Year: 2005

UK Postal regulator warns off government price control proposals

Posted by | Oct 14, 2005 | |

The postal services regulator has warned the government not to interfere in its fight with Royal Mail over future price controls, in spite of the fact the controls will be crucial in determining the financial health of the state-owned company.

Sarah Chambers, chief executive of Postcomm, said Sir George Bain – who is reviewing Royal Mail’s future for the government – had been told any arbitration between the regulator and the company had by law to be carried out by the Competition Commission.

“The discussions we’ve had with Sir George have made it clearer what he’s not going to be doing – he’s not trying to determine our price control or somehow act as an arbitrator,” Ms Chambers told the Financial Times. Asked if Sir George was acting as a go-between, she said: “I think at the beginning that might have been the way they saw it but we made it clear that was not as we saw it.”

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Deutsche Post expands in India with DHL

Posted by | Oct 14, 2005 | |

With bags of optimism and a lot of money, German postal company Deutsche Post is getting into the world’s fasting growing logistics market with its subsidiary DHL.

A key region in their Asian expansion strategy is India, which, like its neighbour China, has high levels of growth. Deutsche Post chairman Klaus Zumwinkel, recently opening a logistics HQ in Bombay, announced increased involvement in India and the whole Asia-Pacific area. Around 250 million dollars is invested there every year.

The Bonn-based company, which already has half of its turnover abroad, is set to become the clear world market leader in logistics (air and sea freight and contract logistics) with the agreed takeover of the British firm Exel. Zumwinkel said the takeover is due to be completed by December. He sees Asia as the engine of growth to cement this leading position.

“Asia is the world’s strongest growth market for us,” he notes.

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GLS Portugal commences operation

Posted by | Oct 14, 2005 | |

General Logistics Systems BV, Amsterdam (GLS), and its Portuguese network partner, Personalis SA, headquartered in Lisbon, have founded a joint venture – GLS Portugal. The agreements were signed on September 23rd and operations will start on November 1st. “The GLS holds 51 per cent of the company”, explains Rico Back, Chief Executive Officer of General Logistics Systems BV, Amsterdam. “With our entrepreneurial effort we are strengthening our position in Portugal.”

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DHL Danzas Lemuir further enhances network infrastructure with new corporate office in Mumbai, India

Posted by | Oct 13, 2005 | |

DHL Danzas Air & Ocean announced today the opening of its new DHL Danzas Lemuir headquarters in Mumbai, India. The new enlarged headquarters is a testament to the strategic importance that DHL places on India, touted as the next growth engine of the world. DHL Danzas Lemuir employs over 300 staff and has 17 offices and warehouse facilities in major cities in India, with three more offices scheduled to open in 2006. DHL has been building its logistics presence and strengthening its leadership position in India for almost 40 years, when the company commenced working with Lemuir. Over the last three years, it has invested USD250 million in the country, including setting up DHL Danzas Lemuir, a joint venture company with the Lemuir Group since 2003. “India has experienced phenomenal growth rates in recent years and the prospects for the next few years look just as magnificent” said Dr Klaus Zumwinkel, Chairman, DPWN at the opening of the new logistics headquarters.

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Belgian Certipost Appoints New CEO

Posted by | Oct 13, 2005 | |

Belgian electronic invoicing services provider Certipost, a joint venture of postal service company De Post/La Poste and telecommunications provider Belgacom, has appointed Stijn Vander Plaetse chief executive, it was reported on October 11, 2005.

Vander Plaetse replaces Erik Weytjens, who has been worked for De Post/La Poste since 2000.

Vander Plaetse has been Head of Marketing Business in Belgacom since 1998 and was responsible for corporate marketing activities.

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UK’s CVC busy putting its stamp on Europe’s postal industry

Posted by | Oct 13, 2005 | |

Private equity group CVC is busy putting its stamp on Europe’s postal industry. This summer it bought 22percent of Post Danmark and yesterday the two jointly took a 50percent stake, less one share, in Belgium’s postal operator, De Post-La Poste. What the two appear to be offering is a combination of CVC’s financial clout and Post Danmark’s industry expertise. Both are vital in an industry where liberalisation is the name of the game and country monopolies look headed for the bin. At the same time the CVC/Post Danmark model appears to offers the prospect of continued state control – and politically sensitive social responsibilities – alongside much needed cash for investment.

Is it too good to be true? For trade secretary Alan Johnson, mulling options for Royal Mail, the answer is likely to be yes. Even CVC would blanche at the huge investment needed to modernise Royal Mail and make a meaningful dent in its pensions deficit. And opening Royal Mail to private equity would send the political temperature soaring.

Within the framework of the existing CVC postal deals there are questions to be answered. At some point CVC will want an exit. The stock market offers one route – but does not offer a solution to the anomaly of a listed company with majority state control, a hatful of social responsibilities and private sector competition. Nor does a trade sale look more promising. The number of potential buyers would be limited and liberalisation could well end up in consolidation.

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DHL: China to yield 75 percent of Asia sales in 5 years

Posted by | Oct 13, 2005 | |

China will account for as much as three quarters of DHL Express’s Asia-Pacific revenue in five years, up from more than 45 percent now, a senior executive said on Thursday. Asked about China’s contribution to Asian revenue, Jerry Hsu, DHL’s president for Greater China and Korea, told Reuters: “Hopefully, we will (have) at least 70 to 75 percent five years down the road. We have over 45 percent currently”. DHL, the express subsidiary of Deutsche Post World Net, expects revenue there to grow by more than half this year on top of 50 to 60 percent growth last year. “If GDP grows 8 to 9 percent, international express is going 30 to 40 percent, and we always aim to equal or grow faster than the market,” said Scott Price, DHL’s Asia-Pacific chief executive. DHL posted 3.4 billion euros (USD4.1 billion) of revenue in Asia in 2004, versus more than 24 billion euros worldwide, according to the latest figures provided in materials on Thursday.

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