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Interview – Cologne seeks to defend status as Europe's top express airport

Posted by | Aug 8, 2007 | |

Cologne/Bonn Airport is determined to defend its position as Europe’s leading airport for express cargo despite the move of DHL to Leipzig, managing director Michael Garvens told CEP-Research in an interview. Integrators and low-cost passenger airlines will remain the two core businesses in the future, he said.

Cologne/Bonn, with some 700,000 tones of air freight in 2006, is Germany’s second-largest cargo airport behind Frankfurt but the largest for express traffic due to the UPS European air hub and DHL’s night flight hub. This year it is expecting to grow to about 740,000 tones.

Cologne, with rapid access to Germany’s main export region of North Rhine-Westphalia, had a much better location than Leipzig, he noted. “Integrators are close to their customers in Cologne,” he declared.

The relocation of DHL and Lufthansa Cargo flights to Leipzig later this year and during early 2008 will mean the loss of some 215,000 tones of freight and some EUR 20 million in revenues. DHL, which will close down its larger European hub at Brussels next year, expects to handle some 700,000 tones a year at its new European express hub at Leipzig, which is due to go into service in August 2008.

The relocation of FedEx’s Central and Eastern European hub from Frankfurt to Cologne in 2010 will compensate for about one-third of the lost DHL tonnage. This will enable the airport to grow from about 550,000 tones to well over 600,000 tones in annual volumes that year.

Cologne/Bonn generates about 40 pct of its revenues, which grew to EUR 256 million last year, from freight, and expects to maintain this share in the future.

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Nigeria: With free enterprise, the postal sector can compete with telecom

Posted by | Aug 8, 2007 | |

IS modern technology a threat to traditional postal service providers? Well, Mallam Ibrahim Mori Baba, Post Master-General and CEO of the Nigeria Postal Services, (NiPOST) thinks so, but believes the post remains a vital ingredient of communication in modern business enterprise.

In a bid to get the Nigerian postal system in sync with modern business trends, the government is in the process of enacting a new Postal Reforms Bill that would apparently give the body greater authority and control in the business of mails delivery. Private courier providers already see the new bill as a threat to their corporate existence, although details of the new bill still with the National Assembly since the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, have not been officially made public.

Mr. Isaac Orolugbagbe, former Chief Executive of Red Star Express (FedEx) believes the new reforms policy bill is a way to the total annihilation of private investment.

Mr. Orolugbagbe believes that like the telecom reforms in the early days of President Obasanjo’s government that now allows Nigerians to make telephone calls so easily, the postal sector too could rake in good fortunes for the country. He noted that reforms in the telecom sector have brought about huge Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country.

Initially, the government of President Obasanjo had hoped to commercial NiPOST, but the agency charged with the responsibility, Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE deferred that operation, opting rather for outright privatisation.

Mr. Orolugbagbe, believes his greatest achievements as Chief Executive was moving the company from annual revenue base of N 250 million in 1997 to over N 2 billion in 10 years. He noted that the company started with a share capital base of N 3 million in 1992. “The company actually needed N 60 million to start operation, but at the end we just made do with N 3m and today, it is now a household name.”

Red Star recently entered into working alliance with the American Federal Express (FedEx) courier boosting its annual financial statement with additional USD 3 million.

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USPS: Postal service performance scores at record levels

Posted by | Aug 8, 2007 | |

National on-time performance scores for the delivery of First-Class Mail were at all-time highs in the third quarter of fiscal year 2007 for all three of the categories the Postal Service tracks. Overnight service was 96 percent on-time, up from 95 percent the same period last year. Two-day service was 93 percent on-time and three-day service was 91 percent on-time.

First-Class Mail performance, presented today during the Postal Service Board of Governors meeting, is measured independently by IBM Global Business Services. The process measures First-Class Mail from the time it is deposited into a collection box or lobby mail chute until it is delivered to a home or business.

Five Postal Service districts led the nation with a 97 percent on-time score for overnight delivery. They are the Dakotas (comprised of North and South Dakota and northwest Minnesota), Greensboro, (the northern and eastern part of North Carolina), Big Sky (the state of Montana), Louisiana, and Northland (most of Minnesota and part of Wisconsin).

During the same period, national residential customer satisfaction was at 92 percent, as measured by the Gallup Organization. Eight Postal Service districts earned scores of 96 percent or better for customer satisfaction. They are Albany (comprised of the northern, eastern and central portions of New York state), Maine, Southeast Michigan, Massachusetts, Western New York (including Buffalo and Rochester), Greater Michigan, Dakotas, and Hawkeye (most of Iowa and the Quad-City communities of Illinois).

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United States Postal Service Extends Exclusive Contract with RELM Wireless

Posted by | Aug 8, 2007 | |

RELM Wireless Corporation today announced that its exclusive supply contract with the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been extended for a second time through July 14, 2008.

The original contract, executed in July 2005, was for one year and has two remaining one-year renewals at the option of the USPS. Under the terms of the contract, RELM Wireless became the exclusive provider of two-way portable radios and accessories to USPS installations throughout the United States and its territories and possessions, including main and associate post offices, administrative offices, training and technical centers, and headquarters. Structured as an exclusive requirements contract, all USPS two-way radio requirements in these categories are provided by RELM. The contract does not specify purchase dates or quantities of equipment, and is terminable by either party upon 180 days’ written notice.

RELM President and CEO David Storey commented, “We have effectively supported the two-way radio communication needs of the United States Postal Service for over two years. We are committed to further expand this very important relationship.”

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PIN Group acquires postal firms in Central Germany

Posted by | Aug 7, 2007 | |

Mail firm PIN Group has expanded its network in Central Germany with the acquisition of three postal delivery subsidiaries of the publishing group Ippen-Verlagsgruppe.

PIN has acquired HNA Postlogistik in Kassel, part of the Ippen-owned local newspaper “ Hessische/ Niedersächsische Allgemeine”. Founded in 2002, HNA Postlogistik delivers all over North Hessen. PIN has also acquired a separate Ippen-owned postal firm in nearby Bad Hersfeld.

In Westphalia, PIN has bought PSW Post Service Westfalen from the Ippen-owned Westfälischen Anzeiger newspaper group. Based in Hamm, PSW delivers in the surrounding region, including Hamm, Unna, Soest and Lippstadt.

“With the acquisition of the postal businesses of the Ippen-Verlagsgruppe in Hamm, Kassel and Bad Hersfeld we are strengthening our activities in Hessen and North Rhine-Westphalia,” said Günter Thiel, PIN Group chief executive.

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United States Postal Service Extends Exclusive Contract With RELM Wireless

Posted by | Aug 7, 2007 | |

RELM Wireless Corporation today announced that its exclusive supply agreement with the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been extended through July 14, 2007.

The original contract, executed in July 2005, was for one year and included four one-year renewals. Under the terms of the agreement, RELM Wireless became the exclusive provider of two-way portable radios and accessories to USPS installations throughout the United States and its territories and possessions, including main and associate post offices, administrative offices, training and technical centers, and headquarters. Structured as an exclusive requirements contract, all USPS two-way radio requirements in these categories are provided by RELM.

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TNT Express carries millions of shipments for German manufacturer

Posted by | Aug 7, 2007 | |

TNT Express has transported its millionth shipment from German machine parts manufacturer Heidenhain which has used the express company for the past 24 years.

After initially having 1,500 shipments from Heidenhain in 1983, TNT Express’ Munich branch today handles some 75,000 shipments a year, or an average of 340 shipments with about 700 parcels a day, representing 1,800 tonnes per year, the express operator announced.

Heidenhain develops and manufactures linear encoders, angular encoders, rotary encoders, digital readouts, and numerical controls, and delivers its products to manufacturers of machine tools and manufacturers of automated facilities and machines, especially for semiconductor and electronics manufacturing. Most products are manufactured in Germany and about 40 pct of its shipments are international.

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