Author: Archive

UPS introduces new way to manage urgent shipments

Posted by | Jul 25, 2007 | |

UPS announced the launch of UPS Express Criticalsm, a service that meshes all of UPS’s same-day and urgent capabilities into a single suite, allowing customers to more effectively manage package and heavy freight shipments together.

For the first time in the industry, customers have a single point of contact regardless of whether they’re shipping a small package or a 1,000 pound machine part – air or ground, domestic or international. Customers now have a single call center, one bill and one Website to manifest and track their truly urgent shipments.

A single “touch point” for all urgent shipping is a convenience UPS has worked to provide by meshing the capabilities of UPS SonicAir, the UPS Airlines and UPS Freight. UPS has access to virtually any type of aircraft or vehicle around the world – both those in its own fleets and those of vendors – meaning customers have a variety of time options, specialized equipment, communication systems, advanced tracking and worldwide reach to meet their needs.

UPS Express Critical likewise makes billing simple, allowing package shippers to bill their freight shipments on their package account and vice versa.

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ASTAR withdraws indication of interest for ABX Air

Posted by | Jul 25, 2007 | |

John Dasburg, the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of ASTAR Air Cargo Holdings, LLC sent the following letter to the board of directors of ABX Air, Inc. in response to a letter received on July 24, 2007 from Joseph C. Hete, President and Chief Executive Officer of ABX Air:

July 25, 2007

ABX Air, Inc. Board of Directors
c/o W. Joseph Payne, Secretary
145 Hunter Drive
Wilmington, Ohio 45177

Gentlemen:

On July 24, 2007, Joseph Hete informed me that ABX Air’s board of directors and management, having consulted with its advisors regarding ASTAR’s USD 7.75 per share indication of interest, have determined not to proceed.

ASTAR believes that the USD 7.75 per share amount reflects a full and fair price and is generous to the shareholders of ABX Air in the absence of a transaction with ASTAR. In light of your response, as reported in Mr. Hete’s letter, our board of directors has unanimously determined to pursue other alternatives and we are, therefore, withdrawing our indication of interest.

Very truly yours,

John H. Dasburg

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Postal Co. extends Western Union pact

Posted by | Jul 25, 2007 | |

The Israel Postal Company and Western Union, a leading provider of global money transfer services, said last Tuesday 24th they extended their cooperation agreement under which Western Union money transfers have been available at over 500 post office branches around the country for the last 15 years.

“The Israel Postal Company provides a wide range of services to a large base of customers. The loyalty of our customers is due to a high level of customer satisfaction with the post and with the Western Union Money Transfer service, which we are very proud of being able to offer exclusively in Israel,” said Baruch Tepper, Postal Bank director.

Together with its affiliates, Orlandi Valuta and Vigo, Western Union provides consumers with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, as well as send payments and make purchases.

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GCC postal depts to benefit from joint contract

Posted by | Jul 24, 2007 | |

Postal corporations in the GCC hope to save up to 25 per cent as they jointly awarded a contract to supply plastic bags and envelopes to a Saudi Arabian company. A joint regional committee set up under the auspices of the GCC Secretariat General decided the procurement of these supplies after a bidding process in which many regional firms took part.

The Saudi company won the contract. The products to be supplied match international standards. The joint committee was headed by Qatar.

Qatar Post’s head of finance, Jassem Al Suwaidi, presided over the meet. Kuwait did not attend it.

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Work 5 years longer or your pension is cut

Posted by | Jul 24, 2007 | |

Royal Mail workers will have their pensions slashed unless they work five years longer under secret plans revealed by the Mirror today.

The move would cost staff members thousands of pounds a year. Some could see their retirement pay halved.

In addition the posties’ final salary scheme would be closed to new members from next year.

Last night, on the eve of two weeks of pay strikes, union leaders vowed to fight the “hammer blow” proposals.

Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said: “This is a savage attack on pay and conditions.

“Our members aren’t going to roll over and accept this. It will only galvanise support for strike action.”

The radical plans – which would hit workers at Royal Mail, Post Office and Parcelforce Worldwide – are in a 24 page document leaked to the Mirror.

They are designed to tackle a GBP 6billion shortfall in the pension fund by saving GBP 1.5billion over five years.

The age staff could retire with full pensions would be raised from 60 to 62 next year and 65 from 2010.

Future rises in pensionable pay would be capped at the inflation rate.

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Royal Mail loses bid to bring in zonal pricing

Posted by | Jul 24, 2007 | |

Royal Mail’s hopes of boosting flagging profits by shaking up its charging structure were dealt a blow yesterday, when the regulator threw out its plans for zonal pricing.

Postcomm said it would reject Royal Mail’s proposal to charge according to the costs of delivering in certain areas because it would be “discriminatory”.

Rivals to the postal group complained that the plan would enable it to price them out of the market because it could lead prices down in lucrative, city centre locations. Consumers also feared that services to rural areas would suffer as Royal Mail charged more for going there.

Only business customers would have been affected by a switch to zonal pricing.

This was the cornerstone of its moves to increase competitiveness as it faces more rivals and a declining postal market. The group has also asked for rises in the price of stamps for domestic mail.

Nigel Stapleton, Postcomm chairman, said: “We are proposing to reject Royal Mail’s application mainly because it has put forward a pricing structure that appears to have a number of discriminatory features and would have been introduced in a way that would lead to unreasonable changes for customers.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We are disappointed at the decision. This was a proposal that only affected large business users.”

Postcomm will next month publish a report setting out its objections to zonal pricing, after which there has to be a two-month consultation. But the rejection will be backed by Royal Mail’s customers so is unlikely to be reversed.

The regulator will also soon adjudicate in a row between Royal Mail and its rivals over the amount the state operator can charge competitors to use its infrastructure for the last mile delivery. Rivals say it is charging too much so they cannot make a sufficient margin, while it says it does not make enough profit on the arrangement.

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UK postal workers fury over pensions stitch up

Posted by | Jul 24, 2007 | |

Unions have accused the Royal Mail of a “stitch up” over leaked proposals to cut workers’ pensions.

The Daily Mirror reports it has seen a 24-page document on plans to tackle a GBP 6 billion shortfall in the pension fund.

Under the shake-up the final salary pension scheme could be closed to new members from next year and the age at which staff can retire with a full pension will be raised from 60 to 65 in 2010.

Union leaders vowed to fight the proposals, which would affect workers at Royal Mail, Post Office and Parcelforce Worldwide.

Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, told the Mirror the plan was a “stitch up”.

He said: “This is a savage attack on pay and conditions. Our members aren’t going to roll over and accept this.

“It will only galvanise support for strike action. It’s a stitch up. They may say they’re consulting but that’s a charade.

“It’s clear from the work in producing these plans that they’re determined to drive them through.”

The leaked document stresses no formal decision has been made and the proposals are designed to form a consultation basis.

According to the newspaper, the document says: “These changes would gradually reduce the Royal Mail’s overall pension costs and therefore reduce the future risk to our business, jobs and existing pensions.”

Future rises in pensionable pay for the company’s 167,000 workers would be capped at the inflation rate and lump sum payments on retirement would also be hit.

A Royal Mail spokesman said no decision has been made on the future of the pension scheme.

He said: “Royal Mail said very clearly earlier this year that it would be consulting on the future of the pension scheme for both new recruits and existing members but no decisions have yet been taken as we have not even begun the formal consultation.”

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New US 13-ounce mail rule to take effect

Posted by | Jul 24, 2007 | |

A new Postal Service rule goes into effect next week for packages and envelopes that weigh more than 13 ounces, if they’re being mailed with only stamps as postage at a location other than a Post Office retail service counter.

Starting Monday, July 30, customers can use one of several convenient online postage applications — available 24/7 — or an Automated Postal Center, if they wish to mail items that weigh more than 13 ounces in Postal Service collection boxes or Post Office lobby mail slots; or if they wish to leave the items for pickup by their letter carriers. Online postage applications include the Postal Service’s Click-N-Ship service on usps.com and PC Postage from an authorized USPS vendor.

If a customer is unable to use one of the above methods to prepare and affix postage, items weighing more than 13 ounces must be presented for mailing to an employee at a Post Office retail service counter. Business customers who use postage meters may continue to use meter postage for packages of any weight and mailing method.

Customers will notice new decals on USPS collection boxes, and Post Office lobby and Automated Postal Center mail drop slots. The new red, white and blue decals inform customers that deposit of stamped mail over 13 ounces is prohibited, and any such mail will be returned.

Previously, the prohibition applied to mail over 16 ounces. The change is part of ongoing security measures established by the Postal Service, in cooperation with other government agencies to keep the public, customers, employees and the U.S. Mail safe.

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