Author: Archive

DHL targets Canadian SMEs through retail partnership

Posted by | Mar 25, 2008 | |

DHL Express Canada launched a partnership with Grand & Toy, Canada’s biggest supplier of office products and complete business solutions, to offer courier services to small- and medium enterprises and thus helping them streamline their daily operations.

The new partnership is part of DHL’s strategy to expand its presence in the Canadian market by opening street level retail stores through which to serve new and existing customers. The agreement also includes the launch of new design and print centres to assist small businesses with their graphic design and printing needs.

The Design & Print Centres allow business owners to print everything from business cards to promotional materials. They can select a design from a menu of options, or add an existing logo, image or word mark to their materials. All orders will be professionally printed, and can be delivered to any location within seven business days.

DHL customers who miss their scheduled pick-up times during business hours can now drop off packages at any Grand & Toy store as some locations remain open after 5 p.m. They can also profit from DHL’s overnight, ground and international delivery services while Grand & Toy account holders are given preferred rates.

The new courier, design and print services are accessible to both account and walk-in customers through any Grand & Toy store. Trained in-store associates are on hand to guide small business customers with the new services, allowing them to deal with their time sensitive shipping, marketing and other office needs from one convenient location.

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Freightways Acquires NOW Couriers

Posted by | Mar 25, 2008 | |

Freightways Limited has agreed to purchase the business and assets of Momentum Management Limited (trading as NOW Couriers), with effect from 1 April.

Privately-owned NOW Couriers operates a package delivery business in the metropolitan Auckland market and provides a national overnight service through Freightways Castle Parcels and Post Haste brands.

NOW Couriers has 40 contracted owner drivers who service greater Auckland. It prides itself on the high levels of service it is able to deliver to customers.

The purchase price of up to NZD 11 million will be paid over two years. Initial payments totalling approximately NZD 7.5 million will equate to 5 times EBIT for the year ending 31 March 2008. Two further payments with a maximum combined total of approximately NZD 3.5 million will be made subject to performance in the years ending 31 March 2009 and 2010.

The NOW Couriers Managing Director and his team will remain in the business to continue its growth and development as a stand alone business alongside the other Freightways express package brands.

Freightways, which operates in the express package, business mail and information management markets, has bought several businesses in the information management sector in Australia and New Zealand in recent years. Mr Bracewell says the acquisition of NOW Couriers is consistent with Freightways’ strategy to develop growth opportunities that complement its existing operations.

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Premium Freight Services Provider Roberts Europe Selects Quintiq

Posted by | Mar 25, 2008 | |

Quintiq, a leading provider of Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) solutions, today announced that international freight logistics services provider Roberts Europe has chosen Quintiq to provide a comprehensive logistics planning solution for its pan-European operations.

The Quintiq Logistics Planner solution will be implemented in a phased approach to address the full range of needs across Roberts Europe’s array of solutions, including road -, air – and special services. Development began in early January and implementation of the first module is expected around the end of Q1, 2008 – a relatively rapid timeline enabled by the unique Quintiq architecture that uses a standard software core as the basis for custom-developed solutions.

By implementing Microsoft Dynamics and the Quintiq Logistics Planner, Roberts Europe aims at reducing its CO2 footprint and improving the efficiency of its operational processes. The progress can be exactly monitored on the solution’s powerful Logistics Dashboard. With a view of complying with strict Dutch sustainability laws, Roberts Europe is making a pioneering contribution to eco-friendly logistics.

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eBay requires specified shipping

Posted by | Mar 25, 2008 | |

eBay posted an update about shipping policies and features on its Announcement Board on Monday. Beginning this week, eBay will begin requiring that all new sellers who are listing for the first time specify their shipping costs using the Shipping Details section. A few months from now, specified shipping costs will become a requirement for most listings on eBay, including listings from third-party listing tools. (Exemptions will apply to certain categories like Vehicles, or services such as Freight.)

eBay’s shipping calculator supports only certain USPS and UPS services. eBay spokesperson Usher Lieberman said, “For sellers who prefer to use shipping services or carriers not included in eBay’s calculator, they can specify “Standard Flat Rate Service”, “Expedited Flat Rate Service”, “Overnight Flat Rate” or “Other (see description)” in their listing and set a flat rate cost. This is something many sellers do already.” However, FedEx and DHL are not flat-rate services, so sellers who use such major carriers are forced to either select flat-rate shipping or select UPS (http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-options.html).

eBay also said Best Match would begin taking into consideration how the shipping cost for an item compares to other items in the same sub-category, and also whether the shipping price is specified. “Items with shipping costs significantly above the average cost for other items in the same sub-category may receive less exposure,” according to the announcement.

One seller writing on eBay’s discussion boards about the policy said, “items in the same sub-category can still be very, very different and have very different packing needs, and shipping weight. This stuff is ridiculous and best of all – will punish the larger size and fragile items of each subcategory. Not for gouging, but just for being big and delicate” (http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000671785).

eBay said the new USPS Priority Mail Large Flat Rate box is now included in the eBay Shipping calculator, but sellers on the AuctionBytes Blog wondered why the new box won’t be incorporated into the PayPal shipping labels solution until later in the summer.

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KiwiBank Boosts Post Group Half Year Result

Posted by | Mar 25, 2008 | |

The New Zealand Post Group performed well in the six months to 31 December 2007, and has reported a net profit after tax of $52.9 million, says Group Chief Executive John Allen. “Taking account of new International Financial Reporting Standards, we have made a $4.5 million improvement – an increase of over nine per cent on the previous half year result. ”

Our result shows the benefits of our diversification strategy, with positive performances by Datamail, Postal Services and Express Couriers. Kiwibank contributed $22.7 million to our half year result.

“The past period has been exciting for us. The local government elections showed the power of the New Zealand Post Group at producing and delivering mail items. Our Value of Mail campaign has tugged at the nation’s heartstrings and reinforces the power of mail as a communications tool. We’ve also opened two new sustainably designed mail centres in Auckland and Christchurch.

“Over the period, Kiwibank has continued to grow. It’s seen a 55 per cent increase in lending, and a 30 per cent increase in retail deposits. It’s also won two awards for its new mobile banking service, and the Marsh Most Improved Performance award in the Deloitte Top 200 awards”.

John Allen says that, overall, he’s pleased with the performance of the Group, given that all parts of the business operate in highly competitive markets. “Typically, we record our strongest performance in the first six months of the year. I expect that this trend will continue and that the six months ahead will be challenging, although our diversification strategy positions us well.”

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Allianz seen as favourite to buy Deutsche Postbank

Posted by | Mar 25, 2008 | |

Allianz SE is favoured by Deutsche Post AG and parts of the German government in the tussle over buying Deutsche Postbank AG, Handelsblatt reported, citing banking sources and unidentified members of Postbank’s supervisory board.

The German finance ministry had until a few weeks ago preferred Commerbank AG among Postbank’s suitors but Commerzbank’s ability to shoulder the acquisitions was called into question because the bank’s market value was sapped by financial-market turbulence, the newspaper said, citing unspecified sources.

Deutsche Bank AG has also expressed interest in Postbank, Handelsblatt said.

Handelsblatt said that Allianz’s recently announced plans to split up its Dresdner Bank unit into an investment banking and a private/corporate clients entity is seen by banking experts as a preparatory step for taking over Postbank.

Deutsche Post, Deutsche Postbank, Allianz and Dredner all declined to comment, the newspaper said.

Postbank is controlled by Deutsche Post, whose largest single shareholder is the German government, which owns 31 pct of Post through its development bank KfW Bankengruppe.

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Royal Mail axed by Bristol

Posted by | Mar 25, 2008 | |

Bristol City Council has sparked a row after it was revealed it had axed its contract with the Royal Mail for the bulk of its post.

Former Lord Mayor Peter Abraham accused the Labour-run council of hypocrisy – weeping “crocodile tears” over 29 proposed post office closures in the Bristol area, then taking business away from the Royal Mail and handing it to a private operator.

After next Monday all the city council’s second-class post – which Councillor Abraham (Con, Stoke Bishop) believes is about 90 per cent of all the mail the authority sends out – will be collected by the Royal Mail’s rival, TNT.

This is likely to include council tax demands, letters notifying parents of school place offers and notices to people who may be affected by planning applications.

Mr Abraham said: “I’ve had a leaflet telling me that corporate mail services will be changing for non-first-class posting from March 31.

“The mail will be collected every day from the Council House post room by TNT and delivered within two days.

“We’re told the council will pay 21 pence per letter. I understand the Royal Mail’s rate for franked second-class mail is currently 21p but is due to go up on April 8.

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Privatisation of Maltapost

Posted by | Mar 25, 2008 | |

The Malta Star has reported that Maltapost is to be completely privatised.

The Government has announced that it will be selling its 40 per cent share holding in the company.

The major shareholder after the privatisation of the postal services is complete will be the Lombard Bank.

Maltapost Chairman Dr Joseph Said, commented that Maltapost offers one of the most efficient services around Europe and was classified as the 16th most efficient postal service out of 40 countries surveyed.

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