Year: 2008

UPS launches new global air freight portfolio

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

UPS launched a simplified global portfolio for shipping air freight, including a substantially expanded express freight option with guaranteed door-to-door service.

The new air freight portfolio features a greatly expanded international express service called UPS ExpressSM Freight. It more than triples the number of express lanes currently served and provides guaranteed time-definite, overnight-to-three day door-to-door delivery including routine customs clearance to major global metropolitan areas.

For less time-sensitive global movements, UPS offers two non-guaranteed alternatives: UPS Air Freight DirectSM is a one-to-three day airport-to-airport service, and UPS Air Freight ConsolidatedSM is a three-to-five day airport-to-airport service. Both services are available worldwide and offer pickup, delivery and customs clearance as optional features. Freight shipments may move on either UPS or third-party aircraft, providing the ultimate in flexibility.

By combining the capabilities of the world’s 9th largest airline with UPS’s position as a global freight forwarder with access to other airlines, UPS becomes the only transportation and supply chain provider offering guaranteed integrated air freight services in a single portfolio. And from an operational standpoint, UPS is introducing automatic online day-specific scheduling for customers whose freight shipments are moving on third-party aircraft. This level of predictability has been an important missing link in the air freight forwarding market.

Moreover, the new freight portfolio represents another step in UPS’s drive to offer customers a complete range of U.S. domestic and international package and freight shipping options along with supply chain and logistics services, all available worldwide from one trusted source.

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Western Union Launches 50,000th Agent Location in India

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

The Western Union Company announced the opening of its 50,000th Agent location in India at the State Bank of India branch in Gurgaon, Haryana. To mark the occasion, Hikmet Ersek, EVP and MD, Western Union Europe, Middle East, Africa and South Asia (EMEASA), joined Gautam Kanjilal, Chief General Manager (Delhi), State Bank of India, for a special inauguration ceremony.

Western Union, together with its affiliates, Orlandi Valuta and Vigo, is a leading provider of global money-transfer services. Consumer demand for Western Union services has grown due to a rise in long-term global migration trends, which have resulted in increasing cross-border remittances. India is one of the world’s largest receivers of remittances with more than 26.9 USD billion remitted into India in 2006-2007, according to the Reserve Bank of India.

“India offers immense growth potential in the money-transfer business, and with the launch of the 50,000th location we re-emphasize our commitment to our customers in the country,” Hikmet Ersek said. “Money transfer is a very unique way of participating in the growth and development of a nation, especially in India where Indian Diaspora income is regularly channeled back into the country. Together with our Agents we aim to contribute to the development of the country by delivering fast and reliable money-transfer services to our customers. ”

Gautam Kanjilal, Chief General Manager (Delhi), SBI, said, “We highly value our relationship with Western Union and look forward to delivering even better services to our customers by working closely together.”

Speaking at the inauguration event, Anil Kapur, MD-South Asia, Western Union Services India Private Limited, said: “Western Union is expanding its services in India by increasing our reach as well as adding value to our service offerings. In November 2007, we announced a pilot Mobile Money Transfer Project in association with Bharti Airtel.”

Western Union has 50,000 Agent locations in India spanning over 5,000 cities, towns and villages. This includes more than 8,500 post offices and more than 14,000 branches of leading banks.

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Environment minister raises concerns over DM industry (UK)

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

Environment minister Joan Ruddock has warned the direct marketing industry that it needs to improve its environmental record if it is to avoid legislation such as a mandatory opt-in for direct mail.

Ruddock set out the government’s views of DM’s environmental record in an exclusive interview in the January 2008 issue of Marketing Direct magazine. While she appreciated that “a lot of technical work has gone on” to make DM materials more environmentally friendly, she reminded the industry that opt-in for direct mail is “always on the table” if it doesn’t meet the recycling targets agreed with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs back in 2003.

She said direct marketers needed to ensure they are “on course” to achieve the second recycling target agreed timed for 2009.

The government would not impose opt-in “lightly… but we could not stand by if the industry made no further response”.

Having met with the Direct Marketing Association late last year, she said she was confident that direct marketers would respond. “We have established a relationship [with the DMA], but we want you to do more. We’re not singling out this industry — every industry and business across the land is being asked to do more for climate change.”

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Are prices set to rocket for holidaymakers in Malta and Cyprus – the newest members of the eurozone?

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

The eurozone got bigger this week as two of the most popular destinations – Malta and Cyprus – joined Europe’s currency club. But, if history repeats itself, this could prove bad news for UK holidaymakers, according to Post Office® Travel Services.

Costs for holidaymakers in Malta and Cyprus are currently lower than in eurozone countries like France and Spain, based on the Maltese lira and Cypriot pound. However, if prices rocket as they did in Spain and Greece when the first 12 countries switched to the euro six years ago, the two islands could become Europe’s most expensive resorts. This is one of the key predictions made in the new Holiday Money End of Year Report, which will be published by the Post Office® next week.

Before the 2002 changeover, Spain and Greece were the cheapest of Europe’s major holiday resorts – places where eating and drinking cost a fraction of the UK price. By contrast, Italy was, invariably, the most expensive. Within months of adopting the euro, prices had rocketed in Greece and almost doubled in Spain. Only in Portugal did euro prices stay more or less in line with the Portuguese escudo rates.

Post Office® bureaux de change branches will no longer sell Maltese lira or Cypriot pounds. However, customers will be able to exchange these currencies for sterling using the Post Office®’s buy back service until 30 January 2008. After that point, anyone wanting to exchange old Maltese and Cypriot notes will need to contact the central bank of these countries.

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GSI acquires Zendor.com

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

US e-commerce provider GSI buys UK fulfilment and e-commerce vendor Zendor.com at knock-down price.

US E-commerce provider GSI Commerce has finalised its acquisition of Manchester-based provider of fulfilment, customer care and e-commerce solutions Zendor.com and now glories in the ridiculously long URL www.zendorgsicommerce.com.

With the acquisition, GSI grows its global e-commerce partner base to approximately 85. GSI will acquire Zendor.com for approximately USD 7.9 million in cash, about GBP 4 million in real money and a bargain considering the size of Zendor and the nature of its clients and it’s 2007 turnover of GBP 3.8 million.

Zendor.com was formed in 1999 as a subsidiary of parent company N Brown Group, a business with over 140 years experience in catalogue and shopping. Zendor’s client list before the sale included Woolworths, River Island and Early Learning Centre and the just announced deal with Peacocks.

Zendor operates two fulfilment centres with approximately 245,000 square feet of space and a brand new 50-seat customer care centre that opened in September of 2007 and it claimed at launch time that there was “capacity to reach 150-seats for Christmas peak trading should client growth and new business development meet company expectations.” In addition the company employs approximately 100 employees.

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Growth Fueled by Solid Performance of Freight and Logistics Products.

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

Aramex reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2007. Aramex revenues rose 25 pct to AED 451.7 million, climbing from AED 360.8 million for the same period last year.

Net profits for the third quarter of 2007 rose by 14 pct to AED 26.0 million, from AED 22.7 million for the same period last year, while net profits for the first nine months of 2007 increased by 31 pct to AED 89.4 million, from AED 68.5 million for the same period last year.

Aramex revenues for the first nine months of 2007 rose by 34 pct to AED 1,289 million from AED 961 million for the same period last year. These results include one time costs of AED 1.8 million of an investment write-off and tax expenses.

“We had solid double digit growth in all our products, especially our freight and logistics services. The gulf region continues to give us very solid results and we are witnessing consistent profitability from our Two-Way acquisition in Europe.” commented Fadi Ghandour, Founder & CEO of Aramex.

In addition to significant growth in freight and logistics, the company also demonstrated strong results in the growing document management sector through Infofort; Aramex’s document management arm and a market leader in the Middle East.

1 USD = 3.67320 AED

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India Post and Emirates Post launch 'International Express Money Order' through postal network

Posted by | Jan 6, 2008 | |

Mr. I.M.G. Khan, Director General of India Post and Mr. Ibrahim Karam Ali Bin Karam, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Post, recently signed an agreement in Dubai, putting in place a system that will allow UAE residents to transfer money speedily to any part of India through India’s postal network, the largest in the world.

Customers sending money to India through Emirates Post offices will have two options. They can either have the money delivered to the addressee’s residence, or ask the addressee to collect the money from any authorized post office in India. On the other hand, Money Orders sent from India through India Post will be payable at post offices in the UAE.

The agreement stipulates that a single Money Order issued by Emirates Post for payment in India shall not exceed USD 2,500 or its equivalent. It also lays down that only 12 Money Orders addressed to one beneficiary will be allowed in a calendar year. Amounts of less than 50,000 Indian Rupees will be paid in cash, and those exceeding 50,000 Indian Rupees will be payable by cheque.

In India, the electronic Money Orders payable at post office counters will be delivered the same day at main post offices. In the case of Money Orders payable at addresses destination, the delivery will be within two days through the IFS network. Outside the IS network, the delivery will take place within five days.

If the money is sent from India to the UAE, the amount can be collected the same day at Emirates Post offices.

The IFS-based International Express Money Order is a reliable, adaptable and easy-to-use tool and can be installed in the remotest areas of the world. The UPU anticipates that financial services could generate up to 50 per cent of a country’s postal revenue, and by promoting IFS, the dominance of big players could be reduced, thus offering customers, especially migrant workers, a cost-effective system of money transfer.

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FedEx to meet with IRS

Posted by | Jan 5, 2008 | |

FedEx will meet with the Internal Revenue Service audit team in the spring to discuss a tax assessment regarding the classification of owner-operators at FedEx Ground.

On Dec. 20, the IRS tentatively concluded that FedEx Ground’s pick-up-and-delivery owner-operators should be reclassified as employees for federal employment tax purposes. The IRS indicated that it anticipates assessing tax and penalties of USD 319 million plus interest for 2002. Similar issues are under audit by the IRS for calendar years 2004 through 2006.

FedEx said Dec. 21 that it would vigorously defend its position that the drivers are independent contractors. On Jan. 3, the carrier said it is preparing an initial response for a meeting with the audit team. The company said it expects final resolution to take a long time.

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