Author: Archive

UPS Announces 2008 Rates

Posted by | Nov 9, 2007 | |

UPS announced new list rates for 2008, including an average 4.9 percent increase for UPS Ground and Ground Hundredweight shipments and a net average increase of 4.9 percent on all air express and U.S. origin International shipments.

The increase for air express and international shipments is based on a 6.9 percent increase in the base rate, less a 2 percent reduction in the current fuel surcharge. Updated rate and service information will be posted on ups.com/rates beginning Nov. 16, and customers can preview UPS Ground, Air and International express rates. On Dec. 31, customers can download the 2008 Rate and Service Guide.

The new rates will take effect on Dec. 31, 2007.

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Fredericia, Denmark OE Awarded IPC Honours

Posted by | Nov 9, 2007 | |

In a ceremony conducted in Denmark, the Fredericia Office of Exchange (OE) was awarded with the IPC Certificate of Excellence in the Management and Processing of International Letter Mail. International Post Corporation (IPC), president and CEO, Herbert-Michael Zapf made the presentation to Post Danmark, CEO, Helge Israelsen and Gert Thomsen, chief of the OE in Fredericia. The Fredericia office attained a successful rating in the recent IPC assessment and therefore was awarded the Certificate which will remain valid for three years. The OE in Copenhagen also holds this distinction.

The facility had to meet stringent standards in among other areas; work organization process planning and control, quality control systems and interface relationship. They achieved a very high overall score.

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U.S. international holiday mailing dates approaching

Posted by | Nov 9, 2007 | |

Recent changes to U.S. Postal Service packaging and products will make it even easier — and greener — to send holiday mail to international destinations.
Earlier this year, the Postal Service simplified its international product offerings into four options: Global Express Guaranteed, Express Mail International, Priority Mail International and First-Class Mail International. The change makes it easy for customers to mail letters and packages worldwide.
Each of the products can be used for either domestic or international mail. There are no longer separate products for international mailing.
The changes to international products also give customers a little more time to prepare for the holidays. The first recommended mailing date is Dec. 4, for packages to Africa and Central and South America. But international mail can be sent as late as Dec. 19 for arrival by Dec. 25.
Using Express Mail International and Priority Mail International also sends a very “green” message around the world. These products received “Cradle to Cradle”SM Certification at the Silver level for human and environmental health, exceeding even the highest standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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TNT to start share repurchase program of up to EUR 200 million

Posted by | Nov 9, 2007 | |

TNT today announces it will start a share repurchase program of up to EUR200 million on Monday 12 November 2007, as a first tranche of the previously announced EUR500 million share buyback program.

This EUR200 million first tranche will be executed by ABN AMRO Bank NV. TNT intends to cancel the ordinary shares acquired through the repurchase program.
Given the share buyback value of up to EUR200 million, the maximum number of ordinary shares to be repurchased under this program will be around 7.3 million, calculated on the basis of the last trade prior to this announcement. The share buyback will start on 12 November 2007 and will end after 4 months unless, amongst other conditions, prior to such date:

– The aggregate value of shares acquired by TNT since the start of this buyback reaches EUR200 million;
– Ten percent of the outstanding ordinary shares have been repurchased, including any shares already held by the company.

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Coinstar, redbox take aim at c-stores

Posted by | Nov 9, 2007 | |

No longer content to place DVD-rental kiosks solely in McDonald’s restaurants and grocery stores, Coinstar and redbox announced plans to deploy more than two dozen DVD-rental kiosks in convenience stores across the United States. Coinstar plans to have 300 of the kiosks in place by the end of 2007, says Ray Taddeo, Coinstar’s regional vice president

Coinstar, which owns half of redbox along with McDonald’s, showcased the DVD-rental kiosk to convenience-store owners, distributors and retailers at the 2007 National Association of Convenience Stores trade show in Atlanta this week.

Taddeo cited high-volume traffic as the main reason Coinstar and other self-service companies are introducing themselves to the c-store industry.

“And we know that many of them are DVD renters,” Taddeo said.

Redbox is the nation’s leader in self-service DVD rentals, growing from 93,000 rentals in 2003 to more than 21 million in 2006. Now the company says it is on pace to reach 40 million rentals this year.

Coinstar, on the other hand, recently introduced a financial-services kiosk, which currently distributes prepaid cards at a handful of c-stores. Future versions of the kiosk will include a bill-payment application and money-transfer capabilities, Taddeo says.

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Savings on the rise but apathy still reigns

Posted by | Nov 9, 2007 | |

Savers across the UK could be losing out on billions of pounds in interest according to new research by the Post Office, which reveals that three in ten people have no idea what rate their savings account currently pays. Worryingly, almost half (42 per cent) of savers have always held their savings with the same company and never even looked at another provider.

As new statistics show UK household savings are up to 3.1 per cent for the second quarter of 2007, it seems that continuing financial market volatility could be putting people off more risky investments, and turning the focus towards more traditional methods of savings. But many savers aren’t maximising their savings potential and continuing to hold and pay money into accounts which deliver a poor return.

Despite 42 per cent of savers citing the interest rate as the most important factor when choosing a provider, the reality is that 39 per cent have no idea whether their provider upped its rate during the recent base rate rises – of which there were five between January 2006 and October 2007.

And with some of the most popular savings accounts paying as little as 1.05 per cent the Post Office® is urging savers to make sure they take advantage of some of the great interest rates currently available, and know their money is working as hard as it can for them.

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Palletline takes independent route to show quality

Posted by | Nov 8, 2007 | |

Palletline plc has embarked on a highly rigorous programme of independent accreditation for its members – the first ever truly independent member audit undertaken by a UK pallet distribution network.

Palletline has commissioned the Freight Transport Association to audit all of its 67 member companies across the UK on all aspects of their operations – from insurance and health and safety, to disaster recovery planning and correct usage of Palletline livery on vehicles.

The findings will from the basis of a three-level accreditation scheme with member companies set to be offered financial incentives to reach the highest standard.

The first assessments will take place in early 2008 and these will be repeated annually from then on.

This project follows on from Palletline’s recent achievement of the ISO9001:2000 quality standard.

Kevin Buchanan, Managing Director of Palletline, commented: “We already undertake highly rigorous internal quality audits, but having recently gained ISO accreditation we wanted to demonstrate further how seriously we take the issue of quality, by opening up the network to stringent and independent scrutiny by a leading industry body.

“This process will provide further reassurance to both current and prospective customers of Palletline of the quality of our members and the service on offer.

“It’s also an example of how, once again, Palletline is at the forefront of innovation and continuous improvement in the palletised freight distribution sector.”

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German Postbank records growth in a turbulent environment

Posted by | Nov 8, 2007 | |

Deutsche Postbank AG is continuing to grow. Despite intense competition in the retail banking sector and the turbulent capital market environment, Postbank increased its profit before tax for the first nine months by 24.6 pct year-on-year to EUR806 million. Adjusted for the positive impact of the disposal of the Bank’s insurance business and non-recurring effects, including the integration of BHW and the retail outlets, profit before tax increased by 8.4 pct to EUR752 million. The return on equity before taxes broke through the 20 pct barrier for the first time, increasing to 20.9 pct as of September 30, 2007 (previous year: 17.5 pct). The cost-income ratio improved to 65.5 pct (compared with 69.5 pct in the first nine months of the previous year), with the figure for the Company’s traditional banking business, i.e. excluding Transaction Banking, improving to 63.2 pct (previous year: 68.0 pct).

Postbank has only been affected by the crisis on the U.S. real estate market to a minor extent. The Bank has always applied its conservative investment principles when investing in structured credit portfolios. Postbank performed an intensive analysis of the soundness of these investments in the third quarter, on the basis of which it recognized valuation adjustments totaling EUR 61 million.

Postbank is reiterating its target of gaining around one million new customers in the current year, and remains confident that it will generate a return on equity before taxes of more than 20 pct and a cost-income ratio from traditional banking of less than 63 pct in 2008. The Bank’s aim of achieving a tier 1 capital ratio of 7.5 pct by 2009 remains unchanged.

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