Tag: Europe

UK Royal Mail chips in to track missing post

Posted by | Aug 13, 2006 | |

Royal Mail is using the new wireless tracking technology, radio frequency identification (RFID), to try to improve its lamentable record for safe delivery of post.

Last year, more than 14m letters were lost or damaged and 7 percent of mail was not delivered on time, making it increasingly difficult for the Royal Mail to sell itself as a service for businesses to use. Royal Mail plans to try to identify the “black holes” into which lost post disappears and also discover the whereabouts of the bottlenecks that clog up the system.

Until the arrival of low cost RFID chips, there has been no cost-effective technology that would allow the Royal Mail to track postage flow. But RFID uses a microchip with a unique number tag that can be scanned to identify unique items.

Selected envelopes are now being identified with RFID tags and put through the system so that they can be scanned by an RFID reader when they reach their destination to record an exact arrival time. This is far cheaper than using global position (GPS) tags, which are monitored by satellite.

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Post Office set to join broadband bandwagon

Posted by | Aug 11, 2006 | |

The Post Office could be set to join the broadband revolution, after reports yesterday said it was set to move into the crowded market for high-speed internet access.

“We look at lots of opportunities in the market, and broadband is naturally one of those things you would look at, but there’s absolutely no decision,” spokesman David Simpson said.

Telecoms analysts suggested that the Post Office, which already offers a fixed-line telephone service in conjunction with Cable & Wireless – HomePhone – in direct competition with BT, was poised to announce the move.

The battle for broadband customers has intensified in recent months. BSkyB launched its own high-speed internet product last month and, in April, Carphone Warehouse entered the fray by offering its “free” broadband service Talk Talk as part of a bundle with line calls and rental.

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UK Royal Mail under fire for 'greedy' D2D plan

Posted by | Aug 11, 2006 | |

Royal Mail’s recent agreement with postal workers to increase the number of unaddressed items they deliver has sparked accusations of “greed” and fears that response rates will plummet.

The deal, which has seen posties secure a 3.9 per cent wage increase, has been hailed by chief executive Adam Crozier: “Our customers will see greater capacity where they need it. We’re getting on with tackling the competition – not each other.”

But Mark Young, managing director at The Leaflet Company, questions whether Royal Mail’s “greed for short-term profitability will eventually lead to the demise of one of its most successful products”.

He adds: “Is this just one more step to line Royal Mail’s pockets? There will be concerns about return on investment now that the householder could receive twice as many items. Surely overloading the postmen will lead to lower levels of delivery.

“Independent audit companies have shown delivery efficiency for Royal Mail to have decreased continuously year on year.”

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Austrian Post improves H1 profits

Posted by | Aug 11, 2006 | |

Austrian Post has announced strong results for the first half of 2006 following its successful flotation in May with good growth figures for its parcel and logistics business.

The company increased group revenues by 3% to €861.4 million, and improved EBIT by 17.9% to €66.3 million. The EBIT margin advanced to 7.7%. EBITDA for the first half year of €117.9m was up 14.5% compared with last year, pushing up the EBITDA margin to 13.7%. Earnings before tax rose to €67.3 million, 23.2% higher than in the same period last year. Profit for the first half year remained unchanged over the same period last year, as a result of higher taxes and the absence of the earnings achieved in 2005 from discontinued operations (Postversicherung AG).

Revenue growth was driven by both the mail and parcel & logistics divisions, resulting in higher profits since there was only a moderate rise in costs. The Austrian Post share also ended the half-year well, with a June 30 share price of €23.72, which was 25% higher than the issue price of €19.00.

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Finland Posts net sales continue to grow

Posted by | Aug 10, 2006 | |

Interim Report for April–June 2006

Consolidated net sales for Q2/2006 improved to EUR 376.0 million over the same period a year ago (EUR 313.4 million in Q2/2005), up by 20%, company acquisitions and organic growth accounting for 17% and 3%, respectively.
Consolidated operating profit declined to EUR 15.1 million (EUR 22.5 million), representing 4% (7%) of consolidated net sales. Profit before tax came to EUR 15.8 million (EUR 24.0 million).
Net sales reported by Messaging remained steady. The business group’s profitability was eroded by a fall (6%) in 1st class letter-mail volumes and an increase in delivery labour costs.
Information Logistics’ net sales showed favourable developments in all of its product groups, with the exception of Germany. However, price competition remained fierce.
As a result of acquisitions in 2005, Logistics reported strong growth in its net sales.

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