Tag: Courier/Express/Parcels

German start-up Red Parcel Post invests EUR 130m in first sorting centre

Posted by | Jul 4, 2007 | |

Red Parcel Post, the start-up German B2B parcels carrier, will invest about EUR 130 million in the first of its four planned logistics centres. The company’s operational launch has been repeatedly postponed and is now scheduled for the first half of 2008.

The 60,000 sqm parcel sorting centre will be built in Stegelitz/Burg between Magdeburg and Leipzig, in Saxony-Anhalt, eastern Germany, the federal state’s economics ministry announced. The site will also be the parcel company’s head office, creating about 260 new jobs. It is due to go into operation during the first half of 2008.

Saxony-Anhalt is providing a subsidy for the investment that media reports put at about €20 million. RPP will have a fleet of about 700-800 delivery vans for regional distribution.

Red Parcel Post (RPP) owner Walter Hellmich, head of the Hellmich construction company, said the parcels company planned to handle 35 million parcels a year initially.

It plans to create a high-tech parcel sorting and distribution network based on four regional centres (Magdeburg, Duisburg, Hamburg and Frankfurt) and using RFID/satellite technology for parcel tracking and tracing. The technology is being developed in close cooperation with the Fraunhofer research institute in Magdeburg.

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TNT gets on its trike to deliver to French city centres

Posted by | Jul 3, 2007 | |

BeCycle delivery tricycle TNT Express is turning to tricycles to deliver express shipments to French city centers and cut its environmental impact.

Nine months of tests in Lyon had shown all the advantages of this means of distribution in terms of reliability, efficiency, service quality and image, TNT Express France said. The three-wheeled delivery bikes were an ecological alternative for deliveries that reduced pollution and noise in city centre areas, it noted.

In Lyon, the express company is currently using four electrically-powered cycles in TNT colours and operated by drivers of the “BeCycle” delivery company to distribute documents and small parcels to about 150 business customers. TNT will expand the Lyon project by acquiring more BeCycle tricycles and adding more districts to the tricycle delivery rounds in October.

At the same time, TNT will introduce a similar service in eight other French cities over the next few months. In total, nine cities are expected to be served by 20 tricycles by the end of 2007.

Depending on the location, TNT will use BeCycle and “La Petite Reine”, which has been providing delivery in Paris since June 2007 and in Rouen. Service started in Bordeaux in July, Nancy, Grenoble and Dijon will gain tricycles in September, to be followed by Montpellier and Rennes at the end of the year.

The initiative is included in the international action plan of TNT which is aimed at reducing CO2 emissions.

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Hermes attacks Austrian Post with low prices

Posted by | Jul 3, 2007 | |

German consumer parcels specialist Hermes Logistik is relying on low prices, a nationwide network and Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda for a successful market entry in Austria. Hermes has created about 1,000 jobs with its operational start this week.

Hermes said that it wants to achieve a market share of 20%, which is about eight million parcels a year, by the end of 2008. Its prices will be up to 60% below those of Austrian Post, and parcels will be priced by size rather than weight.

The company has set up a nationwide network of 1,200 parcel shops and six parcel sorting centres, and taken on 700 delivery staff for its new service. The retail outlets for parcel drop-off or collection are in locations such as newsagents, petrol stations, dry cleaners’ or food stores.

Hermes has gained widespread publicity by signing up the Austrian-born ex-Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda for advertising purposes. “I’m used to taking on monopolists,” declared Lauda, whose airlines Lauda Air and Niki have challenged Austrian Airlines over the last decade.

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TNT Express opens regional hub in Erfurt

Posted by | Jul 3, 2007 | |

TNT Express has officially opened its regional hub at Erfurt airport in eastern Germany. The event on Saturday, June 30, attracted 1,600 visitors during the airport’s summer party.

The regional hub, which went into operation at the start of the year, includes a 3,000 sqm depot along with regional air and road hubs.

“The new location at Erfurt airport is playing an important role in the TNT network,” commented depot manager Cornelia Stöckmann. “Shipments from all of eastern Germany are delivered here and sorted for onward transport by plane or truck.” The location directly at the airport saved transportation time and reduced transit times for local customers, she added.

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Indonesia to allow up to 95.5% foreign stake in courier firms

Posted by | Jul 3, 2007 | |

The government has prepared a draft regulation allowing foreign investors to own up to 95.5 per cent of a courier company in the country.

Under the present regulation a foreign investor is allowed to have up to 95 per cent stake in a freight forwarding company but not more than 49 per cent in a courier company.

Postal Service Director Woro Indah Widiastuti said the draft regulation has been in the office of the trade minister for approval.

Earlier the association of logistic companies (Asperindo) urged the government to allow foreign investors to wholly own a logistic company to attract foreign investors, but their operation areas should be restricted.

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