Author: Archive

trans-o-flex becomes exclusive logistics partner of tea supplier Ronnefeldt

Posted by | Jul 22, 2008 | |

Premium tea manufacturer J.T. Ronnefeldt has contracted the German express company trans-o-flex to manage stock-keeping, distribution and debtor management for all orders made by private customers via internet.

For years, trans-o-flex has been carrying out the distribution of products from Ronnefeldt’s warehouse in Pennigbuettel near Bremen, Germany. Based on this successful cooperation, the partners decided to broaden their partnership. Ronnefeldt has now put in stock 350 items at the trans-o-flex logistics site in Weinheim awaiting direct orders from private customers via the new online shop.

Trans-o-flex IT specialists have programmed an interface between Ronnefeldt’s online shop and the internet ordering portal InetOrder for the tea company’s new consumer service. The tea order data now goes electronically to trans-o-flex, where the shipments are prepared and packed immediately in Weinheim. InetOrder also generates the recipient invoice according to Ronnefeldt’s specifications, encloses the invoice with the package and forwards all the data to the trans-o-flex accounting department. This department not only processes the data for invoicing to Ronnefeldt, but also takes care of debtor management and consumer debt recovery, where necessary, on behalf of the customer.

The new activity means added volume in the areas of warehousing and fulfilment, trans-o-flex said. Ronnefeldt benefits from the partnership by not having to take care of the logistics or accounting for the small-volume private orders.

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Mumtaz Post ensures swift delivery of documents and parcels to over 100 countries

Posted by | Jul 22, 2008 | |

Emirates Post’s Express Mail Service (EMS) or Mumtaz Post, which offers swift delivery of documents and parcels to over 100 countries through the global postal network, has been enhanced with value additions, including free insurance, money-back guarantee and tracking facility.

Emirates Post has launched a campaign to promote Mumtaz Post as an efficient and cost-effective service that gives customers total peace of mind and unmatched benefits.

The maximum weight and size vary from country to country. In most countries a maximum weight limit of 30 kgs (per item) applies. However, some countries allow higher or lower limits, and a detailed list is available at post offices. In general, the sum of the length and the greatest circumference must not exceed 3 metres.

Rates vary depending on the weight and destination of the postal item. Uniform charges apply within any emirate and between emirates. Post-dated payment facilities and monthly discounts are granted to contracted bodies.

All items accepted by Mumtaz Post are insured (free of charge) against delay, loss and damage.

In the case of loss or damage, the consignor will be paid up to a maximum of Dhs15,000 per item.

Compensation of up to (and not exceeding) Dhs20,000 per item may be paid for additional expenses, loss of market, reproduction costs and similar losses occurring as a result of delay, loss or damage.

The money back guarantee is not applicable if the item is returned by the customs from the destination country, if it is confiscated by the customs, if the address is wrong, if the delay is from the side of the destination country or if the item is detained by the destination country.

Each item under Mumtaz Post bears a bar code which enables the sender to track it by SMS or through the Emirates Post website .

Items under Mumtaz Post can be deposited at any post office in the UAE at normal postal hours.

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FedEx pledges to continue transforming lives of staff through learning

Posted by | Jul 22, 2008 | |

FedEx Express signed the Skills Pledge, a government initiative to support and encourage companies to raise their employees’ skills.

At a ceremony attended by Bill Rammell, Minister of State (Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education) at its Stansted Hub, FedEx Express pledged to encourage and support employees to gain more skills and qualifications through investing in valuable training opportunities to meet the needs of the business and support their future development.

All employees have the FedEx equivalent of a ‘passport’ which accompanies them in each position within the company, recording their training to ensure that employees can achieve their career and personal aspirations while working for the organisation.

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UPS releases 2nd quarter results 2008

Posted by | Jul 22, 2008 | |

UPS reported a 6.7 pct revenue increase in the second quarter but an 18.3 pct decline in diluted earnings per share to USD 0.85 compared to USD 1.04 the prior year. Increasing fuel costs and a stagnant U.S. economy caused the earnings decline in both the U.S. Domestic and International Package segments.

In contrast, the Supply Chain and Freight segment posted a substantial improvement in profitability.
“Although operating conditions in the second quarter were challenging, UPS firmly believes the long-term growth fundamentals for our company and for our industry are very favorable,” said Scott Davis, UPS chairman and CEO. “We are helping our customers manage through this difficult period while doing everything we can inside UPS to adapt to current conditions.”

For the three months ended June 30, 2008, UPS delivered consolidated volume of 959 million packages, essentially unchanged from the second quarter last year. Revenue rose to USD 13.0 billion and revenue per piece increased 5.9 pct. Results were negatively affected by a 67 pct increase in fuel expense, a reduction in premium product volumes and weakness in U.S. imports.

The slow U.S. economy caused average daily volume in the United States to decline 1.3 pct in the quarter and also contributed to a more pronounced reduction in premium products than in the previous quarter. Volumes per day declined 6.1 pct for Next Day Air, 2.3 pct for deferred air and 0.7 pct for ground. Consolidated revenue per piece rose 3.1 pct, increasing for all services.

These factors, along with the rapid increase in fuel cost and the impact of the two-month lag in the application of the fuel surcharge, were responsible for the declines in second quarter operating results.
During the quarter, UPS and DHL announced they were working on a 10-year agreement through which UPS would provide air lift for DHL’s express, deferred and international volume within the U.S. and between the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

International results were negatively impacted by higher fuel costs, declining U.S. import volume and slower growth in premium services in the major regions of the world.

Export volume increased an industry-leading 10.2 pct, aided by the calendar effect of an early Easter, which boosted growth rates by approximately 2 pct. However, volume growth slowed significantly through the quarter.

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The new system, fully operative in the Barajas ISO

Posted by | Jul 22, 2008 | |

The new, automatic parcel sorting system installed by Correos in its Barajas International Sorting Office (ISO), in Madrid, is already fully operative. With this new technological equipment, the public postal entity reinforces and modernises its international parcel service, enabling it to offer new added-values and greater service quality to customers and the recipients of these international deliveries.
Correos has invested 1.2 million euros in this automatic sorting system, turnkey supplied and installed by Vanderlande Industries España S.A., the firm awarded the contract, who will also be responsible for the system’s maintenance for five years.
The commissioning of this automatic sorting equipment increases the operational capacity of this mail office in Barajas, and cuts the time necessary for managing parcel sorting, transport and distributions. Furthermore, it allows for all the information on each of the deliveries on their journey through the postal chain to be recorded.
Thanks to the automatic recording of the information, the public postal operator guarantees 100% traceability of mail. The parcel senders and recipients can know at what point in the postal circuit their mail is at each given moment, and any possible incidents in the delivery: attempts, notices, final delivery date and delivery recipient.
This initiative is in line with the postal company’s actions directed at modernising, automating and extending its logistics, distribution and customer-service centre network. All of this is designed to offer citizens and businesses more functional installations equipped with technological resources and guaranteeing the highest quality and most efficient and accessible postal service.

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WHU and DHL publish joint logistics study

Posted by | Jul 21, 2008 | |

WHU Otto-Beisheim School of Management and DHL Exel Supply Chain have published a joint logistics study entitled “Successful logistics: getting the relationship with logistic service providers right”.

The study provides an overall picture of outsourcing practices in trade and industry in Germany. At the same time, it provides recommendations for action with a special emphasis on the design of contracts from the point of view of contract awarders. More than 300 companies participated in a survey about their business relationships with their logistics partners.

Compelling reasons for conducting this study included the increasing complexity of cooperation between customers and service providers and the broadening scope of services provided.

Many contractors underestimate this factor and opt for contract models that are only superficially beneficial. On the other hand, if the remuneration structure is tailored individually to match the agreed partnership framework, it is possible to enormously increase the performance of the service providers and therefore the success of outsourcing. The study provides some practically relevant examples.

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Making India Post dynamic and profitable

Posted by | Jul 21, 2008 | |

Over the past few years, the Department of Posts and subsequently India Post has been undergoing significant changes, adapting to the new market environment. It is now the turn of the young Minister of State for Communications and IT Jyotiraditya Scindia to do his bit to push this exercise forward.

Over the past five years, India Post has evolved. The network of over 1.5 lakh post offices across the country, with over 80 per cent of them in remote and far-flung areas, has also become the retail outlet for a variety of financial instruments and even pre-paid cards of cellular phones. In the season, one can see long-winding queues at post offices — to buy the Public Service Commission application forms of the Central and State governments.

Postal savings, small savings, and the public provident fund have remained a major attraction for sections of the people, over decades. When the private courier service came into the country, the Department of Posts faced a major threat.

But it was soon able to refashion its functioning and introduce both a Speed Post and a Business Post to cater to a special clientele. Unfortunately, some of these services proved costlier than the private operators.

But the time to take the exercise forward has come. While the first priority may be to meet the competition, the consultants are sure to find out that utilising and harnessing the unparalleled network of post offices may be the solution.

A lot of the governments’ services and payments could easily be made through this network, with which the rural people can more easily identify — ultimately, aside from the Village Headman, it may be only the postman or now the post-woman who can easily identify every citizen in his or her area of coverage.
New mechanism

The challenge now may be to meet those commitments and yet become profitable by diversifying business and generating more revenue.

With the growth of the Internet, e-mails, and e-governance, broadband connectivity at post offices can surely be a means of generating business. If people do not find the time or inclination to write or print personal or business letters any more, they cannot be blamed.

In the age of communication revolution, e-mails and SMS may make such ancient forms of communication irrelevant. So, the post offices have to accept and adapt this method of communication and use it to transfer not just information, but also enable financial transactions — such as an instant money order.

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Q-Post confident to win postal congress bid

Posted by | Jul 21, 2008 | |

Qatar has very good chances of winning the bid to host the 25th Universal Postal Union Congress in 2012 “in view of the broad Arab and world support it enjoys and of its long and internationally-recognised experience in organising world-class gatherings and conferences”, an official source said yesterday.

The country, to host the conference, has to secure a majority of votes of the 191 member-states which are meeting for the 24th UPU Congress in Geneva from July 23 to August 13.

A delegation representing the General Postal Corporation (Q-Post) headed by its chairman and general manager Ali Mohamed al-Ali will participate in the congress in Geneva.

In an interview with QNA, al-Ali expressed confidence that “Qatar’s potentials and its long experience in hosting conferences and international events besides its well-established security and stability, are all factors that qualify Doha to host the UPU Congress”.

Qatar Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, Abdulla Falah al-Dosari, has assured the UPU of Qatar’s preparedness to host the UPU congress in 2012 and to offer all necessary facilities to make this event a success, he said.

More than 1,500 delegates from the UPU’s 191 member-countries will attend the congress.

The UPU has the objective to develop social, cultural and commercial communication between people through the efficient operation of the postal service. As an inter-governmental institution, the UPU is called upon to play an important leadership role in promoting the continued revitalisation of postal services.

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