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DHL opens 18 Express Centres in downtown Tokyo

Posted by | Mar 31, 2008 | |

DHL will open 18 new Express Centres in downtown Tokyo on 1 April, bringing to 78 the total number of drop-off centres operated by DHL in Japan.

The new Express Centres have been established under a business entrustment agreement with Vanfu, Inc., a printed matter specialist offering design, planning, image-processing, printing and related services. 18 printing service counters operated by Vanfu in downtown Tokyo will now accept overseas-bound document and package shipments dropped off by DHL account holders.

Notably, the new Express Centres offer the DHL Simple Pack service, an easy-to-use service featuring a simplified fee structure. The DHL Simple Pack service is based on dedicated envelopes and boxes, the fees for which are not calculated according to weight but according to destination zone (Asia Pacific, America, or Europe / other regions). These fixed fees are not subject to adjustments based on monthly rate fluctuations in jet fuel surcharges.

DHL is now offering services for customers across 78 locations in Japan, including 43 Service Centres (collection, delivery and drop-off centers), and 31 Express Centres (drop-off centres).

Since shipments of documents and packages can be quickly arranged using the DHL Simple Pack service – which eliminates the need to confirm shipment weight – DHL Japan expects the Express Centers to meet strong demand from not only corporate customers but also from office workers, business travelers, tourists and other individuals wishing to send personal shipments to overseas destinations.

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DHL moves European air hub from Brussels to Leipzig

Posted by | Mar 31, 2008 | |

DHL Express officially moved its European air hub from Brussels to Leipzig over the weekend following a gradual build-up of operations over the last year. The launch of full hub operations reportedly went off without any major problems.

With the transfer of the former Brussels flights, DHL is initially operating 57 freighters each night to and from Leipzig, with the option to increase the number to more than 60 in the next few weeks. Some 30 planes had previously been operating every night at Leipzig.

As a result of the hub transfer, the nightly freight capacity will also nearly double from 800 tons to 1500 tons and 16 additional destinations will be added to the new hub including New York, Moscow, Madrid, Rome and Athens.

Local newspapers reported today that the start of full hub operations at Leipzig appeared to have gone off without any serious problems. This is in contrast to the massive operational difficulties that impacted on the launch of the US air hub at Wilmington several years ago. Leipzig, Wilmington and Hong Kong are DHL Express’ three intercontinental air hubs.

According to Michael Reinboth, managing director of the DHL air hub in Leipzig, DHL expects to increase its daily express freight capacity to 2000 tons and to have invested a total of EUR 300 million in the new hub by 2012. “By that time we expect to increase the number of employees to 3,500,” he told the German newspaper Mitteldeutsche Zeitung. Currently, DHL employs about 2000 people at the airport.

To limit the noise pollution that people living and working around Leipzig airport are exposed to, DHL plans to use B-757 freighters that produce 77 pct less noise and consume 20 pct less fuel than previous types. DHL will also operate other planes such as MD-11s, A300s and Tupolew 204s, mainly flying via Eastern Europe, Reinboth explained.

The hub will officially open on May 26 with a major opening ceremony.

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FedEx Excels As a Great Place to Work in Ireland

Posted by | Mar 31, 2008 | |

FedEx Express was recognised as a great place to work in this year’s prestigious “Best Companies to Work For in Ireland” listing. This placing was achieved following a detailed assessment of FedEx Express by the Great Places to Work® Institute Ireland, who run the annual listing, and is the third time FedEx Express has been included in the top 50.

The top 50 listing was announced by Míchael Martin, T.D., minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, at a recent event attended by 600 guests in Dublin. In congratulating the honored companies, Martin said “Ireland faces increasing challenges to maintain competitiveness, and I welcome the efforts made by Ireland’s ‘Best Companies to Work For’ in enhancing the quality of Irish workplaces, and in doing so helping us to achieve both our economic and social goals. Your success in this competition highlights your organisation as an employer of choice.”

The Best Companies study sets out to identify and recognise the finest employers, and therefore the most satisfied workforces in Ireland and throughout the European Union. This study is the largest annual labour force survey undertaken in Ireland. This year more than 100 Irish companies were surveyed, with a total workforce of more than 90,000. The study is conducted by The Great Place to Work® Institute, an independent organisation specialising in the study and improvement of work life.

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Government review – Postwatch initial response (UK)

Posted by | Mar 31, 2008 | |

Postwatch has submitted its answers to the first 19 questions posed by the independent review panel appointed by the Government.

The review panel’s terms of reference are to:

• assess the impacts to date of liberalization of the UK postal services market, including on the Royal Mail, alternative carriers and consumers;

• explore trends in future market development and the likely impact of these on Royal Mail, alternative carriers and consumers; and

• consider how to maintain the universal service obligation in the light of trends and market developments identified.

In her covering letter Millie Banerjee CBE, Chair of Postwatch, made the following points:

• The review is timely and welcome.

• Royal Mail has a dominant influence on the future of the UK’s postal industry. Postwatch is encouraged that Royal Mail acknowledges the need both for a far greater customer focus and for a fundamental change in its internal culture. Postwatch believes these to be huge tasks that will require little less than a revolution in Royal Mail’s thinking and approach.

• The needs and interests of its customers must be factored in at every point of Royal Mail’s transformation plan.

• Declining mail volumes are a major challenge but must not be used an excuse for declining customer service and lack of investment. Instead Royal Mail should be reinvigorating the mail market to make it an attractive medium for advertising and fulfilment delivery.

• A financially healthy, customer focused, efficient Royal Mail is required if the UK’s postal industry is to thrive. Postcomm, as economic regulator, must ensure that its regime provides real incentives for this to happen.

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New deal for Scottish & Southern energy customers at the Post Office

Posted by | Mar 31, 2008 | |

• New paystation service offers all Scottish and Southern Energy customers easy access to key recharging
• Post Office ® paystation offers evening and weekend access for electricity key charging, gas card charging and mobile phone top ups
• Scottish & Southern Electric customers can continue to pay their bills at local Office® branches

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has signed a new deal running to November 2011 which allow its customers, including Southern Electric customers, the convenience of paying their bills at their local Post Office branch.

The deal also means customers of Scottish Hydro, SWALEC and Southern Electric can now recharge smart keys, issued as replacements for electricity meter tokens, at around 7,500 Post Office® branches across the UK fitted with paystation terminals.

The Post Office®’s investment in the paystation network is providing utility companies with an easy and convenient payment solution for customers using smart key and smart card pre-payment methods.

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Taiwan Post may regain old name

Posted by | Mar 29, 2008 | |

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) president-elect Ma Ying-jeou assumes office in May, company sources said yesterday.

The KMT never agreed to the company’s name change, which it viewed as part of a campaign by the outgoing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration.

Responding to a KMT legislator’s question at the Legislative Yuan yesterday, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung said the issue would be handled using the “legal procedures” by which the company’s name was changed.

On Feb. 12 last year, Chunghwa Post Co was formally renamed Taiwan Post, after the board of the company approved the move and the Executive Yuan exercised an administrative order to implement the change.

At that time, the DPP administration conducted a series of name changes to state-owned enterprises that carried the words “China” or “Chinese” in a bid to underscore that Taiwan’s distinct national identity was separate from China.

The name change was opposed by the company’s workers’ union, as well as pan-blue legislators who accused the Executive Yuan of infringing on legislative approval.

So far, the KMT-controlled Legislative Yuan has not passed the bill that would legalize the name change.

The Chunghwa Postal Workers’ Union is expected to put forward a proposal to revert to the firm’s previous name at a company board meeting that is scheduled for June.

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The Department of Posts (India) stamps out French connect in parcel entity

Posted by | Mar 29, 2008 | |

The Department of Posts ( DoP) has objected to the plans of GeoPost—French state-run postal services utility La Poste’s subsidiary—to acquire a controlling 60 pct stake in Indian express parcel delivery firm Continental Air Express. The proposal, formally rejected by the foreign investment promotion board (FIPB), could set a precedent, given that the India Post Office Act is in the process of being amended and one proposal calls for a FDI cap in Indian courier companies.

As per global regulations, an operator seeking to establish an Extraterritorial Office Of Exchange (ETOE), i.e. a postal services operation overseas, needs to get an ‘agreement’ from the respective member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). This means that GeoPost would need an okay from Indian authorities as India is a UPU member.

Currently, FDI up to 100pct is allowed in courier services for carrying packages, parcels and other items that do not come under the ambit of the India Post Office Act. While the FDI policy does not draw a distinction between investment made by a foreign private firm and a foreign government-owned entity, DoP’s prime objection in this case is with respect to La Poste’s move to circumvent UPU regulations.

GeoPost had argued that it is a separate La Poste business that focuses on premium parcels and hence, UPU obligations do not apply. Moreover, its operations in other countries have not triggered such disputes with local operators. GeoPost had also cited DHL’s example, wherein the majority stake is held by Germany’s Deutsche Post, which is also a UPU member, but is operating in India.

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