Europe top IATA cargo agents 2003
Europes top IATA cargo agents 2003
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GBP150m subsidy supports UK postal network
The Government injection of a further GBP300 million into securing the future of rural post offices until 2008 could be seen as a “fudge”, said the general secretary of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters this week. The cash is on top of the GBP150 million annual subsidy which runs until 2006 but Colin Baker, whose organisation represents mainly rural people, said on Wednesday: “This is a two-year rollover and could be seen as a fudge to keep an ailing network as it is. But it does give us two years and we must use them wisely. What the federation wants to achieve is a sustainable and viable rural post office network because it is not, then communities will not be sustainable and viable.” The pledge has been seen by many as the government’s way of heading off a political row on the run-up to the next election. It is also understood that the continuation of the subsidy indicates that the government-owned Royal Mail will not be privatised.
Read MoreU.S. backs Japan’s draft postal privatisation guideline
The United States on Friday threw support behind Japan’s draft guideline in privatizing the nation’s postal services, but repeated its request for a “level playing field” between a privatized postal insurance entity and private insurers, Japanese government officials said. During one-day bilateral insurance talks, the U.S. delegation hailed Japan’s adoption of the draft guideline on Aug. 6, saying it marked a “forward-looking step” toward the privatization of Japan’s postal services, the officials said. Japan spent considerable time explaining the latest developments and background to its plan to privatize Japan Post, including the compilation of the guideline, and the U.S. side appeared to gain a deeper understanding of the issue, the officials said. The U.S. officials repeated calls on Japan to apply the same regulations to the life insurance service run by Japan Post as it does to its private-sector competitors, including foreign ones, when it is privatized.
Read MoreTaoiseach was warned An Post ‘could go bust’
Department of Communications officials told the Taoiseach that An Post could go bust within 18 months unless there is a radical turnaround in its fortunes.
The stark warning emerged in a March 2004 briefing document released yesterday under the Freedom of Information Act.
At the tail-end of last March’s bitter industrial action the briefing note says:
“Unless the company is turned around in the next 18 months it faces insolvency.”
“An Post which began this decade with slim profits, but a cash balance of over 170m has a net cash balance of almost zero,” it continued.
“It is currently being forced into sales of assets to avoid going into overdraft to pay day-to-day bills.”
Read MoreJapan Post changes to make it big rival to private delivery companies
Japan Post will soon introduce changes to its package delivery services which will make it a tough, new rival to private parcel delivery companies like Yamato Transport Co Ltd, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
The mass circulation Japanese daily said Japan Post will begin in October delivering gulf clubs, skis, suitcases and other items which it previously has not accepted.
Currently the national postal system will not accept parcels that weigh more than 30 kg and whose combined width, height and depth exceeds 1.7 meters.
The report said Japan Post is also eyeing cutting its ‘Yu-Pack’ delivery rates to less than the amount charged by Yamato Transport, the nation’s largest door-to-door parcel delivery company, for similarly-sized packages.
Read MoreGeopost uses unusual tactics to encourage managers to work together
An invitation to attend the annual summer meeting of Geopost, a France-based transport and logistics company, was sent to the top 40 executives along with some mischievous advice: bring an extra-warm sweater.
Claude Begle, Geopost’s chief executive, had already begun to spread rumours that Copenhagen was not the real location. He had even encouraged loose talk of bear-hunting in Siberia.
But no one suspected the truth: that the 40 managers would soon find themselves aboard a small boat in the Arctic Circle, in almost perpetual daylight, and with no means of contacting the outside world apart from the ship’s radio.
Read MoreFrench outrage at La Poste closures
Plans to close more than half of France’s post offices as part of a reform of the state-owned postal service has provoked fury.
Postal workers, unions and provincial mayors protested as it emerged that 6,000 of the 11,500 offices, mostly in rural areas, are to be closed.
Their business will be transferred to local shops at an estimated cost of 10,000 jobs.
The plans to reform La Poste, renowned as the most generously resourced postal service in Europe, were discreetly drawn up by managers over the summer.
Jacques Pernoud, the mayor of La Biolle in Alpine Savoie region, was outraged. “The post office doesn’t give a damn,” he said. “The public service is in danger.”
Read MoreTPG completes acquisition of global freight forwarder Wilson
Mail, express and logistics company TPG N.V. has announced today the completion of the acquisition of the Swedish-based global freight forwarding company Wilson Logistics Group from Nordic Capital following approval from the relevant competition authorities. The purchase price is SEK 2.35 billion (EUR 257 million) on a debt free basis. TPG has financed the acquisition from cash reserves. This acquisition is TPG’s first major step into global freight forwarding and further strengthens its position as a leading logistics and express service provider. Wilson has a strong global freight forwarding operation in 28 countries with more than 2000 employees and will add to the existing freight forwarding capabilities within TNT Express and TNT Logistics.
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