Author: Archive

Stamp cost to rise 25percent as An Post hits black

Posted by | Apr 24, 2005 | |

AS An Post stands poised to reveal a dramatic EUR 45m turnaround in its fortunes later this week, the Sunday Independent has also learned that the troubled semi-State is set to apply for a 25 per cent increase in the price of a postage stamp.

It is understood that the semi-state company will seek to have the cost of posting an ordinary letter raised to 60 cents.

The beleaguered company will unveil a surprise return to profit in its 2004 annual report due to be published on Thursday.

Ireland’s most troubled semi-state will report an operating profit of EUR 1.68m when chief executive Donal Curtin releases the annual report at the GPO in Dublin. This reverses the massive losses of EUR 43m which were reported in Curtin’s debut presentation at An Post 12 months ago.

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DHL builds B2B network with centre in North UK

Posted by | Apr 22, 2005 | |

DHL Global Mail is ramping up its national business-to-business (B2B) network, as part of its assault on the deregulated postal market.

The company is opening a mail centre in Warrington, Cheshire – the first since DHL’s acquisition of business mail specialist Smartmail International last year.

Smartmail already provides London regions with a B2B collection and delivery service. The northern centre’s unveiling marks its full integration into DHL.

DHL says the opening represents a major step in its plan to create a national network to rival Royal Mail within the next 18 months.

John Ivers, UK managing director of DHL Global, comments: “The fundamental factor missing in today’s mail service is reliability. By building our own network, we have 100 per cent control over this.”

Gregor McGregor, chief executive of Postwatch, states: “Customers want regular, reliable postal services, and this new service hits the mark.”

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La Poste faces rough ride as it looks to compete in new EU

Posted by | Apr 22, 2005 | |

The run-up to the French referendum on Europe’s new constitution promises to be a busy time for La Poste.

Not only is France’s state-owned post office preparing to deliver 43m copies of the constitution to voters before they go to the polls on May 29, but at the same time parliament will be voting on a law designed to allow La Poste to compete in Europe’s liberalised postal markets.

Some executives fear the May 12 vote, which is likely to trigger a fresh political debate on the future of the post office, could be hijacked by those advocating a No vote in the referendum.

So while the new business is welcome in the short term, the intense focus the referendum may bring on La Poste’s future could be more of a burden.

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FedEx announces plans to add up to 75 ”clean air” hybrid trucks to fleet

Posted by | Apr 22, 2005 | |

FedEx Express has announced plans to add up to 75 hybrid, diesel electric trucks to its service fleet in the next 12 months, contingent upon pricing and availability. The announcement coincided with the unveiling of two FedEx hybrid trucks in the nation’s capital on Thursday, which brought the company-wide total of hybrid trucks in use to 18.

“Placing hybrid trucks in Washington D.C., and the planned increase for next year reflects the growing viability of hybrid trucks,” said John Formisano, vice president of Global Vehicles, FedEx Express. “It also shows the commitment of FedEx to pursue the use of promising technologies that both reduce fuel costs and provide more environmentally responsive vehicles for the communities in which we live and work.”

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UK Rural post offices told to pay for GBP600,000 fraud

Posted by | Apr 22, 2005 | |

Hunderds of rural sub-post offices have been told they must repay money obtained by fraudsters who cashed forged family tax credit and child benefit cheques.

Postmasters and postmistresses are facing demands of more than pounds 1,000 — money they say they cannot afford to repay, given their small profit margins.

Post Office Ltd has written to them ordering them to repay the money they handed over when the gang targeted small post offices last year.

On the Isle of Wight, where about 30 sub-post offices were hit, some postmasters and postmistresses have refused to pay.

Rodney Archer, of the National Federation of Postmasters, said: “The Post Office network will suffer further closures if costs like these are simply passed down the chain for sub-post masters to meet.

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Royal Mail rejigs council service

Posted by | Apr 22, 2005 | |

The Royal Mail has unveiled a package of proposals to enable councils to communicate better with their residents. The postal giant came under fire from council communicators at last year’s LGCommunications conference, who said its Door to Door delivery system which enables companies to bundle in direct mailshots with their correspondence was difficult to use. LGComms chairman Martin Watkins said: ‘We were dissatisfied with its product. If you wanted it to deliver (council magazines and other communications) you had to book two years ahead. This is not realistic because publications can be time sensitive, if they are about something such as council tax.’ In addition, postcode sectors did not correspond with council boundaries, making it impossible to send out a mailing to just council residents, added Watkins. But Royal Mail now offers a ‘boundary match’ so councils that need to contact everyone within their confines will be able to do so, and has shaken up the booking service. Watkins said: ‘This is going to make a big difference because lots of councils use the Royal Mail and it is an important part of service delivery.’

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GLS to set up Hungarian PaketShop

Posted by | Apr 22, 2005 | |

Parcel delivery company GLS Hungary Kft is setting up a PaketShop network in Hungary, general manager Gabor Szemkeo said. The first ten shops to accept packages were opened in the biggest cities at the beginning of April. If the three-month test period ends with success the company may extend the network countrywide. GLS pays percentage to the local contractors after each parcel and picks up the packets daily. The company started operation in Hungary in 1998. Last year it delivered about 3 million packages with more than 200 vehicles. In the business year ending March 31, it reached turnover of almost Ft 3 billion, which is 50percent increase.

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