel ventures with NZ Post
Global logistics giant DHL is pulling out of its joint venture express courier and parcel businesses with New Zealand Post.
The companies have been working together for eight years through the New Zealand-based business Express Couriers Ltd and Parcel Direct Group, which owns Couriers Please Pty Ltd in Australia.
After a strategy review, DHL has decided to sell its 50% stake in the businesses to New Zealand Post, which will make them wholly-owned subsidiaries, but leaving New Zealand Post and DHL Express to work together under a new commercial agreement.
USPS now has $13.1bn pension surplus, but no access to it
The struggling US Postal Service has now funded 105% of its pension benefit obligations and built up a $13.1bn surplus – but can’t touch any of it without Congressional action.
A fresh calculation of the USPS pension surplus has been issued by the Office of the Inspector General with hopes that the US House of Representatives might consider a postal reform bill to rectify the situation next month.
The OIG report also notes that the Postal Service has now funded pumped $44.1bn into the federal coffers to fund 50% of its Congressionally mandated obligation to cover its retiree healthcare benefit obligations 40 years ahead.
SingPost and Neopost launch online parcel shipping platform
Singapore’s postal service SingPost is launching a new online parcel shipping platform for its commercial logistics customers.
The new ezy2ship system makes use of technology from Neopost to allow customers to book domestic and international parcel shipments through a web-based portal that does not require additional software.
The service allows preparation and printing of shipping labels, the scheduling of parcel pick-ups, and access to tracking data.
