James Roper, chief executive of International Media in retail group, hailed deliverance, a home delivery charter for electronic shoppers launched at the conference, as ¡§the biggestdevelopment in our industry in years¡¨.
Read MoreA curious discrepancy was highlighted by Alan Jones, the former MD of TNT Express who now chairs Metapack. Apparently, 70% of retailers say they put service first when looking for a parcel service, yet 90% of carriers say retailers put cost first. Brian Templar, chairman of consultant Davies & Robson Logistics, confirmed that price came fifth or sixth in the list of why shippers changed their carrier.
Whatever the truth, there is no arguing that prices have shrunk.
Italian railway operator Trenitalia, in collaboration with DHL, the logistics and express delivery business of Germany’s Deutsche Post AG, will launch a new service called Easybag, which will allow its clients to travel comfortably without heavy luggage, it was reported on July 11, 2005. With the new service it will be possible to send the luggage separately beforehand and to take it back once the final destination is reached.
Read MoreThe international Chronopost Company inaugurated Monday July 4, 2005 a new agency in Marrakech. The inauguration of the new agency was held in the presence of local authorities and representatives of Barid Al the Maghreb, as well as the chairman and Director of Development Africa Gilles Moutel and a number of high ranking officials from Chronopost.
Read MoreDeutsche Post World Net AG is targeting cost-cuts ahead of the loss of its monopoly at the end of 2007 by outsourcing some services and employees and possibly passing on some costs to corporate clients, chief executive Klaus Zumwinkel told Sueddeutsche Zeiutng in an interview to be published tomorrow.
‘If we should notably lose sales, then at least we can react on the cost side,’ Zumwinkel said, adding the company may for instance cut down on quantity discounts for corporate clients. But he said the logistics giant is currently more concerned about competition from electronic communication than from other companies. Zumwinkel also called upon other EU member states to liberalise their postal markets to create a level playing field within the region. ‘Deutsche Post could even live with being exposed to competition two or three years earlier than other postal companies’ as long as it is clear that other countries have plans to liberalise the logistics market, he said.
United Parcel Service Inc has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shanghai Airport Group for the establishment of a cargo hub in Pudong International Airport. The planned cargo hub, to be put up by 2007, is part of the package-delivery firm’s USD500m expansion in China. Rivals FedEx Corp and DHL are expected to counter the UPS effort in China.
Read MoreThe US direct marketing industry has welcomed senators’ stamp of approval on moves to modernise the postal service. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs last week passed the Postal Accountability & Enhancement Act of 2005, designed to safeguard the commercial viability of the US Postal Service (USPS). It is the largest service in the world, with more than 9 million employees. The legislation requires the USPS to establish a set of service standards for market-dominating products, and report annually to Congress on its progress. It introduces safeguards against unfair competition.
The Bill will also allow the Postal Regulatory Commission to review proposed rate changes before they are implemented.
The opening of DHL’s Suva freight centre and headquarters in Raiwaqa last Wednesday marked its consistent growth in the Pacific market for the last five years. The relocation of its Suva headquarters has now put the company in a strong position to consolidate and add new dimension to its courier and distribution services. After being holed up in a converted residential lot for more than ten years, DHL Pacific has begun its one stop shop strategy for what it terms as a growing Pacific and Oceania courier and distribution market. The multi purpose facility at Raiwaqa is targeted by DHL to help increase freight traffic between Fiji and the Pacific. DHL Oceania director Gary Edstein said this marks an important step forward in DHL’s long-term regional growth strategy, which had been recording double digit growth for the last five years.
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