Deutsche Post AG is planning to lower its postage rate for letters by 0.2 pct from January next year, chief executive Klaus Zumwinkel told Der Spiegel magazine. He also reiterated Deutsche Post’s intention to defend its position in the sector ‘with all means’ following the liberalisation of the German postal market in early 2008.
Read MoreRoyal Mail’s 200,000 employees are expected to be given a 20 per cent stake in the business in a move that will spark union fears that the organisation is being prepared for privatisation. The issue is likely to provoke a major clash between unions and the Government at this week’s Labour Party conference. A government-commissioned review of Royal Mail, headed by Sir George Bain, is expected to recommend employee ownership when it reports next month. Each employee stands to receive shares worth about Pounds 5,000 if the organisation is valued at Pounds 5 billion -a figure that Allan Leighton, Royal Mail’s chairman, has often quoted. Mr Leighton has also asked for at least 10 per cent of the organisation to be offered to outside investors because he believes that Royal Mail desperately needs external financing. However, if he wins this concession, it would cause a storm with the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
The CWU has also objected to employee share ownership because it fears that the move would create a perception of privatisation.
New Zealand Post has handed the Government a NZD50 million dividend after unveiling a record NZD137.2 million full-year profit yesterday. The result – the strongest in the state-owned postal service provider’s history – was boosted by a one-off NZD78.6 million gain on the sale of its Express Couriers business into a joint venture with Deutsche Post-owned DHL last year. The state-owned enterprise’s full-year profit was a record NZD137.2m. Part of the Government’s dividend included NZD23 million from the sale. Excluding that, its net profit was NZD58.6 million. That was still up NZD22.1 million or 60.5 per cent on last year. Chief executive John Allen said the result was also boosted by the performance of its core Postal Services Group and the maiden profit of its Kiwibank subsidiary this week.
Read MoreTNT NV said it has found evidence past tax transactions were handled illegally, sending the shares down as much as 8.1 percent, the most in four years. The company, based in the Dutch city of Hoofddorp, is probing tax matters in the UK as well as the tax position of some non-UK subsidiaries, TNT said a statement on its Web site. TNT spokeswoman Daphne Andriesse declined to give further details. TNT, which employs 161,000 people and delivers packages around the world, in March last year took a charge of 59 million euros (USD72 million) for underestimating UK tax liabilities. TNT may face tax claims of as much as 400 million euros, including interest and possible fines, Dutch daily De Telegraaf reported, without saying where it got the information.
Read MoreThere are just 100 days to go to the New Year and a fully free and open UK postal market. Already competition for bulk mail has brought about improvements in prices, quality and range of services. Postcomm, the regulator, and Postwatch, the consumer watchdog, expect full competition to continue this momentum, further improving postal services, keeping prices in check and stimulating much-needed innovation. Nigel Stapleton, chairman of Postcomm said: “Opening the mail market to competition will create a more vibrant postal market in the UK. It will introduce choice to a market that has been a monopoly for 350 years. “With 100 days to go, we believe that everyone will win. Customers will win through greater choice, new operators can win by innovating and developing new services, and Royal Mail can continue to grow and thrive. We have already seen marked improvements in Royal Mail’s performance as we move towards full market opening.”
Read MoreFrom Postcomm press release
Examples of well-known businesses that have moved mailings to the new licensed operators include: Vodafone, Powergen, Royal Bank of Scotland and the Inland Revenue who use UK Mail. Waitrose, Barclay’s, Alliance & Leicester, BSkyB and Lloyd’s TSB who use TNT Mail and Tesco, which uses DHL Global Mail
Portugal’s postal operator CTT-Correios de Portugal will launch as of October 1, 2005 its express mail service on the whole Iberian Peninsula, it was reported on September 21, 2005. Tourline Express will be the company responsible for CTT’s express mail services in Spain. CTT acquired Tourline Express for 28.5 mln euro (USD34.6 mln) in June 2005. According to CTT’s chairman, Luis Nazare, the acquisition of Tourline Express was the first step in the process of integration of all CTT’s operations in the segment of the express mail deliveries on the Iberian Peninsula market.
Read MoreDHL Express (India) Pvt Ltd is investing USD10 million to set up 10 new centres during 2005 and 2006. It has a share of 60 percent in the domestic express shipments market. The company intends to maintain its annual growth rate of 25 percent.
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