Tag: Courier/Express/Parcels

TNT announces new 500 mln Eur share buyback

Posted by | Jul 30, 2007 | |

TNT NV will launch a new 500 mln Eur share buyback, the company said in a statement while presenting its second-quarter earnings.

TNT said any savings resulting from its current refinancing plan will be used toward funding the company pension plan and the share buyback.

It expects this latest buyback to be completed in the middle of next year, at which point TNT said it will consider further repurchases to maintain optimal capital structure and strategic flexibility.

The company’s current 400 mln Eur buyback, which began in April, is still in progress, and TNT said 234 mln Eur worth of shares have been repurchased to date.

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Self Service Expo: USPS get exhibitor nod

Posted by | Jul 30, 2007 | |

The United States Postal Service was the People’s Choice Winner for Self-Service Street, a strip of interactive booths located at the back of the exhibit hall. Unlike the other Excellence Awards, the People’s Choice winner is voted on by the Expo’s attendees, not the expert judges.

At its Self-Service Street booth, the government agency set up a mock post office branch, complete with a self-service kiosk. The Automated Postal Center (APC) was part of a 2004 initiative by the USPS to integrate self-service to cut wait times. Since 2004, 2,500 APCs have been rolled out.

The APC dispenses stamps, which the USPS says is the overwhelming majority of transactions conducted at post offices. In addition, APC customers can access most of the services available at the counter, including shipment of first class parcel, ZIP code lookup, weighing and rating packages up to 70 pounds and delivery confirmation service.

Prices for shipping and stamps are the same as at the postal counter and there is no additional charge for using the APC.

Michael C. Adams, retail service equipment project manager, said that in the first two fiscal quarters of this year APCs have processed 22 million transactions.

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DHL Romania: Profit margin remains at 10 pct this year

Posted by | Jul 30, 2007 | |

DHL has posted a turnover increase of 30 pct for international and domestic express services for the first half of this year against the same time in 2006.

“The highest percentage growth was registered on the segment of domestic deliveries, where volumes doubled compared with last year. Our plans for this year are to continue investing in our own distribution network, with examples in this regard being the enlargement of the car fleet by another 120 vehicles, the increase in the number of offices throughout the country by 20 pct and the increase in the number of employees by more than 10 pct ,” said Bogdan Obretin, commercial manager of DHL International Romania.

The positive results registered in the first six months were primarily due to the launch of new products, to infrastructure investments conducted by the company, to the development of customized solutions for the main industries and the expansion of the company’s national distribution network.

Obretin believes that the current growth rate of DHL in Romania will continue above the targets set for 2007, which would be an approximately 30 pct turnover growth rate against 2006, on the international and domestic express services segment.

According to its own estimates, DHL accounts for 40 pct of the international express delivery market. The company’s main clients are from the banking sector, the automotive industry, the textile industry and the consumer goods industry.

DHL operates a fleet of over 230 vehicles in Romania, as well as its own network of mailing and service centers in more than 23 cities in the country. DHL also intends to buy around 120 vehicles this year.

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Sri Lankan postal workers protest against privatization, alleged corruption

Posted by | Jul 30, 2007 | |

Sri Lankan postal workers staged a one-day strike Monday, paralyzing the island’s postal service, as a part of their campaign against privatization and alleged corruption in the postal department.

Postal workers around the country have joined this strike demanding action against corruption and waste and also to halt any effort to privatize the service, said postal union spokesman Nawaratne Bandara.

The government has repeatedly said it has no plans to privatize any state institution.

But Bandara complained that the government had licensed private companies to deliver mail as well, in what amounted to a de facto privatization campaign.

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TNT plans aggressive UK expansion

Posted by | Jul 30, 2007 | |

TNT, the Dutch mail group, is planning a further aggressive expansion in the UK and elsewhere in Europe in a new drive to offset its declining postal business at home.

Executives said in Amsterdam that the company was raising its forecast for volume growth in its European mail networks (EMN) division – mainly Britain and Germany – to between 30 pct and 35 pct this year from 25 pct and its operating margin to 17.5 pct from 17 pct. Volume growth was 37 pct in the second quarter.

TNT, which has capitalized on the running series of strikes by postal workers at Royal Mail, said organic growth in EMN was up 21.3 pct in the first half, driven overwhelmingly by its UK business. It has started up a new parcels business in Britain. But mail volumes in Holland declined by 3.5 pct in the second quarter.

The former Dutch monopoly, one of Royal Mail’s biggest new rivals, has already indicated that it plans to develop a full-scale network in Britain rather than use that of its UK rival to deliver mail. Peter Bakker, chief executive, said today the group’s new strategy would be disclosed in December.

Giving an upbeat outlook for the full year, Mr Bakker said operating income fell 2 pct in the second quarter to EUR 330 m (GBP 223 m) because of one-off costs but half-year sales were up 9.6pct at EUR 5.4 bn and profits up 2.6 pct at EUR 681m. TNT is raising the interim dividend by 15 pct to EUR 0.30 and initiating a further EUR 500m share buy-back.

Mr Bakker made plain that TNT is worried by the delayed date – 2011 rather than 2009 – for the introduction of full-scale liberalization of EU postal markets and the impact of this in Germany which is due to bring in full competition for Deutsche Post next year. Britain’s market has been open to competition since 2006 and TNT is active in eight of the 27 domestic European markets.

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