Author: Archive

Action looming at Royal Mail

Posted by | Jun 17, 2008 | |

Postal workers could start a national strike later this year after delegates at last week’s CWU union conference voted unanimously for action against attacks on their pensions, threats to shut scores of offices, and the menace of privatisation.

The CWU estimates that around 40,000 jobs are at risk from management plans.

Deputy general secretary Dave Ward told delegates that the government’s liberalisation of the postal service stood behind the attacks.

“We know that we can’t simply strike our way out of this situation – and that there must be a political solution to the problems we face – but if management don’t back off, we will ballot for strike action,” he said.

He added that the timetable for the strike “will be designed to maximise pressure on the company and the government”, but that the union would offer talks before a ballot is implemented.

Bob Gibson, the CWU assistant secretary outdoor, said that the coming dispute would be even more important than last year’s.

In closed session several delegates warned the union’s leadership not to flag up compromises before the start of any negotiations.

It is expected that the union will initiate a ballot for strike action in August, with action likely from September onwards.

Read More

Postal unions warn of strikes over post office closures

Posted by | Jun 16, 2008 | |

A postal workers’ union delivered an ultimatum to the Government, saying there will be escalating strike action unless it abandons plans to axe 2,500 post offices and franchise out 83 Crown Offices.
The Communication Workers Union assistant secretary Andy Furey said “the Government can’t afford not to support this vital public service”.
In a letter to MPs, the union warns: “If a settlement is not reached, an industrial action ballot is inevitable.”
David Drew, Labour MP for Stroud, blamed Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier and chairman Alan Leighton.
He said they had “taken Manchester United and turned them into Derby County”

Read More

Omega United, Inc. dba SkyPostal Networks completes USD 10 million private placement

Posted by | Jun 16, 2008 | |

Omega United, Inc. dba SkyPostal Networks, Inc., an international mail distribution company specialising in hand delivery of commercial mail and periodicals to the Latin America-Caribbean region (LAC), announced the completion of a private placement financing totaling USD 10 million. Falcon Capital, a boutique investment banking firm based in London, acted as placement agent for the financing.
The Company also announced it converted approximately USD 3.2 million of debt into equity in the form of common shares. The new combined capitalisation of over USD 13 million strengthens SkyPostal’s now totally debt free balance sheet.
The net proceeds of the offering will be used to improve the hand delivery network in LAC with the deployment of its GPS delivery confirmation system, expand services to customers, and for potential acquisitions. “We believe this financing will enable SkyPostal to substantially accelerate progress toward our key strategic initiatives and solidify our market presence,” said Albert P. Hernandez, SkyPostal President and CEO. “With recent developments and the closing of this private placement, SkyPostal will be able to consolidate its network in LAC and expand its service offering to Europe. With this additional capital, we will be able to fast track the growth of the company both organically and through strategic acquisitions.”
SkyPostal has exclusive agreements in place with over 20 major private postal services in 20 different countries throughout the LAC region for the delivery of commercial mail, periodicals and parcel post.

Read More

Estafeta adds two planes to cargo fleet

Posted by | Jun 16, 2008 | |

Mexican express operator Estafeta is expanding its fleet of cargo planes by adding two Bombardier CRJ jets with capacity of five tonnes, Mexican media reported.

The two new planes will operate on the routes from its San Luis Potosí hub to the northern cities of La Paz and Ciudad Juárez and on the east-west Villahermosa-Guadalajara route. They will replace smaller aircraft previously operated by third-party contractors.

The company’s operations director, Ricardo Becerril, stated that the two additional aircraft would enable it to carry larger shipments over longer distances, while also reducing the number of flights. The express operator currently has a fleet of five B737 cargo planes, which capacity of about 14 tonnes, flying to 12 destinations within Mexico and abroad.

Estafeta said that the two new aircraft were part of this year’s ongoing USD 30 million (EUR 19 million) investment in its air network and infrastructure. The bulk of the investment will go on a runway extension at its hub at San Luis Potosí in central Mexico that will enable international flight operations. Estafeta also plans to add a third small cargo plane, to open a new centre in Mexico City and inaugurate additional sites in Toluca, Morelia, Leon and Guadalajara.

“Although these are times of uncertainty, we are doing everything possible to maintain our programme of investment,” director general José Antonio Armendáriz was cited as saying. “We have always believed that at times of difficulties, investment supports job creation and contributes to the competitiveness of the country.”

Estafeta increased net sales by 13 pct to USD 250 million and carried 25 million shipments in 2007. It is targeting 15 pct revenue growth this year, partly to be generated through a new LTL trucking service covering Mexico and the USA.

Read More

Deutsche Post plans to sell all remaining post offices by 2011

Posted by | Jun 16, 2008 | |

Deutsche Post plans to sell off all its 750 remaining post offices by 2011 and will then have a retail network of 13,500 outlets operated completely by private partners or its Postbank subsidiary. It has previously planned to retain about 100 “flagship” outlets as an in-house operation.

A company spokesman confirmed German media reports about the post office sales, stressing that the local branches would not be closed but taken over by private retail partners. The 2,000 post office staff affected by the disposal would be transferred to other jobs within the group.

Deutsche Post’s head of mail, Jürgen Gerdes, said in a statement that the German postal operator was committed to extending its network, improving its service and adding more products while keeping its retail network costs under control.

Deutsche Post, which is legally obliged to operate a minimum network of 12,000 postal outlets, currently has about 13,500 outlets. Over the last decade it has started to divide up the network into a three-tier structure with full-service “flagship” post offices, full-service postal counters within retail stores, and streamlined postal services offered by private partners.

There are currently about 1,600 “flagship” outlets. Of these, 850 are former post offices in top locations sold to financial services subsidiary Postbank in 2006 and re-branded as “Postbank Finanzcenters”, offering a full range of banking and postal services. The other 750 Deutsche Post-operated post offices, often in secondary locations, are those planned to be disposed of.

Read More

DHL Global Forwarding Japan launches “Web-booking”

Posted by | Jun 16, 2008 | |

DHL Global Forwarding Japan K.K. – the air and ocean freight forwarding arm in Japan of DHL– has launched “Web-booking,” an online booking service for consolidated ocean cargo(LCL).
“Web-booking” realizes easy online searching of schedules for consolidated transport and planned arrival dates for transport bound to any country in the world; this information will also be available for download in PDF and Excel formats in near future.
Completion of the simple online user registration process facilitates future bookings because it eliminates the need to re-input basic information such as company name and address.
Archived customer booking histories means it is not necessary to re-input detailed cargo information if the cargo being shipped is similar to previous export shipments.
Customers can select their vessel according to destination, can check information regarding the vessel’s operational condition, and can confirm its actual departure and arrival times.
A rewards program for frequent users of the “Web-booking” service is planned to be unveiled in the future.
The launch of DHL Global Forwarding’s “Web-booking” service means that customers now can book ocean export shipments and receive accurate information on the departure and arrival of vessels around the clock.

Read More

ToCOSS calculates Total Cost of Ownership for self-service networks

Posted by | Jun 16, 2008 | |

How high are the costs for a bank’s self-service infrastructure over the entire product lifecycle? A new analysis tool from Wincor Nixdorf provides the answer. It calculates and analyzes the costs of implementing, maintaining and operating complex self-service solutions made up of hardware, software and services.

The tool – ToCOSS: Total Cost of Ownership for Self-Service Retail Banking – examines costs for everything from end-user devices to central systems in the background. It outlines a number of investment scenarios built around an array of parameters. Based on factors that include the cost of acquiring new hardware or software, integration costs, the expense of operating the data center or maintaining and monitoring the various systems, for example, ToCOSS then calculates the costs for the entire product lifecycle of a self-service network (TCO – Total Cost of Ownership).

The new tool is useful whenever banks are planning investments in their self-service networks – in hardware, but particularly in the integration of new software. It helps banks forecast what impact migration to new multivendor applications or integration in multichannel architectures will have on TCO.

The bank’s IT managers can then base their decisions on solid analyses. The TCO analysis delivers investment protection, creates cost transparency and identifies savings potential.

Read More

Pitney Bowes open to Indian acquisitions

Posted by | Jun 16, 2008 | |

Pitney Bowes Inc. is open to acquisition in India. Provided the potential company’s business is complementary to Pitney Bowes business plans.
Pitney Bowes has been on acquisition trail in the last six years acquiring close to 70 companies in the last six years. The company is branching beyond the postage meter business and has invested USD 2.5 billion in acquisitions since 2000 to make inroads into the document services market.
Among the high profile acquisition for the company has been location intelligence provider MapInfo, which the company acquired for an undisclosed amount in 2004.
Pitney Bowes made its direct presence in India in 2004, though the company had an indirect presence in country through its distributors from 1970.
More than 10,000 of its two million customers worldwide are from India and half of 2007 revenues came from the sale and operation of postage meters.
Speaking about company business in India, Eric-Yves Mahe, said Pitney Bowes is hugely excited about its prospects in India.
Eric added that company looked to leverage its existing relation ship with its 10,000 customers in India.
The company also has recently signed an MOU with India Post. Under the MOU, Pitney Bowes will set up its network infrastructure to enable Indian postal franking meter users to remotely recharge franking machines without having to physically carry them to a post office.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

How ready do you feel for the de minimis changes coming in July?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!




View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest