Author: Archive

Rural post offices look to tie-ups for survival (Japan)

Posted by | Sep 15, 2008 | |

With many small post offices being forced to close in rural regions due to lack of business, Japan Post is pinning its hopes on teaming up with other companies to improve access to the postal network.

On Friday (12th September), Japan Post Network Co. of the Japan Post group and Lawson Inc., a major convenience store chain, opened a post office in a Lawson outlet in Sakakimachi, Nagano Prefecture, as part of this effort.

As it is likely that calls will mount for a review of postal privatization depending on the result of the next general election, post offices also hope the move toward such partnerships could head off public criticisms about falling levels of service, business analysts said.

Small regional post offices in rural areas, hit by declining populations, have been closing one after another in recent years. As of the end of August, 433 such post offices, or more than 10 percent of the total, had closed.

In addition to a decrease in customers, rural post offices also have been forced to close because managers have been aging, and local governments and agricultural cooperatives that were consigned to manage the post offices have dropped out of the business as they have restructured.

When postal privatization was discussed in the Diet, lawmakers attached a resolution calling for maintenance of the nationwide post office network.

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Deutsche Post not considering complete pull out Of US Operations

Posted by | Sep 15, 2008 | |

Deutsche Post AG said on Monday (15th September) it is not considering a complete pull out from its U.S. operations, denying a weekend press report.

The U.S. is a definitive part of the global postal network and therefore a necessary market for Deutsche Post, a spokesman said.

Over the weekend, Handelsblatt newspaper reported the company could pull out if business doesn’t improve.

Deutsche Post also said it still aims to begin a planned cooperation with United Parcel Service (UPS) in 2009.

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U.S. Postal Service new website

Posted by | Sep 15, 2008 | |

Customers visiting the new and improved usps.com homepage will notice less clutter and easier-to-find links to the products and services they use most, including online shipping, package pickup and shipping supplies. In addition to the cleaner design, graphics highlighting the most popular product and service offerings will help customers more easily navigate the site and find the information they need.
These changes are the first step towards improving the site. Before the redesign, the Postal Service’s website ranked fourth among all government agencies, according to an August report from the Brookings Institution. Brookings ranked 61 government sites based on their effectiveness at using interactive features to engage the public and provide services. In addition, usps.com made BtoB Magazine’s 2008 list for “The 10 Best Internets for BtoB Customers.”
usps.com is one of the most frequently visited government sites, averaging more than 386 million visitors each year and close to 1.2 million visitors each day.

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UPS Releases Results of Survey on Healthcare Supply Chains

Posted by | Sep 15, 2008 | |

Targeting top supply chain decision makers in the pharmaceutical, medical and surgical device and biotech industries, UPS’s 2008 “Pain in the (Supply) Chain” survey reveals that regulatory compliance and industry competition top the list of healthcare company concerns.

The survey also found “global market access” emerging as the area companies need the most help addressing. Global market access is a major focus area for healthcare companies seeking to take advantage of lower-cost sourcing opportunities and penetrate fast growing, emerging consumer markets.

When asked about supply-chain specific concerns, companies ranked managing and containing supply chain costs as the number one concern. Sixty percent of companies reported they were “very concerned” or “extremely concerned” about the potential impact of supply chain costs on their business.

The vast majority of survey respondents planned to make changes to their supply chain models in the near future. Among the immediate changes companies planned to make are: expanding their distribution channels; outsourcing more supply chain functions; working with third-party logistics companies, and increasing their supply chain spending.

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DHL plans major expansion in Brazil

Posted by | Sep 15, 2008 | |

DHL Express will invest substantially in Brazil this year with a near 25pct rise in employees, more vehicles and new ground facilities to expand in the strongly growing domestic express market, according to local media reports. It is targeting 20pct revenue growth in 2008.

The company already expanded its operations in the country in the first half of the year with several new facilities and service-points. DHL has opened four new locations in Alphaville and Campinas (Sao Paulo state), the capital Brasilia, and the southern metropolis of Porto Alegre, along with a distribution centre in Rio de Janeiro and a service-point in a major Sao Paulo shopping complex, the Gazeta Mercantil reported. DHL Express Brazil now has a network of 57 locations.

Juliana Vasconcelos, marketing director for DHL Express Brasil, was cited as saying that the company aims to strengthen its presence in the market and expand its range of services.

The Rio-based Jornal do Commercio reported that DHL Express is targeting a 20pct increase in revenues this year. DHL also aimed to profit from the rapid growth in e-commerce in Brazil.

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Postal chief lifts hopes by ruling out price hikes

Posted by | Sep 12, 2008 | |

Hong Kong Post has no plans to increase charges.

Postmaster General Tam Wing-pong made the promise while reporting last year’s total postal volume increased 6percent, netting a profit of about HKD 400 million.

The registered airmail service recorded the highest increase – 21 percent.

But Tam estimated that both figures would shrink, though not significantly, in the coming year given economic fluctuations and fierce competition.

With soaring oil prices and international calls to increase terminal dues, Tam said there is pressure to raise postal charges, and warned that the HKD 470 million 2006-07 profit would shrink to HKD 400 million for the next period.

Tam added that Hong Kong Post will develop other revenue streams such as e-commerce.

To maintain postal volume, Hongkong Post will spend about HKD 2 million on a one-stop e-commerce platform in November when customers may buy products from recognized retailers, with the department providing postal services such as logistics and mail delivery.

Tam hopes to attract customers from all over the world to services and products that will be retailed by small and medium-sized enterprises.

Hongkong Post will also try out automatic mailing machines in certain post offices.

Hongkong Post this year distributed 31 million promotion leaflets on the Legislative Council election.

1 USD = 7.78095 HKD

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USPS: Potter names Cochrane and Betman to Vice President positions

Posted by | Sep 12, 2008 | |

Postmaster General Jack Potter announced the appointment of Jim Cochrane as Vice President of Ground Shipping and Mitzi Betman as Vice President of Corporate Communications.

As Vice President of Ground Shipping, Cochrane is responsible for developing products and programs that will improve profitability and customer value while leveraging pricing freedoms made possible by the Postal Act of 2006.

As Vice President, Corporate Communications, Betman is responsible for all internal and external communications for the Postal Service, including media relations, design and brand equity, video production and photography, speechwriting and community relations.

Betman most recently served as Director, Operations Planning and Strategies, in the office of the Deputy PMG and Chief Operating Officer. There she performed the duties of chief of staff and principal executive for implementation and coordination of national postal operations plans and strategies.

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Japan Post sees need for real estate investments

Posted by | Sep 12, 2008 | |

Japan Post, which controls 328 trillion yen (USD 3.06 trillion) in assets, should diversify its investments, possibly into real estate, an executive said on Friday 12th September.

Japan Post Insurance, the insurance unit of Japan Post and manager of the funds brought in from the organisation’s “kampo” postal insurance services, now invests 61 percent of its 120 trillion yen of kampo assets in Japanese government bonds, Saito said.

Saito noted that Japanese life insurers invest about 5 percent of their assets in real estate and about 15 percent in government debt. If the same proportion of the 120 trillion yen kampo money were invested in real estate, that would be 6 trillion yen, Saito said.

Several midsize Japanese real estate companies have folded this year due to tighter credit conditions. Last month, Urban Corp failed in the biggest collapse of a listed Japanese company in six years.

Japan Post should also utilise its current 3 trillion yen worth of real estate assets, said Saito, adding that it was questionable whether the organisation needed to retain its employee housing facilities.

Japan Post has 30 apartment buildings with 1,700 units for its employees in the central Tokyo wards of Chiyoda, Chuo and Minato, he said.

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