Russia’s struggling and inefficient postal service is in for a revamp, with government plans afoot to hike charges and plough the profits back into the system.
From Nov. 10, charges for most services offered by local post offices will rise by as much as 30 percent in what observers say is a last-ditch attempt to save the flagging postal service, which has sought salvation far from its initial mission.
THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) has awarded a domestic courier licence to Selovile Consultancy, a Harare-based company, as the privatisation of Zimbabwes Posts and Telecommuni-cations Corporation (PTC) gathers momentum. Although no comment could be obtained from POTRAZ this week, it is understood that the regulatory authority has also awarded another domestic courier licence to a company called Megapost. The authority is said to be still scrutinising applications for postal licences from players who would operate in competition with the Zimbabwe Postal Company (ZIMPOST), the postal arm of the recently unbundled PTC.
Read MoreDeutsche Post World Net AG unit DHL International, together with its US unit, is expected to contribute a loss of 90 mln eur to its German parent for the 2001 full year, Deutsche Post chief financial officer Edgar Ernst told analysts in a telephone conference.
“DHL International including the US is expected to generate a negative contribution to Deutsche Post of some 90 mln eur,” Ernst said.
Ernst said excluding the US unit, the full year EBIT margin for DHL International would be “approximately 2 pct”.
DHL’s US unit, however, is expected to generate a loss for the full year due to economic conditions and the effects of the September 11 terrorist attacks, he said.
Ernst said Deutsche Post holds 46.6 pct in DHL International and will raise this to around 51 pct in early 2002.
Collins Roiad Services Group. a founder member of Palletline, has signed an agreement with WM Group (Europe) to operate a pallet distribution system throughout the UK on its behalf – and vice versa.
Read MoreTwo of Australia’s most prominent businessmen on Thursday put together a A$3.6bn deal to rescue Ansett, the country’s second largest airline, in a lift to the government ahead of Saturday’s closely-fought federal election.
Read MoreThe plan to revive parts of the bankrupt state-controlled Belgian airline Sabena was running into difficulties on Thursday, as companies that were asked to support a new group complained the government had been premature in announcing private-sector support.
Read MoreSwitzerland’s Post Office said it will offer an internet-based payment service starting in February 2002. The ‘Yellowbill’ service will allow customers with Post Office accounts to make and receive payments through a secure internet connection. According to the Post Office, companies generating large volumes of invoices have expressed interest in using the service. Zuercher Kantonalbank has already signed a letter of intent to use ‘Yellowbill,’ it said.
Read MoreThe European Commission has given the French government two months in which to set up an independent regulatory body to ensure that fair trading reigns in the French postal services market.
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