Year: 2005

UPU and UNI sign agreement to promote social dialogue among postal sector partners

Posted by | Nov 8, 2005 | |

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) and Union Network International (UNI) have signed a cooperation agreement to promote social dialogue aimed at the sustainable development of postal services at the international level. The agreement was signed at UPU Headquarters in Berne, Switzerland, by UPU
Director General Edouard Dayan and UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings.
In terms of the agreement, the two organizations will establish joint actions focusing on the impact of postal sector development on jobs, particularly in the area of health and security, as well as the improvement and development of postal staff skills. The two organizations also agreed to continue to
promote the provision of postal financial services – particularly electronic money transfer services – through the international postal network. This is not only seen as an important source of job creation, but also as an essential service to give millions of migrant workers and their relatives – among them the
world’s poorest – access to affordable money transfer services.

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Thailand: Federal Express upbeat over new business volume after new airport opens

Posted by | Nov 7, 2005 | |

Federal Express Corp expects the new Bangkok international airport will result in a large increase in the amount the international shipments but warns that the timeliness of the airport’s opening is critical, the Bangkok Post reports.
“I think everybody recognises that more delays would actually mean missed opportunities for the country. If you look around, the airport is a very key competitive factor especially in the economies of Southeast Asia, be it in Malaysia, Hong Kong or Thailand,” said Clifton Chua, FedEx managing director for Thailand, Indochina and the Philippines. “And Don Muang airport’s capacity itself is bursting at the seams.” FedEx like other international express couriers is banking on the new international airport, which is expected to begin commercial services in June next year.

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French post office considers Sunday opening

Posted by | Nov 7, 2005 | |

Jean-Paul Bailly, chairman of La Poste, the French post office, has told the French press that new opening hours for post offices will be introduced on a trial basis in 2006. The tests will include Sunday openings to coincide with Sunday morning markets and festivals, and keeping post offices open until 8pm one night a week.

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Irish postal distruption still expected despite compromise to end strike

Posted by | Nov 7, 2005 | |

Postal customers were facing disruption from industrial action today, despite the emergence of a compromise deal between An Post and unions. The nationwide industrial action by 8,500 postal workers began at midnight but is expected to be postponed later today for a week after a meeting of the Communications Workers Union’s national executive. An Post has said that customers may face some disruption due to the temporary industrial action. Both sides are due for further talks at the National Implementation Body (NIB), while independent financial experts assess the cost of work practice changes involved in the dispute.

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Kewill Systems buys Interchain for initial net 6.8 mln stg

Posted by | Nov 7, 2005 | |

Kewill Systems PLC said it has acquired Interchain Holding BV, a privately-owned, Netherlands-based provider of supply chain management software to the European market, for an initial net 6.8 mln stg cash. Interchain’s system offering is called Chainware which is designed for large scale, multi-national Logistics Services Providers (LSP) operating in an international environment. Its customers include Fedex, TNT, UPS, Frans Maas and DHL. Kewill said it will pay an additional up to 2.4 mln stg depending on revenues in the two years following completion.

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Geopost goes after UK mail

Posted by | Nov 7, 2005 | |

A new player has entered the UK domestic mail market. Mailplus will compete with companies such as TNT Mail and UK Mail for bulk mail services. Part of the Geopost group, Mailplus will use its sister company Parceline’s vehicles and West Midlands hub. Royal Mail will carry out final delivery. Mailplus claims the service will be 10% cheaper than Royal Mail rates, achievable, according to general manager John Wilkins, by using automated sorting and a hub-and-spoke network. The new company also claims to offer flexible collection times.

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Deutsche Bahn to buy BAX Global

Posted by | Nov 7, 2005 | |

Deutsche Bahn, the German state-owned railway company, is preparing to acquire BAX Global, the U.S. freight forwarder, in a bid to catch up with the consolidation sweeping the global logistics industry. Europe’s biggest railway operator is likely to pay between $960 million and $1.2 billion for Irvine, Calif.-based BAX, a unit of the Brink’s Co., a security and logistics company. Deutsche Bahn will decide whether to proceed with the acquisition at an extraordinary meeting of its supervisory board on Saturday, according to German press reports. Deutsche Bahn is expected to fold BAX into Schenker, its freight forwarding unit that has been under pressure to match recent takeovers by rivals, most recently Deutsche Post’s $6.7 billion acquisition of Exel, the UK’s largest ocean and air freight forwarder and contract logistics company, and Swiss-based Kuehne & Nagel’s $588 million acquisition of Paris-based ACR Logistics from Platinum Equity Group, a private U.S. investors group.

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Dempsey urged to issue short-term postal licences in Republic of Ireland

Posted by | Nov 6, 2005 | |

Irish Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey is being urged to prepare short-term licences for private companies to collect and deliver mail so businesses can continue to operate during a postal strike. Dempsey has already said he has the option to fast-track a full market opening of postal services ahead of an EU directive, which comes into force in 2009, liberalising the sector. However, the Small Firms’ Association is urging the minister to issue temporary licences to private operators who currently run a drop-off service for some companies.
The Communications Workers Union (CWU) said last Friday that it would launch a nationwide ban on overtime and an all-out strike at the GPO in Dublin and other selected locations from tomorrow.

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