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Hungarian competition office fines Magyar Posta, Lapker

Posted by | Nov 22, 2007 | |

The Competition Office (GVH) has penalised the state-owned postal service Magyar Posta and regional periodical distributor Lapker Ft 468 million apiece, after it proved that the two companies had agreed not to enter each other’s markets.

The cartel began in 1998, when Magyar Posta sold its regional wholesale distribution service to Lapker. The regional distributor agreed that it would not venture into periodical distribution formerly controlled by Magyar Posta, which in return agreed to opt out of wholesale distribution to news sellers. The agreement was cancelled in 2005.

Magyar Posta asserted that it will bring a legal action to challenge the ruling.

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Emirates Post showcases postal IT solutions at Post Tech 2007 in Jeddah

Posted by | Nov 21, 2007 | |

The two-day conference cum exhibition was opened by HH Prince Khalid Al Faisal Bin Abdulaziz, Chief of Mecca region. Speakers highlighted the need for automating postal services through modern systems and IT solutions, and presented case histories of success projects from all over the world.

Emirates Post highlighted its indigenously developed POS system which automates counters and back office workflow. The system enables counter staff to deliver multiple services, both postal and non-postal, including payment of utility bills, Ministry of Labour Transactions and traffic fines.

Developed by IT Department of Emirates Post, the POS system enables it to add new services, and have a real-time link with new partners. The system has seen been adopted by neighbouring countries, and Emirates Post is talking to some other regional countries to transfer the technology to their postal networks.

‘Technology is playing a major role in the reform process of postal services,’ said Abdullah Al Daboos, Director General, Emirates Post. ‘Technology gives us tools to introduce greater efficiency, speed and security in all our operations. At Emirates Post, the POS solution has enabled us to take a quantum leap in customer satisfaction. At the same time, technology has enabled us to turn our post offices into one-stop shops for multiple services.’

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Business forum reveals hidden green opportunity of GBP 150 billion in UK supply-chain

Posted by | Nov 21, 2007 | |

The business opportunity in sustainability amounts to around GBP 150 billion per year, according to Base (Business and A Sustainable Environment), an environmental UK forum for business. Speaking yesterday, Gordon Brown MP underlined the economic benefits that the new market in sustainability could offer UK plc.

The research published by base demonstrates for the first time the extent of environmental requirements being applied by major companies and public sector bodies to their supply-chains in the face of concern about climate change. This means that up to GBP 150 billion-worth of contracts annually could be available to the businesses which are informed about and act on these requirements.

Base, which is backed by large businesses, government departments and third sector organisations, has been set up specifically to provide practical information to commercial organisations about how to understand and capitalise on the green profit opportunity. It will bring together large organisations with environmental programmes and obligations, and potential suppliers. Tom Burke, the chairman of base, said “It is becoming increasingly clear that business is going to have to play a bigger role than it has so far if we are to succeed in tackling climate change. However, because there has been little coherence in the approaches adopted by different public authorities to sustainability, the business environment has been subject to diverse and sometimes conflicting policy currents on these issues until now.

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TNT says unclear if it ever had data

Posted by | Nov 21, 2007 | |

Dutch mail company TNT said there was no way of verifying if a shipment with personal data of 25 million Britons and believed lost was actually sent through the mail system it operates.
TNT runs an internal mail system for HM Revenue and Customs, the tax authority, that carries up to 100,000 mail items each night.
Chancellor Alistair Darling told parliament on Tuesday that two discs containing information on 25 million Britons had disappeared after being sent through the mail system.
TNT said the system offered the option for the sender to choose a service that offers full track and trace of a shipment, but for the shipment in question, that option was not selected.
“General mail does not carry a track and trace mechanism and hence it has been impossible, in this instance, to conduct an audit to identify if the item entered the system,” the company said.
TNT said it was cooperating fully with the tax authority and the Metropolitan Police in the investigation into the missing computer discs.
TNT shares were down 3.3 percent at 25.62 euros by 3:40 p.m.
“It’s embarrassing, it was sensitive mail,” ING analyst Axel Funhoff said.
Funhoff said it was unlikely, however, that TNT would lose customers as a result.

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Chronopost extends French regional network

Posted by | Nov 21, 2007 | |

La Poste’s French domestic express subsidiary Chronopost has further extended its regional network under its ongoing network restructuring.

Chronopost said it has opened a new facility close to Nimes to strengthen its presence in the southern region of Languedoc-Roussillon. The facility will handle the distribution of some 1,200 parcels daily and 250 collections. This is its 16th opening in France this year, including the regional hub at Lyon-Corbas and a 2,600 sqm depot in Marseille.

Chronopost, which is restructuring its domestic network around five hubs and 68 local centres, has invested EUR 120 million in the network since 2005. Its new EUR 50 million, 13,000 sqm national hub at Chilly-Mazarin, south of Paris, due to open in early 2008, will handle about 60 pct of its domestic shipments.

Meanwhile, Exapaq, the small parcels carrier acquired by La Poste in early 2006, opened two new facilities strategically located for traffic to Germany and Italy earlier this year, giving its six hubs across France with total capacity to handle 260,000 packages per day.

The fully-automated sorting centre at Beaune in Burgundy, with maximum capacity of 12,000 packages per hour, serves as a connection point with Germany and the DPD network. The Saint-Rambert hub, in the Drome region close to the Italian border, acts as an entry portal for all packages coming from Italy and as an exit portal for packages headed for Italy and Spain. This mechanized sorting centre has a maximum processing capacity of 8,000 packages per hour.

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FedEx launches new global advertising campaign

Posted by | Nov 21, 2007 | |

“Access – Success – Growth” These concepts are the creative force behind a new advertising campaign launched by FedEx today in key markets around the world, including: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan and the UK.

The new ads take you “behind the scenes,” communicating some of the ways FedEx helps customers’ access opportunities in the marketplace – whether those prospects are in their local communities or around the globe.

“Since its inception, FedEx has established itself as one of the most respected and admired companies in the world – and in many markets, the FedEx brand is a household name that has come to stand for reliability and speed,” said Rajesh Subramaniam, senior vice president of International Marketing, FedEx Services.

“This new advertising campaign extends the strong legacy of the FedEx brand globally by reinforcing our commitment to delivering an outstanding customer experience consistently around the world.”

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Challenging times for Czech Republic

Posted by | Nov 21, 2007 | |

As of 2009, Czech republic post (EP) will be transformed into a joint-stock company. This should make the company more competitive, flexible and customer-friendly, according to the government. The move could also clear the way for a future privatization, observers say. Apart from this inner change, EP must cope with outward pressures. Recent research has shown that further switching from traditional postal services to electronic communications is still ahead, said Gabriel Pleska from the EP press department. At 3,400 branches nationwide, people can order certified excerpts from the business and land registries, Pleska said. EP has also strived to fill the niche opened up by transforming consumer habits, according to Pleska. “This transformation of lifestyle is reflected by our ‘post office in a shopping mall’ strategy,” Pleska said. EP has set about establishing offices in shopping centers, and people busy during the week can redirect their package deliveries there, picking up their mail while shopping on the weekend, he said. EP will release more details about its strategic plans for the future at the end of the year, said EP spokeswoman Dita Vaclavikova. Earlier this year, the Finance Ministry approved a hike in postal fees proposed by EP, which will take effect Jan. 1. The price of delivery of a standard letter, for example, will increase from 7.5 to 10 KE and sending a priority registered letter of up to 20 grams will cost 26 KE instead of today’s 19 KE. Other postal operators were also critical. The combination of the price hike and the liberalization postponement is bad news for customers, according to Petr Dusek, marketing director of TNT Post. 1 USD = 173.021 HU

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