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DHL Express Sweden invests in all-green distribution fleet

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

DHL Express Sweden has announced it will invest about EUR 800,000 for 250 vehicles running on alternative fuels within the next three years.

DHL Express plans to swap out diesel-powered vehicles from its own fleet as their leases expire, as well as to cover the additional cost of another 50 vehicles when any of the forwarders contracted to DHL switches to an environmentally friendly alternative. This follows the recent decision by DHL Express to convert all its diesel-powered vans to run on alternative fuels such as biogas, natural gas and ethanol.

The company said that the use of delivery vehicles that run on alternative fuels means a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 5-8 tons per vehicle per year. As the investment covers 250 vehicles, this is equivalent to a total carbon dioxide reduction of around 2,000 tons per year.

DHL Express Sweden currently has around 20 biogas-powered vehicles available, including 5 heavy trucks and 15 delivery vans used mainly to transport express shipments within metropolitan areas. The number of environmentally friendly vehicles is about to increase substantially.

“Every year we use the Swedish TKM model (the freight forwarders quality and environmental manual) to evaluate the 300 carriers contracted to DHL in this country. Given that we place these requirements on other carriers, it is only natural for us to practice what we preach. That is why the transition to delivery vehicles that run on alternative fuels seems like an obvious investment,” said Peter Hesslin, Operations Manager for DHL Express, responsible for handling goods up to 2.5 tons at around 30 terminals in Sweden.

Another major environmental effect of this investment concerns emissions of particulates and nitric oxide associated with jams in city centres. This is because particulate emissions from vehicles that run on alternative fuels are much reduced. But the investment covers not only DHL’s own vehicles but also diesel-powered distribution vehicles operated by the 300 forwarders contracted to DHL in Sweden. In this area, DHL is covering the additional cost of the transition to environmentally-adapted vehicles.

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El Corte Inglés selects Azkar for its Logistics Operations in China

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

Azkar Overseas, the subsidiary of Transportes Azkar, S.A. the leading international provider of integrated logistics services on the Iberian Peninsula and Islands, has been selected by the Spanish giant in Departament Stores retail businesses, El Corte Ingles, to develop and run its logistics operations for consolidated cargo from China.

To be more specific, in the port cities of Xiamen and Shenzhen, both located in Southern China, Azkar Overseas will coordinate with all the suppliers of the Corte Ingles all orders that are less than a container load, the terms of delivery, the receiving of cargo, quantity control, sorting and warehousing of cargo, loading of ocean containers, booking with the pingship lines for equipment and vessel space, thus including customs export clearance and procedures and any other necessary process and documentation relevant to the course of action and related to packing list, Bill of lading, etc.

In order to make this happen, Azkar has made available to El Corte Ingles, the space of two warehouse facilities, one of them being 8000 square meters located in the free zone at the port of Chiwan in Shenzhen and the other of 10,000 square meters located at the port of Xiamen.

In addition, Azkar has created and developed its own exclusive web application that coordinates and allows the proper tracking of the process via Internet, allowing a complete vision online of the entire operation completely available to its client.

With this new operation, El Corte Ingles, once again demonstrates its leadership in Spain as an innovative in the logistics processes, reducing its transit times of its less than container load cargo and optimizing the cargo capacity within the ocean containers being consolidated.

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Express couriers launch fresh online services

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

Several leading global and national express companies operating in Asian markets have begun 2008 by introducing new electronic/online service enhancements for customers. On the international front, that group includes TNT, FedEx and DHL, while at a national level, one recent example of such a development involves Indian operator Elbee Express.
Netherlands-based TNT last month announced its intention to offer secured electronic invoices with digital signature in over 30 countries, including several key Asian markets, by the end of March.

TNT explained that the new service, called Express Invoicing, was due to be made available to customers in most European countries, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, adding that the web-based e-invoicing solution would be free of charge.

TNT said it already offered e-invoices in 37 countries around the world, with another 10 countries preparing to introduce the paperless invoice this year. The company estimated it could eventually eliminate up to one million paper invoices per month.

For customers, claimed TNT, the e-invoicing service reduced paper processing costs and improved the accounts payable management process.

The latest electronic enhancement announced by US-based FedEx, also in February, involves providing users of e-mail application Microsoft Office Outlook with the ability to connect directly to FedEx shipping services.

This year has also seen DHL Express, part of German group Deutsche Post World Net, unveil DHL Ship Now, an online programme offering “a fast and seamless method for sending parcels to any destination inside or outside the country”. DHL said that facility enabled shipments to be booked directly over the internet without a DHL account number.

Meanwhile, Elbee Express claims to have become the first Indian express delivery company to offer customers the facility to access business information relating to their consignments and the ability to generate reports based on that data customised to their own needs.

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DHL Romania opens a new customer relations centre in Bucharest

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

DHL Romania has opened a new customer relations centre (Servicepoint) in Baneasa, a district in the north of Bucharest, to provide more competitive and efficient services and to extend its coverage area.

The express company said its decision to open the new centre in Baneasa is based among other factors on the trend towards sustainable development especially in the northern area of Bucharest and an increased demand for same-day delivery services.

The Servicepoint will offer a wide range of services including standard services such as shipment pick-up, domestic and international parcels delivery as well as value added services such as shipment insurance, packaging, consulting services, Saturday delivery and shipment re-routing.

Presently, DHL Romania has 23 operational centres and 25 customer relation centres (Servicepoints) all over the country. Revenues generated from the Servicepoints increased by 47 pct in 2007 compared to 2006, the company said in a statement.

By the end of 2008, DHL plans to open four more customer relation centres in Romania to further expand its network in the continuously growing market.

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Aramex to provide new logistics solution to the fashion retail industry

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

Middle East-based express and freight logistics group Aramex has announced the launch of an innovative logistics solution for regional fashion retailers capable of handling millions of garments a year.

The launch of the new supply chain solution for the fashion retail industry in the region includes advanced automated technologies and regional distribution systems custom tailored according to the industry’s growing demand. Aramex’ state-of-the-art facility is capable of storing and dispatching millions of garments a year, enabling regional fashion retailers to significantly increase distribution efficiency.

“In today’s competitive retail industry, success in fashion is as much about speed in delivery as it is about cutting edge designs. Aramex is therefore supporting its fashion clients by helping them meet the high demand of their perceptive clientele,” said Iyad Kamal, Chief Logistics Officer at Aramex.

Collaborating with major fashion retail chains, Aramex has developed customised supply chain solutions that have helped them streamline their entire retail process across stores in the GCC from the company’s advanced logistics facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone. At the logistics centre, Aramex provides offsite retail solutions powered by an automated GOH (Garment on Hanger) stock replenishment system, with total online visibility and order tracking capabilities.

The supply chain solution market is a key component of Aramex’s overall regional growth strategy, with its Dubai Logistics Centre acting as a dynamic hub for the various markets it serves across the GCC.

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Fears for hundreds of Liverpool Royal Mail jobs

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

Empty collection vans outside the Royal Mail depot at Copperas Hill, Liverpool _320

Hundreds of postal jobs are under threat today over fears that Liverpool’s Copperas Hill sorting office could be axed.

Workers’ representatives fear a new review of resources could resurrect plans to shut the city centre site and transfer work to Warrington.

Mail officials tried to switch the work in 1997 in a proposed shake-up.

Royal Mail is half way through a six-week review of north west postal centres.

Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) Merseyside branch secretary Mark Walsh believes Royal Mail are ready to return with closure plans.

He has called a meeting on Sunday lunchtime to bring postal workers up to date with the review.

Since the last study there has been no investment in new technology at Copperas Hill.

Mr Walsh said the most modern machine, which could handle A4 envelopes, was removed last October while his members were on unofficial strike.

The review was a response to a fall in the amount of mail moving around seven mail centres within a 50-mile radius.

Mr Walsh fears redundancies will be necessary adding to what he claimed were 1,000 Merseyside job losses in the past 11 years, including 500 at a former Bootle parcels depot.

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Post-Switch Urges Bulk Mailers to Consider Alternatives to Royal Mail

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

Independent postal broking agency, Post-Switch is urging high volume mailers to reduce postage costs by switching from Royal Mail before it puts up its prices.

On April 2nd 2007, Royal Mail raised first class postage by 2p and second class by 1p and its commercial service ‘MailSort’ increased tariff prices by 1 pct – 3.8 pct. As part of its pricing agreement up to 2010, Royal Mail is proposing a further price hike in April 2008 of 6p.

Post-Switch is an impartial postal broker, providing expert advice on matching direct mail to the most suitable supplier at the optimum tariff. Set up in 2006, Post-Switch is part of integrated communications group, Kingfisher. It understands where savings can be made on postage and will negotiate with up to 20 rival postal providers including DHL, UPS, and TNT to achieve the best price and the best delivery date.

Post-Switch already handles over one million items of mail each month and is working with high volume mailers like Marie Curie Cancer Care and NSPCC as well as commercial operator, Network Rail. The service offered by Post-Switch delivers direct mail campaigns in 48 hours and can secure savings of up to 22.5 pct against MailSort charges.

To incentivise companies to switch from Royal Mail to another provider, Post-Switch is offering those who sign up before 2nd April a postal price freeze until the end of 2007. This means that mailings will only cost the same unit rate for the rest of the year. So, if the rival operators to Royal Mail also raise their prices, Post-Switch clients will not be affected by the increase.

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Deutsche Post launches pilot scheme to enter mail-order pharmacy market

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

Deutsche Post AG said it will start offering pharmaceuticals through its partner, German discount pharmacy Easy-Apotheke, at selected post offices this week as it mulls entering the drug mail-order market, Financial Times Deutschland said.

‘We see the project as a good opportunity to expand the usability of our branches,’ the paper quoted a Deutsche Post spokesman as saying.

Customers will be able to fill in order forms at post offices and get their delivery within two working days.

Oliver Blume, managing director at Easy-Apotheke, which had sales of about 50 mln eur in 2007, says the offer looks to be the fastest pharmaceuticals delivery service on the market.

Eighteen post offices in the German cities of Stuttgart, Hanover and Hildesheim are participating in the pilot scheme, which will last for six months.

German retailers including DM and Schlecker have recently introduced drug delivery services via mail-order pharmacies, a move that is seen by many as a prearrangement to launching own drug retail operations.

German regulations currently restrict ownership of pharmacies to certified pharmacists and limit the number outlets in a pharmacy chain, but companies expect a ruling by the European Court of Justice to quash these restrictions.

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