Tag: Asia

Borderlinx announces agreement with Citibank Singapore and DHL Express

Posted by | May 19, 2008 | |

eCommerce business Borderlinx has signed an exclusive five year agreement with Citibank Singapore Ltd to enable Citibank customers in Singapore access the U.S. eTail market. In addition, Borderlinx has signed a five year contract with DHL Express.

Citibank and Borderlinx’s agreement gives shoppers in Singapore the opportunity to access the very best range of products from U.S. eTailers, and take advantage of lower prices. This service – ‘GlobeShopper’ – provides Singaporeans the convenience and flexibility to shop on US websites that do not either ship to locations outside of the US, or accept foreign-issued credit cards. GlobeShopper includes a free concierge service and the opportunity to consolidate shipments – giving Citibank customers further cost savings.

Borderlinx has a range of solutions that eTailers can take advantage of. These can either be integrated directly into their transactional platforms, or can operate as a stand alone system used directly by the consumer without impacting the eTailer’s existing systems, processes or manpower. Borderlinx’s service enables an eTailer’s products to be immediately available to the international marketplace. Consumers using the service can order from multiple eTailers, and consolidate and store their purchases at a single point prior to shipping, thereby reducing unit shipping costs.

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Kiwibank makes further cut to Home Loan Rate

Posted by | May 16, 2008 | |

Kiwibank has made a further cut to its two-year fixed-term home loan interest rate. Kiwibank has cut the rate to 8.99 pct per annum, effective immediately, making it the only major bank to offer a fixed term home loan rate below 9 pct.

Kiwibank Chief Executive Sam Knowles said there has been a clear softening in the interest rate market. “The other banks have this week brought their rates to nearly those offered by Kiwibank, so we are cutting this key term even further.”

“This rate will appeal to those home owners who have loans coming due for renewal. They will have been very nervous at refixing loans when rates were hovering near the 10 pct mark. A rate below 9 pct will be a much reduced rate shock.

“Kiwibank always wants to be fast to cut loan rates and slow to increase them. This latest cut fits with that strategy,” Mr Knowles said.

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DHL/Blue Dart aviation to start direct services on Kolkata-Dhaka route news

Posted by | May 15, 2008 | |

DHL Express (India) Pvt Ltd, in association with Blue Dart Aviation, is planning a direct link between Kolkata and Dhaka in a bid to compete with the unorganised express and logistics sector in SARRC countries. The new service is likely to become operational in approximately two months time.

The new route will reduce time and costs for DHL, for earlier the cargo would travel to Dhaka from Kolkata, via Singapore.

“Blue Dart Aviation would run a direct flight to Dhaka in two months time and this would help bringing down our cost by at least 20 per cent in addition to the transit time,” said Craig Grossgart, vice president, DHL Express (India) Pvt Ltd.

According to the company, the cost benefits would be passed on to the customers enabling a lower product cost. “Earlier we couldn’t compete with the unorganised nature of the sector in this part, but now we can compete with anybody, as the pricing would be more competitive,” Grossgart said.

Eventually, the company plans to venture into other SAARC nations, particularly Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The new scheme is undergoing pilot tests and may be launched soon. Keeping these plans in mind the company has inaugurated a 16000 sq ft, new state-of art facility at Kolkata.

Meanwhile, Blue Dart will add one more Boeing 757 cargo aircraft to its fleet by the end of the year. Currently the company operates a fleet of seven aircraft, of which three are Boeing 737 and the other two Boeing 757s.

DHL Express holds a 81 per cent stake in the Chennai-based air cargo company.

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DHL Express Singapore renames product portfolio

Posted by | May 13, 2008 | |

DHL has completed an across-the-board portfolio renaming of its products in Singapore, part of the company’s global alignment of product portfolio, which began in January 2008 and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The move has enabled DHL Express Singapore to harmonise a variety of product names to a single set of standard and self-explanatory product names that reflect the time-specific nature of shipments to their destinations.

Customers can now choose product services that offer flexibility and reliability based on speed (choice of time-definite delivery), destinations (from major business centres to remote areas worldwide) and weight (from lightweight envelopes to heavyweight pallets).

– StartDay Express has been renamed DHL EXPRESS 9:00
– MidDay Express has been renamed DHL EXPRESS 12:00
– Worldwide Document Express and Worldwide Parcel Express are now DHL EXPRESS WORLDWIDE
– Import Express is now DHL IMPORT EXPRESS WORLDWIDE
– Economy Select and Value Heavy Weight are now DHL ECONOMY SELECT

The names of DHL JUMBO BOX, DHL JUMBO JUNIOR, DHL EXPRESS PALLET, DHL AIRCROSS, DHL AIRPORT TO DOOR EXPRESS and DHL BREAKBULK EXPRESS remain unchanged.

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UPS arm in talks to buy AFL for Rs 3,000 million

Posted by | May 9, 2008 | |

UPS Jetair Express, domestic arm of the US-based logistics major United Parcel Services (UPS), is in talks to acquire Mumbai-based logistics company Air Freight (AFL).

According to sources, both parties have been engaged in discussions over the last few months and the deal is expected to be valued at around Rs 3,000 million.

In the wake of the above development, AFL Logistics CEO VV Rao has resigned. Sources believe that Mr Rao did not see any future role in the company considering that he was strategically involved in setting up the network of AFL Logistics, which has been successfully concluded.

AFL denied that it is talks with UPS Jetair Express. “As for Mr Rao moving on, it has been his decision and as an organisation to which he has contributed tremendously in propelling it forward, we respect his choice,” said an AFL spokesperson. Mr Rao could not be reached for his comments.

UPS is looking at acquiring both the existing divisions of AFL; the third party logistics (3PL) arm, AFL Logistics and the express courier arm, AFL Wiz. According to sources, the FY 07’ turnover of both the entities is close to Rs 1,500 million and Rs 300 million, respectively, although, both are loss-making companies.

The figures could not be confirmed as AFL is not a public-listed company. UPS, though, denies that it is in talks to acquire AFL. “No, we have a strategic sales alliance with AFL,” said a UPS Jetair Express spokesperson.

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