Author: Archive

UPS board names Director

Posted by | Aug 29, 2007 | |

F. Duane Ackerman, the former Chairman and CEO of BellSouth, today was named to the Board of Directors of UPS.

Ackerman, 65, will serve on the board until the next UPS annual shareowners’ meeting in May 2008, at which time he is expected to stand for election to a regular one-year term. After his appointment today, Ackerman was named to the Compensation Committee during a regularly scheduled Board meeting here.

Ackerman, a native of Plant City, Fla., spent more than 40 years in the telecommunications industry before retiring in March following BellSouth’s merger with AT&T. Ackerman began his career in 1964 and in 1992, was named president and chief executive officer of BellSouth Telecommunications, BellSouth’s local telephone service unit and largest subsidiary. He was promoted to vice chairman and chief operating officer of the parent company on Jan. 1, 1995, then was elevated to the position of president and CEO of BellSouth on Jan. 1, 1997. A year later, he also became chairman.

Ackerman is a member of the Board of Directors of The Allstate Corp. and also serves on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. He is a trustee of Rollins College and has served on the Board of Governors of the Society of Sloan Fellows of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Swiss Post half-yearly 2007 result

Posted by | Aug 29, 2007 | |

In the first half of 2007, Swiss Post generated Group profit of 507 million Swiss francs – up 72 million francs on the first half of the previous year. The increase was caused by real estate sales and a strong operating performance. Almost all units contributed to the positive result, but performance was mixed. From today’s standpoint, Swiss Post expects its full-year result for 2007 to be better than the previous year.

Swiss Post turned in another good result in the first half of 2007. At 507 million francs, Group profit was up by 72 million francs on the previous year’s first-half result of 435 million francs. The increase is attributable both to operating performance and to the sale of real estate not required for business operations. Operating income rose to 4,300 million francs (3,796 million francs in the first half of 2006).

While almost all Group units contributed to the positive Group result, performance was mixed. At PostMail, the decline in volumes of addressed letters continued on a significant scale, with a fall of 1.2 pct from the first half of 2007. By contrast, the positive economic conditions led to a 2.3 pct increase in unaddressed mailings and a 1.5pct increase in newspaper deliveries. One-off expenses in connection with the modernization of letter processing operations (REMA project) led to a decrease in the operating result of 54 million francs to 146 million francs. As a result of higher costs, PostLogistics posted a slightly lower operating result of 45 million francs (first half of 2006: 54 million francs).

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An Post sustains improved service quality

Posted by | Aug 29, 2007 | |

An Post welcomes the release of the latest ComReg monitor for the second quarter of this year. The results show that An Post sustained its improved service level of 78 per cent during the April – June period. This represents a five per cent increase on the same period last year.

This is further evidence of the company’s determination to drive up mails service quality, whilst handling increasing volumes of letter and parcel mail. International Postal Corporation (IPC) figures for the first half of this year show that An Post has achieved an eight per cent year-on-year improvement on next-day delivery of inbound international mail – up to 92.5 per cent from 84.5 per cent in 2006.

An Post Chief Executive, Donal Connell said the company is continuing its drive to improve service quality. “We are fully committed to reaching our interim target of 80 per cent next-day delivery this year and to achieving our target of 94 per cent within three years,” he said.

A quality improvement programme instituted in the second half of 2006 comprises a range of measures including improved systems of resource planning across the company’s processing, collection and delivery operations; the completion of internal Change programmes: improved internal communications and significant investment in the company fleet. This is set to continue countrywide, with particular focus on ensuring consistent mails collection times in urban and rural areas.

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Australia Post defends current pay offer

Posted by | Aug 29, 2007 | |

Australia Post says its 12 per cent pay offer to postal workers is generous, rejecting unions claims that it fails to keep up with CPI.

Australia Post said it was offering a 12 per cent pay increase over two and a half years, plus a one-off USD 500 performance bonus to workers under a new enterprise bargaining agreement.

Australia Post spokesman Rod McDonald said the agreement also locked in all existing award entitlements and conditions.

The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) has rejected Australia Post’s offer and lodged an official application with the Australian Industrial Commission (AIRC) in Sydney for a secret ballot of members on an industrial campaign in support of more pay.

CEPU federal secretary Ed Husic said the AIRC would on Thursday hold a hearing to process the application for a secret ballot.

Mr Husic said the ballot, if approved, would be conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission with union members voting via a postal ballot.

Australia Post said that it would encourage staff to vote against strike action if such a ballot took place.

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Postcomm agrees to Royal Mail stopping Sunday collections

Posted by | Aug 29, 2007 | |

Postcomm has published its agreement to Royal Mail’s request to stop collecting post from post boxes and businesses on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The document is available here.

The agreement is subject to several customer safeguards which Postwatch suggested, and which have been agreed by Royal Mail:

– Royal Mail will communicate the changes to customers, through placing notices on postboxes and at Crown post offices where Sunday/bank holidays collections take place, as well as contacting the 50 businesses that currently receive a tailored Sunday collection service.

– Collection plate information will be amended.

– Post boxes in areas of high usage will be monitored and emptied if there is a risk of overflowing.

Postwatch accepts that some customers will be inconvenienced by the change. However, given the low volumes of Sunday collections and the relatively high cost of the service, on balance, we believe this move is justified, insofar as it will help reduce Royal Mail’s costs and ensure the universal service continues to be delivered at an affordable price.

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TNT's long-term rating lowered to 'BBB+' after continued share buybacks

Posted by | Aug 29, 2007 | |

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said it has lowered its long-term corporate credit rating on The Netherlands-based mail group TNT NV to ‘BBB+’ from ‘A-‘, owing to the group’s more aggressive financial policy through continued share buybacks.

S&P said it affirmed the ‘A-2’ short-term rating, adding that the outlook is stable.

‘Although credit protection measures are in the upper range of the new rating category, with adjusted funds from operations to debt, including operating leases and unfunded pensions, of about 35 pct for the 12 months ended June 2007, they are expected to deteriorate slightly over the next few quarters due to the additional share buybacks of 500 mln eur and the company’s willingness to further invest in its network,’ S&P’s credit analyst Eve Greb said.

The ratings agency said the stable outlook reflects its expectation that TNT will complete its existing share-buyback programs, as well as the newly announced additional buyback program for 500 mln eur by mid-year 2008.

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UK Home Delivery and Fulfilment 2007

Posted by | Aug 29, 2007 | |

UK Home Delivery and Fulfilment 2007 is a new report published by Verdict that offers a unique insight into the home delivery retail market. It includes comprehensive consumer research analysing the demographic profile of home delivery shoppers, delivery frequency, motivations for using home delivery, ordering methods and satisfaction. The report also provides market value, growth and penetration data for the four leading home delivery channels – mail order, e-retail, TV shopping and store-based deliveries.

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Business & Investment: DHL launches Import Express website

Posted by | Aug 29, 2007 | |

DHL has recently launched Import Express On-line, a website that automates and supports the importation of products, a company source said on August 15

The web-based service is part of DHL Express’s continuing efforts to enhance the features of Import Express, one of its fastest-growing productions in Vietnam

Product users will have the simplicity and control of one point of contact, one fixed price, and one invoice in local currency for all their door-to-door import requirements, originating from over 210 countries

With annual revenues of nearly EUR 24.5 billion in 2004, DHL, 100 pct owned by Deutsche Post World Net, offers innovative and customized solutions from a single source

DHL’s international network links more than 220 countries and territories worldwide thanks to its customer network of 4.2 million. Over 170,000 employees are dedicated to providing fast and reliable services that exceed customers’ expectations in 120,000 destinations in all continents.

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