Author: Archive

Vietnamese and French post groups to offer direct mail

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

The Vietnam Post Corporation (VNPost) and the La Poste Group of France will jointly launch cost-effective Direct Mail service in Vietnam in April.

Responsible for the service will be these groups’ Post Media Joint Stock Company, which is participated by Smart Media, a joint stock company founded by the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group.

The Post Media company, which is undergoing final legal procedures for its official operation, is established under an agreement signed during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to France in September 2007.

At a recent working session with VNPost, La Poste Chairman Jean Paul Bailly said his group wants to expand cooperative ties with VNPost to other fields, including the supply of financial, insurance and banking services through postal system.

He also affirmed La Poste’s willingness to help VNPost link with electronic money transfer system of France and Europe.

According to VNPost General Director Do Ngoc Binh, VNPost and La Poste signed a memorandum of understanding on their cooperation in December 2005.

The two groups have by now collaborated in setting up the Post Media company, and providing express and electronic money transfer services, and personnel training for VNPost.

La Poste is interested in helping VNPost establish a joint stock bank and develop life insurance products, Binh said.

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GLS consolidate freight services in Benelux

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

ABX Belgium partnered with GLS Netherlands in order to supply the Dutch market.

“We are well prepared for the additional quantities”, said Aart bon, Managing Director GLS Netherlands.

“With transnational co-operation also for the freight transport the group of GLS offers a strong integrated solution for the Benelux region. Belgian and Dutch customers can select from a variety of services”, explained Aart bon. Both companies have partnered in the freight and parcel sector since 2007.

Belgian GLS also announced the modernization of the operational sequence in 2009: New industrialized sort systems use conveying engineering for packages and fork-lift truck for freight. In three Belgian depots this completion is already realized. Both the package and the bulk completion thereby are accelerated and improved at the same time. .

“The Benelux region as integrated marketing area requires a significant international exchange of goods. Therefore we offer a completion in the GLS- ABX Belgium net with the freight range services “, explained Aart bon.

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Further strike action at Royal Mail could follow (UK)

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

Royal Mail has announced its intention to follow through on on its proposed changes to Postal Workers pensions which could see further strike action by postal workers.

The controversal move would mean raising the retirement age from 60 to 65 after 2010. The present pension scheme would, under Royal Mail’s proposals, cease from the 1st April 2008. The move is being communicated to its workforce by letter.

The CWU is said to be ‘disappointed’ by the move and made it clear that it was not willing to accept the plan without the agreement of CWU members.

From the 1st April, existing pensions will be changed to a ‘career salary defined benefit scheme’ meaning that workers pension benefits will be calculated on the basis of actual pensionable earnings in each given year. The calculation would also be uprated by inflation, capped at 5%. Employee contribution rates will remain unchanged.

Also from the 1st April, new starters at Royal Mail, will be offered a new, defined contribution scheme based on a tiered employee/employer contribution rate although eligibility to join the scheme will not become effective until the employee has been with Royal Mail for 12 months anyway.

The Postal Executive Committee is to meet on Monday to discuss its next move, the likely outcome of which will be a formal ballot. If CWU members reject the proposal, industrial action could soon follow, plunging Royal Mail into another period of strike action.

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USPS offers new larger box with one flat price for shipping (U,S)

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

The US Postal Service has launched a new box for larger shipments, giving customers three different size and shape options — all with convenient flat-rate pricing — to meet their shipping needs. The new box is 50 percent larger than the current flat-rate boxes. If it fits, it ships, for just USD 12.95 to any U.S. address beginning March 3.

The current flat-rate boxes, introduced in November 2004, give customers a single, predetermined rate regardless of the weight or delivery zone. The new, larger box extends the Postal Service’s line of successful flat-rate offerings, providing more choices for small businesses and consumers.

The new Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box (12″ x 12″ x 5 ½” or nearly 800 cubic inches) will be available in Post Offices nationwide beginning March 3.

Some of the new boxes are co-branded with the logo of America Supports You, a Department of Defense program that connects citizens offering support to the military and their families.

Mail to APO/FPO addresses receive $2 discount

Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Boxes shipped to an APO/FPO destination receive a USD 2 discount, a postal first for the military; either version of the new larger box can receive the discount. The two existing flat-rate boxes (11 ⅞” x 3 ⅜” x 13 ⅝” and 11″ x 8 ½” x 5 ½”), which currently retail for USD 8.95 for U.S. addresses, are not eligible for the military discount. All flat-rate boxes can be used for shipping to international addresses.

All Postal Service Priority and Express Mail packages and envelopes are environmentally friendly, exceeding the highest standards for recyclability.

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Belgacom to sell 50 pct stake in Certipost to De Post-La Poste

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

Telecoms group Belgacom SA said it is to sell its 50 pct stake in Certipost to De Post-La Poste, giving the Belgian postal company full ownership of the electronic communications joint venture.

Certipost was set up by De Post-La Poste and Belgacom in 2002, and provides certified electronic communication for electronic documents such as invoices, as well as supplying the digital certificates for the electronic ID card in Belgium.

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DHL invests more than 10,7 million Euros in new terminal north of Stockholm

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

DHL Express has decided to build a completely new terminal in the Rosersberg industrial park in Stockholm. This is part of DHL’s strategic offensive to build new terminals all over the country.

With its strategic position, the Rosersberg terminal provides increased closeness to the customer, shorter lead times for shipments north of Stockholm and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

The investment is estimated at 10,7 million Euros, and follows close upon the publication of DHL’s plans for a whole new terminal in Gothenburg. And it should be remembered that DHL’s new terminals in Örebro and Luleå were only completed a short time ago.

Until now, all northbound freight to and from Stockholm has been handled via DHL’s terminal in Västberga in the south of Stockholm. This has meant unnecessarily long journeys and hence unnecessary carbon dioxide emissions. The Rosersberg terminal has a number of positive effects.

Commissioning of the new terminal is planned for May of next year. To this end, DHL has entered into a cooperative agreement with the well-known real estate company Kilenkrysset. The project involves Kilenkrysset building a terminal covering just over 9,500 square meters. But as the whole site runs to 45,000 square meters, there is ample scope to extend the terminal in the future in line with increasing demand.

The new terminal in Rosersberg will support around 20 vans for parcel distribution, 40 trucks for collection and delivery of goods, and 30 or so for regular scheduled traffic.

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Post offices in Parliament to escape Royal Mail axe (UK)

Posted by | Feb 20, 2008 | |

All three post offices in the Houses of Parliament are to escape the mass cull of London branches, the Standard can reveal.

The Royal Mail has provoked outrage after announcing plans to axe 169 post offices in the City.

But it has decided to exempt the offices in the Commons despite them being separated by only a few 100 metres.

Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake said the Royal Mail should look again at its plans.

He said: “What is good for the goose should be good for the gander. I cannot fathom why, when MPs have three post offices within 100 metres of each other, and some people have none within a kilometre of them, the latter were shut.

He added: “It seems as though Members’ Priority Service has won the day again.”

A fifth of the London network will be axed by this summer.

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said the branches in Parliament were crown post offices and were part of the directly-managed national network.

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New location may aid post offices (UK)

Posted by | Feb 20, 2008 | |

Westminster City Council offered the alternative after Tuesday’s announcement that 169 of the capital’s 850 post offices could close.

It said putting post counters in its buildings would preserve services and boost the authority’s income.

A six-week consultation has begun on the Post Office’s plans.

Councillor Tony Devenish said: “Post offices are vital for local communities and, at a time when the Government says it wants councils to enhance community cohesion and improve local services, we have this venerable national institution ripping the heart out of high streets up and down the land.

“I am saddened at the savage cuts announced by the Post Office and believe our proposals can offer a viable alternative.”

The Post Office’s plans are part of a wider move to close up to 2,500 post offices nationwide, which began in October last year.

The government has said mounting debts mean post offices needs to be closed in order to curb losses currently running at GBP 4m a week.

Figures show many post offices are losing large numbers of customers who used to come to the Post Office to claim their benefits but now get payments straight into their bank account.

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