Author: Archive

Agreement signed to boost emiratisation in postal sector

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

Emirates Post holding group and Emirates Nationals Development Programme (ENDP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost emiratisation in the mail sector through a series of measures, including a three-month postal diploma programme, to be conducted by the Emirates Post training development centre, Dubai.

According to the MoU, the postal diploma programme will be for three months, at the end of which the candidate will receive a diploma endorsed by Emirates post holding group.

The new initiative, which is in response to the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on creating new opportunities for Emirati youth in various fields, especially in the private sector, was unveiled at a press conference addressed by Minister for Public Sector Development and Chairman of Emirates Post holding group Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of ENDP Ahmad Humaid Al Tayer and President of Emirates Post holding group Abdullah Al Daboos.

Read More

Alan Kessler elected Chairman, Postal Service Board of Governors (U.S)

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

Philadelphia attorney Alan C. Kessler was elected Chairman of the Postal Service Board of Governors and Austin, TX, businesswoman Carolyn Lewis Gallagher was elected Vice Chairman during today’s Board meeting.

Kessler was appointed to the Board by President Clinton in 2000 for a term that expires December 2008. He has served as vice chairman since 2005 and succeeds James C. Miller III as chairman. Miller was appointed to the Board in 2003 for a term that expires December 2010.

Chairman Kessler is a partner in the Philadelphia law firm of Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen, LLP, with substantial experience in the defense of class-action litigation, including securities, antitrust, toxic tort and civil rights cases as well as a government relations and counseling practice. He has served on commissions, boards and authorities at the federal, state and local levels, including a 1994 Presidential appointment as vice chair of the Presidential/Congressional Commission on Risk Assessment and Risk Management. He currently serves on both state and local development boards.

Vice Chairman Gallagher was named a Governor by President Bush in 2004 for a term that expires December 2009. She is the former CEO of Texwood Furniture, Inc., and has served on numerous private and public sector boards. In 2003, Gallagher served on the President’s Commission on the United States Postal Service, which submitted a report titled “Embracing The Future.”

Read More

EU to vote on mail monopolies

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

The European Parliament is expected to approve a plan today to dismantle remaining national monopolies for postal delivery by 2011, allowing cross-border competition in a sector that has until now been closely guarded by national operators.
A group of nine new EU member states, Greece and Luxembourg will get the option of an additional two-year grace period to prepare for a full opening of the delivery of letters under 50 grams (1.75 ounces) – the last category where national postal companies face no rivals – under the plan to be voted on by European Union lawmakers.
A universal public service ensuring every European – not just in big cities but also in remote areas – gets at least one delivery and collection a day, five days a week, even after rival companies move into the market, will be guaranteed and can be subsidized by governments if it is loss-making.
The issue of outside competition for domestic mail-carriers is a heated one in many EU countries. While parcel and package deliveries have already been liberalized across the 27-nation bloc, national governments may still reserve the market for delivering letters under 50
The postal reform – first considered more than 15 years ago – is part of a drive to liberalize the EU services market. The plan could lead to job losses in the 88 billion euro sector that employs more than 5 million people.
Full liberalization of the sector should lead to more reliable and better-quality mail deliveries, according to EU officials.
Many countries have been slow to open up their postal market to competition. Only Sweden, Britain, Finland have scrapped all legal monopolies. Germany has also allowed cross-border competition, but the government has set a minimum wage for postal workers.
Ninety percent of European mail is sent by businesses, and this is where most new entrants are likely to target new, lower-priced services – ignoring unprofitable consumer services in remote or rural areas.

Read More

SingPost Group results for third quarter

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

Singapore Post Limited (“SingPost”) announced its unaudited results for the third quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2007.

The Group registered a 9.2 pct growth in its revenue for the third quarter, from SGD 111.8 million to SGD 122.0 million, as the three business segments achieved improved
performances.

Mail revenue increased 9.5pct from SGD 86.0 million to SGD94.2 million, on higher mail volumes while Logistics revenue rose 5.3pct from SGD17.0 million to SGD17.9 million, on increased Speedpost traffic and growth in vPOST on-line shopping transactions.

Retail revenue grew 7.9pct from SGD14.5 million to SGD15.6 million, as growth in financial services and retail products continue to offset the decline in agency/bill presentment services.

Rental and property related income improved by 21.6pct from SGD5.1 million to SGD6.2 million, as a result of higher rental rates and yield enhancement initiatives at SingPost Centre.

Total expenses rose 10.7pct from SGD76.7 million to SGD84.9 million as a result of increased business activities. Labour and related costs increased 10.6pct from SGD27.9 million to SGD30.9 million on higher wages and variable staff costs. Volume-related costs increased 16.5pct from SGD27.6 million to SGD32.1 million. Finance expenses declined 15.0pct from SGD2.7 million to SGD2.3 million as the Group has fully repaid the term loan obtained in March 2006.

Operating profit for the Group improved by 6.7pct from SGD43.3 million to SGD46.2 million. Mail operating profit posted a 7.5pct increase from SGD34.4 million to SGD37.0 million, while Logistics operating profit improved by 3.3pct from SGD3.0 million to SGD3.1 million.

Read More

Western Union, Delhaize-US Extend Multi-Year Agreement

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

The Western Union Company announced it has extended its agreement with Delhaize-US to offer Western Union services at 1,120 locations nationwide.

Delhaize, which operates more than 1,500 Food Lion, Bloom, Bottom Dollar Food, Harveys, Reid’s, Hannaford and Sweetbay supermarkets in 16 states, began offering Western Union services in 1993 at just a handful of Food Lion locations. The agreement ensures that these 1,120 locations continue to offer consumers the option of sending cash to friends and loved ones using the Western Union® Money Transfer service, purchasing money orders and sending utility-bill payments at select locations.

“With Western Union services offered in eight of the 10 largest grocery-store chains in the United States, supermarket networks are an important part of our U.S. Agent distribution,” said Royal Cole, Executive Vice President, Western Union Payment Services. “For more than 15 years, Delhaize-US has been a key member of that network, and we will continue to provide consumers with fast and convenient access to valuable financial services and payment solutions.”

Western Union is a leader in global financial services, enabling millions of individuals and businesses worldwide to transfer money quickly, easily and conveniently. Western Union services are offered through trusted local businesses that are an integral part of the communities they serve.

Read More

French lingerie firm selects Chronopost Comfort

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

French high-quality underwear producer, Armor Lux, has selected Chronopost’s “comfort” product for its domestic and foreign express shipments, the La Poste express subsidiary said.

Chronopost has delivered about 5,000 express deliveries a year for the company since 2004, of which 50 pct are shipped into foreign countries. Through the partnership Armor Lux guarantees its customers the best possible performance for deliveries during its peak season at the beginning of the year.

Armor Lux, with some 2,500 business customers across France, has now optimised its transport budget by selecting “Chrono Comfort” product. This offer is devoted to those customers with at least 10 shipments per day within France and Monaco, or 100 international deliveries per month.

“We have the pressure of high seasonality since most of deliveries take place during February and March. Within this time 10 to 20 deliveries per day need to be made to Europe, whereas during the rest of the year 15 to 20 shipments are carried out per month,” said Michel Gueguen, Managing Director of Armor Lux. “Chronopost allows us better management by guaranteeing fast performance and a constantly high service quality.”

Read More

DHL Germany launches new service for transportation of heavy goods

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

DHL Paket Deutschland, the German parcel division of DHL, has launched a new customer service under the name “DHL Maxitransport” for transportation of heavy and cumbrous objects like furniture and household appliances with effect 4 February 2008.

With the new service customers can ship almost everything up to 100 kg that can be carried by two persons. This weight limit does not apply to rollable objects like mopeds or motor-bikes since they do not have to be lifted during pick-up and delivery.

Moreover, the delivery does not end at the recipient’s door. DHL said it will even deliver items such as sofas into the living room on request.

If requested and for an additional charge, DHL also takes charge of packaging when picking up the shipment. The total price varies according to the volume or weight of the shipment as well as additional services. The order can be made via the internet through DHL online stamping in a similar way to parcel orders.

Uwe Brinks, DHL Paket Deutschland managing director, said: “We have to adapt our services continuously to the changing needs of our customers to be successful in the parcel market. With the DHL Maxitransport we are offering a very special service. A sofa can now be shipped as easily as a parcel”.

Read More

Austria Post says no cooperation plans with Deutsche Post's DHL Express Austria

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

Austria Post AG has dismissed as ‘rumours’ media reports that it plans to launch a joint venture with the Deutsche Post AG unit DHL Express Austria, the Austrian press agency APA reported.

Chief executive Anton Wais told APA that the Austrian postal services group’s logistics unit trans-o-flex will launch its own same-day delivery service in September.

According to Wais, trans-o-flex Austria could account for 50 pct of the group’s overall parcels business in the medium-term.

Citing the trade publication KEP Meldungen, the Viennese daily Der Standard had earlier reported that Austria Post was pursuing a partnership with DHL-Express Austria.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

What's the future of the postal USO?

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