Author: Archive

Dutch MPs positive on partial post liberalization

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

A majority of MPs are positive about a proposal by postal firm Sandd to allow a limited liberalisation of the postal market, reports Tuesday’s Financieele Dagblad.

Sandd’s proposal is intended as a temporary arrangement following last week’s announcement that a fully open market has been indefinitely postponed.

The plan would allow newcomers on the market, such as Sandd itself, to deliver a certain volume of the post that is currently under the monopoly of TNT (letters weighing under 50 grams).

The coalition Christian Democrat and Labour partners and the opposition liberal VVD party say the request by Sandd is reasonable, reports the Financieele Dagblad.

All three parties have called on junior economic affairs minister Frank Heemskerk to give a new date for the full liberalisation of the postal market as soon as possible.

The association which represents commercial post users (VGP) says the postponement of liberalisation will cost Dutch companies EUR 200m a year. They have written to prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende to urge a fast solution, reports the Financieele Dagblad.

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USPS ready for busiest mailing and delivery days

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

The Postal Service assured the Board of Governors today it is prepared to handle the busiest mailing and delivery days. Monday, Dec. 17 is expected to be the busiest mailing day as the Postal Service estimates it will handle 275 million cards and letters — more than three times the average daily volume of 82 million. Total mail volume (including packages) on Dec. 17 should approach 1 billion pieces. Wednesday, Dec. 19 is expected to be the busiest delivery day.

“Our employees are working around the clock to make sure cards and presents arrive on time for the holidays,” Deputy Postmaster General and COO Pat Donahoe told the Governors. “In fact, we’re even delivering Express Mail on Christmas Day — excluding Santa, only the Postal Service will deliver on that day.”

The theme of this year’s holiday campaign is Today’s Holidays Need Today’s Mail. “Americans are busier than ever, especially during the holidays, and we’re offering services like extended hours and 24-hour Automated Postal Centers to help meet their needs,” said Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing officer and executive vice president. About 7,000 Post Offices offer extended hours during the holiday season.

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Consultation Starts On Changes To Post Office Network – Post Office Ltd announces plans for West Berkshire and Wiltshire

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

Post Office Ltd today opened a six week local public consultation on its Area Plan for West Berkshire and Wiltshire. The formal period of public consultation is six weeks but this has been extended by ten calendar days for this plan to allow for the Christmas and New Year breaks. In line with the criteria and factors set by the Government in its Response document, DTI The Post Office Network, Government response to public consultation May 2007 the Area Plan proposes future provision of Post Office® services through a network of 234 branches across the area, resulting in the closure of 36 existing branches.

Under the proposals, more than 99.4pct of the area’s population will either see no change to their nearest branch, or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

In addition to the 223 branches which are proposed to remain in the West Berkshire and Wiltshire area, Post Office Ltd is proposing to establish 11 outreach services, which would use innovative ways to continue to provide Post Office services- particularly in smaller communities – where the existing branch is proposed for closure.

Possible types of outreach service in West Berkshire and Wiltshire could include a mobile service visiting small communities at set times, a hosted service operated within third party premises for restricted hours each week, or a partner service within the premises of a local partner.

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Decisions on East Midlands Post Office® Branches Announced

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

Post Office Ltd today announced decisions on the future of Post Office® branches across the East Midlands area following a six week public consultation ending on 12 November. Post Office® services will be provided through a network of 360 branches, which supports the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government and ensures that 99 pct of the county’s population will either see no change to their existing branch or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

The plan confirmed today means that 75 branches will close in the East Midlands’ with the first closures scheduled to take place in January 2008. These branches were detailed in the Area Plan proposal published on 2 October 2007.

The replacement of 11 branches by outreach solutions was also confirmed in principal today subject to final agreement with Postwatch. Post Office Ltd is now working on finalising the details of the specific solution that replaces each branch, this information will be published shortly. The outreach solutions could include a mobile service visiting small communities at set times, a hosted service operated within third party premises for restricted hours each week, or a partner service within the premises of a local partner .

Two branches originally proposed for closure – Melton Road and Ryhall Road – will now remain open following a review of the issues raised during consultation.

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QuantumDigital to Install Commercial Xerox Printers at DHL’s North American Logistics Hub

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

QuantumDigital announced today that it has reached an agreement with DHL to locate two of its Xerox iGen3™ printers at DHL’s Wilmington, Ohio airport logistics hub. This second facility allows QuantumDigital to process and fulfill print orders as late as 2 a.m. and still have next-day business delivery.

QuantumDigital will be able to offer its customers more cost-effective shipping rates, later ordering hours for next-day shipping and redundancy in case of disaster. By having multiple print fulfillment centers, QuantumDigital can provide its customers redundancy in case of a natural disaster or system crash. This will bring QuantumDigital’s total number of Xerox iGen3™ printers to six, with the remaining four housed in its Austin facility headquarters. The additional printers will increase QuantumDigital’s capacity output from 8 million to 12 million pieces per month.

The two Xerox iGen3™ in Wilmington produced their first print orders on November 28, 2007.

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Oesterreichische Post says Einhorn's Greenlight Capital holds 5.52 pct

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

Oesterreichische Post AG said as of Dec 4 Greenlight Capital Group held a 5.52 pct stake in the postal company or 3,867,223 shares.

Greenlight Capital Group comprises hedge funds Greenlight Capital LP, Greenlight Capital Qualified LP, Greenlight Capital Offshore Ltd, and Greenlight Reinsurance Ltd, and belongs to billionaire David Einhorn, Oesterreichische Post

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DPD opens parcel shops at Staples stores

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

DPD has opened parcel shops at 56 stores of the office supply chain Staples in Germany to further develop its B2C business and broaden its product portfolio. Staples previously cooperated with GLS.

Staples expects to enhance its product portfolio with the new parcel shops, the DVZ transport newspaper reported. Managing director Sönke Feuerherm said Staples could offer customers nationwide parcel deliveries at attractive prices. The price is based on the box size rather than on weight.

“The Staples stores provide first-class locations, good service quality and high customer orientation”, DPD CEO Hans Fluri was cited as saying. The parcel company expected to increase its competitiveness with the new cooperation.

According to the DVZ, DPD agreed a deal with Staples for lower prices than had previously been the case with GLS.

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TNT to look at all options 'very thoroughly' if minimum wage adopted in Germany

Posted by | Dec 10, 2007 | |

TNT NV will look ‘very thoroughly’ at all options, should the German government approve the postal minimum wage that is reportedly pushing Axel Springer AG to consider winding up its mail services unit PIN Group by Christmas.

The upper house of the German parliament, in which German states are represented, is likely to decide on the minimum wage at its meeting scheduled for December 20.

‘If the minimum wage is adopted in Germany then we will look at our options very thoroughly, everything is open. And we will include the winding up of PIN in our option finding or scenario thinking, once the fact is confirmed,’ TNT spokesman Pieter Schaffels said.

This morning, the Financial Times Deutschland reported that majority shareholder Axel Springer plans to wind up its mail services unit PIN by Christmas and write-down 600 mln eur due to the bankruptcy.

The German government recently decided to expand minimum wages to 8-9.80 eur per hour agreed by services union ver.di and an employer’s association dominated by incumbent Deutsche Post World Net AG to the whole industry, challenging margins of Deutsche Post’s competitors.

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