Author: Archive

New postal rules could end small periodicals

Posted by | Apr 19, 2007 | |

The Governors of the United States Postal Service recently approved most of a plan for rate hikes set out for it by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the body that oversees the postal service. Included among the rate hikes that were approved are an increase of the cost of a stamp to 41 cents and a new pricing structure based on the shape of the package.

While these make sense, there are facets of the new plan that the governors sent back to the PRC for reconsideration. Among these is a plan that would increase the cost of mailing for periodicals based on several factors, including the number of periodicals sent, the weight of the periodicals, and how mixed together multiple periodicals are, which can lower the cost. This plan, which has 55 different pricing rates, was devised instead of a plan the USPS originally sent the PRC which would have increased all periodicals cost by about 12 percent.

Unfortunately for small to medium sized periodicals, this plan could greatly increase the cost of mailing out issues. The cost could increase up to 41 percent for some publications, according to a press release from the USPS. For example, The Nation, an influential left-leaning magazine based in Washington, D.C., reported that the new rules would increase their cost of mailing by USD 500,000, an increase they say could put them out of business.

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DHL Express UK focuses on printers by publishing its own book

Posted by | Apr 19, 2007 | |

DHL has put together a team of print and publishing logistics specialists to boost its credentials across the supply chain.

The firm launched the new offering at this week’s London Book Fair at Earl’s Court with a publication highlighting its “tailored, cost-effective and efficient supply chain and distribution solutions”. It claimed that 17 out of the top 20 UK publishing houses have already used its integrated services.

DHL Express sales and marketing director Tim Brown said: “The publishing industry presents an exciting opportunity for DHL as we are uniquely placed to provide solutions at every step of the chain, from the shipment of pulp, through to delivery of the book to the customer.

“We are the only express and logistics company to offer this type of service and we anticipate using this publishing industry model as a blueprint for developing complete supply chain solutions across a range of sectors.”

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New classification of DPD Lietuva products titles

Posted by | Apr 19, 2007 | |

Parcels courier service leader in Lithuania company “DPD Lietuva” has finished it’s second re-branding stage – in all Baltic countries it has developed new differentiation of DPD services before named by single name “Bizpak”.

“We have separated four products titles for Baltic region, two international product titles and nine additional services titles. With the unification of services and products titles in all three DPD companies in Baltic countries the “Bizpak” re-branding history is symbolically ending and we expect to strengthen our positions even more in Baltic countries region and entire Europe”, – said “DPD Lietuva” Director of Sales and Marketing for Baltic States Gintaras Bingelis.

According to him, unified services and products titles will enhance customers’ reliance and facilitate their decision and perception which service will be the most convenient to the moment.

“Services and their possibilities for business will remain the same after changing the brand and names of these services. We will continue to seek that every customer would get reliable, high quality logistics solution that meets customers requirements and we will be investing into the new products development”, – said Gintaras Bingelis, “DPD Lietuva” the Director of Sales and Marketing for Baltic States.

“DPD Lietuva” leadership made the decision to change their brand in June 2006 and planes to complete re-branding process from Bizpak to DPD till 2008.

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New blueprint for UK flagship Post Office branch network

Posted by | Apr 19, 2007 | |

Post Office Ltd set out a new blueprint for a sustainable network of flagship Post Office branches. The company will continue to run 373 Crown Post Offices in UK towns and cities alongside those branches run by private subpostmasters and mistresses and by retail franchise partners. As part of the plan, following a six site trial last year, a further 70 branches are expected to move to nearby WHSmith stores under a new partnership agreement.

The Crown Office network of 373 branches, together with the 76 branches operated by WHSmith, will give Post Office Ltd a high quality flagship network, offering expert knowledge and advice to consumers and small business customers alike. New ways of providing services are already being tested in a number of branches, and will form part of a major, customer driven, refurbishment programme over the next few years.

By the end of Summer 2008 it is expected that 76 Post Office branches will be sited within WHSmith stores. These will be main Post Offices, offering the full range of Post Office services and operated by specially trained professionals – who may include some current Post Office people. All branches will be fully accessible to all customers, with special arrangements in place to assist those customers with special access needs.

The partnership announced builds on the success of six trial locations where Post Office branches have already moved to nearby WHSmith stores. Customers in Ashton under Lyne, Altrincham, Swansea, Shrewsbury, Slough and Hammersmith have given a positive response to both the location and service levels of the new branches – citing shorter queues, speedier service and a more convenient location.

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Royal Mail workers say no to pay offer

Posted by | Apr 19, 2007 | |

The CWU (Communication Workers Union) has rejected Royal Mail’s offer on pay rises for this year.

Royal Mail have flatly refused any wage increase and instead have offered one-off cash sums between GBP 250 and GBP 550 – with conditions attached regarding efficiency savings.

The CWU say the offer is totally unacceptable as it amounts to pay cuts and major change. The Union says it is willing to continue negotiations but is moving to ballot members on industrial action.

Royal Mail have already started a process of changing working hours and converting expired full time posts to part time. Workers are said to be furious at the proposals put to the CWU and it seems likely that unless Royal Mail offer something more acceptable, widespread industrial action could follow.

A recent poll showed that postal workers were resolute in their determination to bring their pay up to the national average and improve working conditions.

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Deutsche Post monopoly may be extended beyond this year

Posted by | Apr 18, 2007 | |

The German government is showing signs of ‘relative openness’ to the possible extension of Deutsche Post World Net AG’s incumbent mail delivery monopoly beyond December, daily Handelsblatt wrote, citing a government representative.

The liberalisation, which was initially planned for Jan 1 2008, may be delayed if Germany cannot convince the other EU member states to open their mail markets as well, the report added.

Deutsche Post’s virtual monopoly on letter delivery for letters up to 50 grams is earmarked to expire at the start of 2008, with the EU seeking a continent-wide liberalisation of the market in 2009.

Thus far, eleven member states are questioning whether they will liberalise their markets even in 2009, the newspaper said.

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India – Courier services becoming dearer

Posted by | Apr 18, 2007 | |

Sending packets through private courier companies could get expensive, with the Government proposing to stipulate higher tariffs for mails less than 150 gm.

The draft Postal Bill, which is expected to be tabled in the ongoing Budget session, has proposed to impose a tariff on mails carried by courier companies that is fives times the charge taken by the Postal Department.
So, while a 20 gm mail is charged Rs 5 by the post offices, the same will cost Rs 25 if you send it through a private courier. The rationale for the differential tariff is that the Government is giving up its monopoly on low-weight mails.
While the earlier draft of Postal Bill had completely barred private courier companies from carrying packets weighing more than 300 gm, the revised proposal removes this ban but on the other hand imposes a higher tariff rate for packets that weigh less than 150 gm.
This means that consumers could cough up as much as Rs 200 for sending a packet weighing 140-150 gm through private courier companies even as the post office will charge only Rs 40.
Currently, charges taken by courier companies are not regulated. According to Government sources, a number of countries follow such differential tariffing wherever the Postal Department gives up its monopoly.
For instance, in Germany, private courier companies have to charge two-and-a-half times the price fixed by Deutsche Post for packets weighing up to 50 g.
In Australia, courier firms have to charge four times the price fixed by Australia Post Corporation for letters up to 250 gm.
In the speed post and registered post segments, private companies will have to charge two-and-a-half times the fees charges by the Postal Department.
So, if you want to send a 200 gm packet to a destination 2,000 km away through private speed post, it will cost you Rs 125 compared to Rs 50 by the Postal Department.

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Measures taken to modernise Pakistan Post: NA body informed

Posted by | Apr 18, 2007 | |

Pakistan Post Director General Arshad Khan informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Communications that measures have been taken to transform Pakistan Post (PP) into a modern organisation through the use of information technology.

The NA committee meeting was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Brig (r) Zulfiqar Ahmad Dhillon.

The PP DG informed the committee that out of 85 general post offices (GPOs), 25 GPOs had been computerised while the rest would be computerised by June 2007.

Arshad Khan said that work on military pensions had been computerised in big cites including Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Sargodha and Lahore. He said the process was being presently computerised at 30 GPOs, covering 80 percent of the total military pensions. He said the Pakistan Postal Service had introduced a modernised delivery system to reduce delivery times.

Modernised mail and delivery systems have been arranged to ensure prompt delivery for customers, he added. PP will facilitate consumers in paying utility bills and traffic fines. A separate PIA ticket counterwill also be established at each GPO.

The PP DG informed the committee that inspection cells had been strengthened to avoid corruption and fraud. Committee members Tahir Shah, Syed Gulzar Sibtain, Akhtar Khan Kanju, Dr Rozina Tufail, Afsar Begum, Shahid Hussain Bhutto, Nawab Yousaf Talpur, Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Farooq Azam Malik also attended the meeting.

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