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EU probes La Poste

Posted by | Oct 23, 2007 | |

European Union regulators on Tuesday began an investigation into the French government’s unlimited guarantee for La Poste, that allows the state-run postal service to borrow money on better terms than privately held rivals.

If it uncovers evidence that France is unfairly subsidizing La Poste in a way that would damage rivals, it can order Paris to end the guarantee under threat of court action and daily fines.

La Poste’s special status as a publicly owned company means it is exempt from ordinary bankruptcy and insolvency procedures and the state could ultimately be held liable for its debts.

“Because its competitors do not enjoy the same advantage, the guarantee is likely to distort competition … at a time when the postal sector is being liberalized,” the European Commission said.

France failed to obey an EU order last year to end the guarantee, regulators said. Follow-up negotiations failed to convince the EU executive that France would terminate the guarantee, they said.

La Poste’s guarantee has limits on duration or amount and is provided free of charge. It covers the basic mail delivery La Poste provides in the public interest and – with state payment – the commercial business La Poste is supposed to run without government help.

The Commission said it was not calling into question La Poste’s position governed by public law or its public ownership.

After a similar EU demand, France withdrew an unlimited guarantee in December 2003 that had been granted to Electricite de France SA.

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Royal Mail staff awaits pension details

Posted by | Oct 23, 2007 | |

Royal Mail says the Communication Workers Union (CWU) has agreed to the closure of its final salary scheme.

But the union says it has only agreed to a consultation on changes, which will then be put to a ballot of all its Royal Mail and Post Office members.

“The final details have not been decided on,” said a CWU spokeswoman.

Since the start of the year, Royal Mail has wanted to cut the cost of its huge final-salary pension scheme, which covers 160,000 staff but has a deficit of GBP 6.5 bn.

Along with changes to working practices, the closure of the existing final-salary scheme and its replacement with cheaper alternatives was at the heart of the postal service’s recent industrial dispute.

Settlement

Settled on last Monday 22nd after days of negotiations, the dispute saw tens of thousands of postal staff on strike at sorting offices and depots around the country.

There will be a ballot right across all CWU members in the Royal Mail group

CWU spokeswoman

Among the issues agreed, said the Royal Mail, were: “The union’s support for the company’s overall proposed pension reform.”

“Royal Mail’s proposals include closing the final salary scheme to new members from 31 January 2008 and replacing it with a Defined Contribution scheme [and] introducing a Career Average Defined Benefit scheme for our existing employees from 1 April 2008,” it added.

However, a spokeswoman for the CWU said the union was annoyed its stance had been misrepresented.

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FedEx to launch commercial hybrid-electric vans in Europe

Posted by | Oct 23, 2007 | |

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. today announced plans to introduce 10 hybrid-electric/diesel vehicles to its European fleet, bringing the worldwide total of hybrid vehicles in revenue service at FedEx to more than 100 in North America, Asia and, now, Europe.

The vans, manufactured by Iveco, will initially be trialed close to the manufacturer’s site in Turin, Italy, and will be the first hybrid-electric/diesel vehicles operated by FedEx in Europe. FedEx currently operates hybrid vehicles in the U.S., Canada and Japan.

The van and the hardware that enables the vehicle to operate on both electric and diesel systems will be unveiled at the European Road Transport Show in Amsterdam, Oct. 24 through Nov. 3, 2007.

In 2004, FedEx Express introduced the FedEx OptiFleet E700, an environmentally-superior delivery truck, into its delivery fleet. FedEx now has 95 hybrid-electric vehicles in service worldwide that have traveled more than one million miles, and has the largest fleet of hybrid-electric delivery vehicles of any transportation company within the United States.

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DHL Express France launches Pharmaplus for health industry

Posted by | Oct 23, 2007 | |

DHL Express has launched a new product range and service in France called “DHL Pharmaplus” to ensure faster transportation of pharmaceutical products.

The new service offers mass delivery of shipments for wholesalers, distributors or pharmacies, along with express transport of temperature-controlled samples to destinations around the world, DHL France said in a statement.

DHL Pharmaplus provides specific solutions for the health sector, including:
* Clinical samples via international air express
* Transportation of shipments and full loads within France and across Europe
* Distribution of pharmaceutical products by express parcel
* The DHL Pharmadesk customer service for tracking all pharmaceutical shipments

Based on cooperation with pharmaceutical laboratories, DHL Pharmaplus corresponds to the sector’s logistics demands in terms of research and development, production, distribution and customer service, DHL claimed.

Patrick Aguirregaviria, director general of DHL Express France’s express parcels business, pointed out: “With DHL Pharmaplus we have proved to the pharmaceuticals industry but also to the whole market that we know how to integrate specific demands of a market and to adapt our means to help our customers respond to them.”

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Loukas Rizos to resign from Postbank's Management Board in Germany

Posted by | Oct 23, 2007 | |

Loukas Rizos, member of the Management Board responsible for financial markets at Deutsche Postbank AG, is exercising his contractual right and will leave the bank on June 30, 2008, to take on a new responsibility at another financial institution.

Postbank’s Supervisory Board and Management Board regret this move. The company will name a suitable successor by the above-mentioned date.

Mr Rizos has been with the bank since 2000. His responsibilities include the treasury, dealings, and consortium business. He is responsible for Postbank’s investment policy and, as chairman of the administrative board, the business of the Luxembourg subsidiary.

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Deutsche Post to introduce electronic forwarding for German corporate mail

Posted by | Oct 23, 2007 | |

Deutsche Post World Net AG plans to implement the business model of its UK unit Williams Lea in Germany under which it scans and electronically forwards corporate customers’ mail, said chief executive Klaus Zumwinkel.

Zumwinkel told Focus Money in an interview to be published tomorrow that the new offering will be part of the in-house service Deutsche Post operates for corporate customers.

Deutsche Post is under pressure to commit corporate customers to its services as its monopoly on mail below 50g ends Jan 1, 2008.

Meanwhile, Zumwinkel declined to rule out extending his contract as CEO which ends in Nov 2008. According to press reports, it is believed his successor is already being lined up.

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FedEx hub on schedule for 2009 opening

Posted by | Oct 23, 2007 | |

The FedEx hub at Piedmont Triad International Airport is on schedule to open in 2009, and recruiting teams will be looking for workers by next summer, a top company official said Tuesday.

FedEx is also attracting new business to the area already, said David Bronczek, President and Chief Executive officer of FedEx Express, which represents 75 percent of FedEx Corp.’s business and is responsible for the regional hub here.

PTI’s package sorting hub will be similar to the FedEx hub in Indianapolis, which is surrounded by warehouses and businesses, Bronczek told a group of business leaders at the UNCG Business Summit symposium.

Dell, for example, which operates a computer assembly plant in Forsyth County, is the “tip of the iceberg,” he said.

Many companies are eager to be near FedEx. For instance, high-end luggage maker Louis Vuitton is sure to locate here, he said.

“They’re shipping in high-value container systems and for them it really doesn’t matter what the cost is,” Bronczek said.

Bronczek, who refused media interviews at the event, said the hub is on target to open summer of 2009.

FedEx wanted to open the hub a year ago, he said, but community lawsuits seeking to block the hub and delays with environmental and noise studies held it back.

“The problem is that we were late,” Bronczek told the group. “We would like to have been here two or three years earlier and it’s never happened to us before.

Bronczek said FedEx will set up several permanent recruiting teams for workers.

“The whole system will be set up within the next 12 months,” Bronczek.

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Leading retailer signs renewal with DHL

Posted by | Oct 23, 2007 | |

DHL Exel Supply Chain has agreed to sign a GBP 100 million contract renewal for a further five years with TK Maxx, the retailer offering famous designer brands at up to 60 percent lower prices. A subsidiary of the US-based TJX Companies Inc., TK Maxx has stated that this is the largest and longest contract it has ever signed.

The contract extends TK Maxx’s activities with DHL’s specialist Department Stores and Fashion team beyond its existing operations into a partnership that will support the retailer’s key growth strategy in the UK and Europe through a continually enhanced transport network.

The “green” challenge has played a fundamental role in the contract, which contains a specific clause stipulating both companies must work together to achieve key environmental and social responsibility goals. TK Maxx and DHL will be working in partnership to deliver an efficient operation, whilst reducing vehicle movement, fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

DHL has managed a dedicated transport operation for TK Maxx in the UK since 1994, and during that time has seen the number of stores increase from the original two to 213. Since May 1, 2007, as part of the expansion plans, DHL has begun operating two Cross Dock Centers (CDCs) at Hatfield and Rochdale on behalf of TK Maxx. The number of CDCs is set to increase to nine, in order to support new store openings over the next five years, and transport operations will continue to deliver TK Maxx fashion apparel, home wares and accessories to all stores in the UK and Ireland.

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