Tag: Asia

Indian courier AFL wants to take to the skies

Posted by | Aug 20, 2007 | |

Indian air express operator AFL plans to launch its own flights in the latest move by specialist companies to cash in on the booming Indian express market, according to reports from India. The express airline would compete with DHL-owned Blue Dart Express, First Flight Couriers and passenger airlines offering freight capacity on domestic routes.
Managing director Cyrus Guzder told online news site Mint that he planned to take a minority share in a new cargo airline that would operate with jet freighters. Capacity would be used by AFL but also rival operators.

“We have received in-principle approval from the government for the venture and will start with two narrow-bodied jets,” Guzder said. “We plan to operate a cargo service that would service the domestic market for time-sensitive cargo in India, doing a round robin of all the six major cities between 10.30pm and dawn, and then fly regional routes to the Gulf and South-East Asia during the day.”

AFL, owned by the Guzder family, had revenues of some eight billion rupees (EUR 145 million) in 2006/07. The company, founded in 1945 and now with some 1,800 employees, is active in air express under the AFL WIZ Express brand and has a freight logistics joint venture with Germany’s Dachser.

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Raja may dust off postal bill in bid to revive India Posts

Posted by | Aug 20, 2007 | |

After putting the issue on the backburner for a couple of months on account of strong protests from private courier players, the ministry of communications under telecom minister A Raja has now revived work on amendments to the controversial postal bill.

Private courier companies are opposed to the proposed bill as it intends to prevent them from carrying any letter or parcel below 150 grams and also seeks to limit the foreign direct investment in the sector to 49 pct. The bill also envisages that private courier companies who want to deliver letters below this slab (150 grams) do so at a price which is five times more than the rates charged by India Post or 2.5 times Speed Post rates.

At the same time, the communications ministry is yet to take a call as to whether the bill would be introduced in the current session of the Parliament.

The source also said that despite opposition from private courier industry, the government was unlikely to renegotiate on key issues like creation of a regulator for the postal sector — Mail Regulatory Development Authority, the 150 grams weight slab reservation for India Post and mandating that large courier companies pay 10 pct of their total revenues as an universal social obligation fee as in the telecom sector.

The ministry official also added that the government was yet to take a final call on limiting the FDI cap to 49 pct. If this FDI cap is imposed, then multinational players like DHL, TNT and Federal Express will soon have to go scouting for Indian partners.

Besides, the draft bill also recommends that foreign players be subject to an entry fee of Rs 1 million and a renewal fee of Rs 0.5 million per annum, as against Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000, respectively for Indian courier companies.

The Express Industry Council of India (EICI), the umbrella organization representing both domestic and international courier companies in India, has said that the proposed amendments, if approved, could maim the Rs 35 billion, domestic industry, especially the small players while also limiting the choice for consumers.

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Haypost” and “Postbank” to be integrated structures

Posted by | Aug 20, 2007 | |

Interview with the HayPost Trust Manager and newly appointed General Manager, Mr. Hans Boon with Mediamax Agency and the Banks.am web-portal (Yerevan, 20.08.2007)

Q: The transfer of HayPost management – a large local company – to a trust management is a relatively new concept for the Armenian economy. Please describe the details related to this new management instrument and explain the advantages and potential risks related to this.

A: The government of Armenia made a courageous decision when deciding to transfer HayPost management to a trust. The HayPost Trust Management program will be implemented within 5 years with the purpose to establish favorable conditions for a highly commercialized HayPost.

Regardless of this, we expect certain risks related to this program. First and foremost, we can anticipate that both the government and the company request a quick financial surplus and turnaround. But in reality, our objective is not to quickly gain financial profit, but to ensure that we secure a well grounded and sustainable growth and commercialization. We are largely guided by a long-term vision and define success as a sustainable result and not a quick-win.

In fact, our goal is to strengthen and commercialize an entire postal sector, and not just a company. As such, we are aiming to set up a fair and favorable environment for healthy commercial competition.

We have to ensure that HayPost will, in a relatively short period, be able to provide the public with world class postal services – something which is our basic commitment.

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India Post to open forex counters in select metros

Posted by | Aug 18, 2007 | |

Post offices in metros are set for a major change with the Government deciding to introduce new facilities like forex counters, cargo services, access to instant money order and other revenue generating services.

“We have got the license from the RBI to start the foreign exchange business in some post offices in selected metros. We are finalizing the deal which would be operational soon,” S Samant, Chief General Manager, Business Development, Department of Post (DoP), told PTI.

The department is acquiring an Air India flight to operate a dedicated cargo service carrying parcels, mails and couriers to north eastern states which will swift the delivery of mails in the region, Samant said.

The cargo flight would take off from Kolkata every morning and return in the evening after delivering the services at Agratala and Imphal, he said.

The Postal department recently signed and MoU with the Railways to sell train tickets in some of the post offices. Besides, it has undertaken the task of verifying pre-paid mobile subscribers in some areas, Samant said

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DHL names HR Manager for Philippines

Posted by | Aug 17, 2007 | |

DHL, a leading express and logistics company, has appointed Norberto Rances dela Cruz as human resources manager for DHL Philippines.

Dela Cruz will oversee the day-to-day delivery of human resources services such as staffing requirements, compensation and benefits, employee relations and internal communication for DHL.

He joined DHL in 2005 and formerly managed employee relations and labour-related concerns. His 10-year experience in human resource management from various industries as well as his accomplishments in DHL catapulted him to his new post.

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