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La Poste heads for higher 2007 profits as express and parcels grow

Posted by | Sep 26, 2007 | |

The French postal operator Groupe La Poste is on course for a double-digit rise in operating profits this year thanks to good growth for its express and parcels businesses and stable mail activities. Changes are meanwhile taking place at subsidiaries Chronopost and Europe Airpost.

The group announced that it achieved a half-year operating profit of EUR 829 million on revenues up 3.7 pct at EUR 10.5 billion (on a like-for-like comparison). Net profits ended at EUR 504 million.

La Poste stated that the results are “in line” with its planning targets, and reiterated its aim of achieving a 12 pct rise in operating profits and a 5.8 pct operating profit margin this year. It invested EUR 590 million in the half-year, including EUR 105 million for express acquisitions.

The mail business increased half-year revenues by 2.6 pct to EUR 5.95 billion. Volumes were “virtually stable” compared to the general downward trend in mail traffic across Europe, while revenues benefited from new direct marketing customers and added-value products for consumers, La Poste pointed out.

The express division (GeoPost) increased revenues by 8.4 pct (6.4 pct on a like-for-like basis) to EUR 1.54 billion. GeoPost continued its international expansion in the first half-year, including acquisitions of 50pct in South African company Laser and 25 pct in Turkey’s Yurtici Kargo, La Poste stated. The French domestic parcels business (ColiPoste) increased revenues by 6.5pct to EUR 646 million thanks to a surge in e-commerce business.

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USPS aggressive financial plan gets Board of Governors approval

Posted by | Sep 26, 2007 | |

The Postal Service Board of Governors today approved an aggressive 2008 financial plan for the U.S. Postal Service that includes USD 1 billion in cost savings and puts its expense growth lower than inflation.
The Postal Service’s operating, capital and financing plans for the new fiscal year, known as the Integrated Financial Plan (IFP), project expense growth below the assumed increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the most commonly used benchmark for inflation.
Those projections do not assume any price changes for postal products and services over the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The Board of Governors has not made a decision on future prices but applauded the Postal Regulatory Commission for being well ahead of schedule with its recommendations on the new rate regulations.
The IFP projects revenue of USD 78.2 billion and expenses of USD 78.8 billion in fiscal 2008, for a net loss of USD 600 million. The financial plan is significantly affected by the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (the Postal Act of 2006), as are finances in the current fiscal year.

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New offices in Kaliningrad and at Domodedovo Schindellegi for Kuehne and Nagel

Posted by | Sep 26, 2007 | |

With the opening of a branch in Kaliningrad and an airfreight office at Moscow Domodedovo International Airport, Kuehne + Nagel is continuing its expansion course in Russia.

Kaliningrad is an important import route into mainland Russia. With its yearround ice free port, the exclave offers interesting logistics potential. Kuehne + Nagel’s new branch office will initially focus on offering seafreight services. In the course of next year, the portfolio will be expanded to include overland, warehousing and airfreight solutions.

Kuehne + Nagel has also opened a new airfreight office at Moscow Domodedovo (DME), the country’s largest and most important airport. Located on the premises of the cargo terminal, customers are offered the full scope of airfreight import, export and transit services, including Kuehne + Nagel’s new Cargo 2000 based airfreight products, as well as comprehensive customs services.

Clemens Abt, Regional Manager North East Europe and Managing Director of Kuehne + Nagel in Russia: “The opening of these two new locations is a further step in our strategy of establishing a logistics network across Russia to ever better support our customers in developing this dynamic market.”

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Post Office to trial Mortgages

Posted by | Sep 26, 2007 | |

The Post Office today announced it will be trialing mortgages at selected branches in the North.

The trial follows a succession of well-received financial product launches by the Post Office which is now the fastest growing financial services provider in the UK. It has already attracted more than one million customers with its easy to understand and good value products.

As the mortgage market becomes ever more complex, the Post Office is investigating the need for straightforward mortgages with good initial and long term value and no hidden charges.

Three mortgage products will be available during the trial, led by a three year fixed rate product with an initial rate of 6.09 pct. Each of the products will have a transparent pricing structure, including a low cost fixed arrangement fee of GBP 399, no higher lending charges and a competitive reversion rate.

Post Office Mortgages are provided in conjunction with Bristol and West, the Bank of Ireland’s lending arm. As a responsible lender, the Post Office will apply strict lending criteria and enforce appropriate checks before an offer is made.

The products are as follows, led by a market leading three-year fixed rate mortgage with an initial rate of 6.09 pct.

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Epostmarks Introduces PostmarkedEmail to Global Postal Industry

Posted by | Sep 26, 2007 | |

Epostmarks announced today the executive team’s planned attendance at Post-Expo 2007 in Barcelona, Spain on October 2, 3, and 4 to introduce PostmarkedEmail, a new class of email that brings the trust of your mailbox to your inbox. PostmarkedEmail is an email authentication solution that combines technology with the brand power, legal significance, and enforcement capabilities of Posts throughout the world to help businesses recover the email channel.

Initially launched in the United States in partnership with the US Postal Service, PostmarkedEmail utilizes the Electronic Postmark® (EPM®) – known outside of the US as an Electronic Postal Certification Mark (EPCM) – to bring postal authority and trust to email. This unique offering provides guaranteed delivery of messages, proof of delivery, and a trusted icon in the inbox that signals to the user that the email is legitimate and safe to open. PostmarkedEmail provides proof of sender identity, message integrity, and sender reputation in one integrated solution.

At Post-Expo, Epostmarks is looking to expand internationally by partnering with posts, postal partners, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and email service providers (ESPs) worldwide. Posts in several countries already offer electronic registered mail or e-billing systems protected by the EPCM, and others have expressed serious interest in developing EPCM programs that will further expand our potential market. PostmarkedEmail enhances these systems by adding guaranteed delivery to the customer’s existing email inbox. Using PostmarkedEmail, posts are able to expand their service offerings to penetrate the lucrative transactional email and marketing email segments.

In addition to exhibiting PostmarkedEmail for the first time, the executive team is scheduled to participate in workgroups covering the modern postal brand, postal business strategies, and going digital.

“We have a strong partnership with the US Postal Service, and hope to lay the groundwork for partnerships with posts from around the world at this event,” says Jason Curtis.

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It's back in line for post office users in the USA

Posted by | Sep 26, 2007 | |

Accustomed to bypassing the main U.S. Post Office’s long waiting line, Suzi McKeen was dumbfounded to learn that her reliable Automated Postal Center had disappeared.

“I had to stand 20 minutes in line to conduct business that would have taken me five minutes at the kiosk,” the Salisbury resident said. “Now I have to stand on my feet or sit in my car pumping pollution into the air while I wait for service.”

The U.S. Postal Service joined the “self-service” bandwagon a few years ago by installing thousands of free-standing kiosks known as APCs. Similar to an ATM, many are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to enable customers to weigh and mail letters and purchase stamps quickly.

The U.S. Post Office on Route 50 decided to remove their ACP because customers weren’t using the machine enough to meet the standard USD 400 a day income, said Freda Sauter, U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman for the Baltimore district.

“Customers prefer to use cash at the vending machines to buy stamps,” Sauter said.

The APC accepts credit and debit cards, and does everything short of face-to-face transactions, including dispensing stamps, weighing packages and calculating postage for express, priority and first class mail and parcel post items, according to the U.S. Postal Service’s Web site. The APC also provides mailing information, ZIP code lookup and delivery confirmation services.

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Saudi Arabia forms new direct mailing company

Posted by | Sep 26, 2007 | |

A new company called Shaher, specializing in direct mail, has been formed in Saudi Arabia.

Mohammed Benten, president of Saudi Post, said in his keynote address to the direct mail forum held in Riyadh recently, which was the first time for such a meet in Saudi Arabia. said that the industry is growing. Saudi Post has installed nearly 2.5 million mail boxes, although observers claim that about 70 per cent of these have been vandalized.

Organized jointly by the Saudi Post (SP), Saudi Research & Marketing Group (SRMG) and Direct Mail Services (DSM), the event was attended by some 250 participants who included foreign direct mail experts, corporate leaders and company representatives from various sectors.

The organizers announced their close cooperation and strategic partnership to enhance the direct mail industry in Saudi Arabia and the formation of Shaher.

Prince Faisal bin Salman, SRMG chairman, said that the introduction of Shaher was a perfect example of the potential growth for the Saudi market. Shaher will focus on constructing and developing an advanced direct mail industry supporting organisations using advertising mail campaigns and direct marketing.

Hamidaddin, Hamidaddin, CEO of DSM, said that direct mail is a much more sophisticated form of communication between consumers and marketers. “With the establishment of Shaher, companies will have the means to tap into the emerging direct mail industry. Shaher will provide them with all the tools and know-how to make the job much easier for business,” he said.

Topics discussed at the forum included ‘Direct Mail, a Strategic Tool in Direct Marketing’, ‘How DM Increases Brand Perception, Sales Activation and Loyalty Building,’ ‘What to Test in DM,’ and ‘How to Run a DM Campaign.’

Direct mail experts from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Poland and Saudi Arabia shared their experience and knowledge on direct mail.

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Rampant speculation over possible Salvesen takeover

Posted by | Sep 26, 2007 | |

Industry speculation is rife over the identity of two potential bidders for Christian Salvesen, following the company’s statement that it has been approached regarding a possible takeover.

While the absence of any confirmation from companies within the transport & logistics sector has fuelled market speculation that the interested parties may be private equity companies, analysts have suggested that Wincanton, Deutsche Bahn, Kuehne+Nagel, Norbert Dentressangle or Salvesen’s JV partner, APL, could be in the running.

The UK-based logistics company also has operations in Belgium, France, Holland, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

Christian Salvesen has, in the past, rejected suggestions of merger propositions, although the company’s financial performance has been hit by increasing competition in a market steeped in M&A activity.

In June, the company agreed to sell its frozen vegetable business for GBP 17.2 million.

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