Tag: Europe

APC Overnight boosts UK parcel network with expansion in Essex

Posted by | Aug 13, 2008 | |

APC Overnight has boosted its nationwide parcel services with further expansion of its network by launching a new depot covering the Chelmsford area of Essex.

Now the largest UK network with 125 depots, APC Overnight has appointed its highly successful Ipswich agent Rapid Dispatch to run the new Chelmsford operation. Rapid has quadrupled APC Overnight business in Ipswich and expects to triple the Essex business within the first year.

APC Overnight said that it continues to grow year-on-year thanks to exceptional service levels underpinned with unrivalled delivery performance that sees over 99.8 pct of parcels delivered on time. To support the growth, the company has recently expanded its National Sortation Centre in the Midlands and opened a dedicated hub in Scotland.

The new depot will cover the region incorporating Chelmsford, Braintree, Witham and Maldon, which will offer employment opportunities locally. “With the growth of APC Overnight in Ipswich, we know we will be employing a high pedigree management team backed with proven experience and enthusiasm to capitalise on the untapped potential in the Chelmsford area,” comments APC Overnight Marketing Director Jon Barber.

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Average UK adult thinks they are worth GBP 350k

Posted by | Aug 13, 2008 | |

When it comes to putting a price on their life, the average UK adult believes they are worth GBP 350,000, according to research by the Post Office.

When asked to consider everything they own or value in their life, including their home, car, annual salary and all their possessions, respondents came back with an average amount of GBP 350,000.

Many people seem to value themselves in terms of their homes as their biggest asset, as there is a direct correlation with house prices and self-valuation. For example Londoners value themselves at GBP 500,000, with an average house price of GBP 345,000 whereas those in the East Midlands only value themselves at GBP 300,000, with an average property at GBP 142,000.

Adults approaching, or already in retirement, emerged as the group who valued themselves the most (GBP 500,000). On average people in their sixties valued themselves more than double that of people in their twenties and thirties.

Almost 36 million (75 per cent) adults in the UK have no life insurance, posing a real financial risk to them and their family if anything was to happen to them. Although the cost of life insurance has dropped by 70 per cent over the last 30 years, more than a quarter of adults (28 per cent) claim they simply cannot afford it, while over eight million (18 per cent) adults feel their lives are not worth insuring at all.

Whilst it is natural that people may wait for certain ‘life’ triggers before considering life insurance, it often inevitably slips down the priorities list. One in seven said they would take out life insurance when they have a child (14 per cent) or when they buy their first house (13 per cent) and one in 10 (10 per cent) when they get married. However, four in 10 adults (39 per cent) suggest they could already be at risk by saying they should take out life insurance as soon as possible.

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Mergers and acquisitions on domestic delivery market (Romania)

Posted by | Aug 13, 2008 | |

The beginning of this year brought an avalanche of mergers and acquisitions on the domestic delivery market in Romania. Founders of Cargus sold the company to the international player DHL, Pegasus was taken over by GeoPost and Yurtici Cargo company Trans Courier Service was bought by UPS, whereas TCE Logistics and Curiero merged.

Fan Courier is the only delivery company of the top three which did not announce its selling intention.

For this year, Fan Courier plans to make investments worth 20 million euros. “We’ve conceived ever since last year a pretty bold investments plan. We will construct a new headquarters that will endorse our growth. The land alone cost us 2.5 million euros and the investments in the building alone will reach about 8.5 million euros. To them adds the transporting strip that will cost other 4 million euros. Then there will be the equipment of all our couriers with PDAs (personal digital assistant), which entails other 2 million euros. However, when we will finalize the investments, our company might really compete from a technical and quality viewpoint with any company from Romania and from abroad,” say the owners of the company.

Related to a prospective sell of the company, there have been many offers but none went beyond the principle stage.

The first quarter of the year, the company reported a turnover worth 9.8 million euros, over the same period of the previous year.

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Sub-postmasters' 'morale so low' – concerned MSP (UK)

Posted by | Aug 13, 2008 | |

North east of Scotland MSP Nanette Milne has voiced fears that more Post Office branches could shut in the future after the current 2,500 closure programme consultation ends.

It follows the announcement by Post Office Ltd last week that 40 Post Office branches would close.

Dr Milne said: “I have real concern as to what the Labour Government intends to do with Post Offices in the future. Speaking to sub-postmasters the North east it is clear that morale has never been so low…”

“The Business and Enterprise Select Committee, Chairman Peter Luff MP has said there could be a further 4,000 closures, mainly if sub-postmasters retired and were not replaced, and that there could be no compulsion to replace sub-postmasters who retire.

“A recent report by the Business and Enterprise Select Committee noted that the Post Office had estimated a network of around 7,500 would meet the national criteria for access to branches, although Government funding and the company’s business case were both based on the number of outlets remaining at 11,500 after the current closure programme is completed.”

She added: “I do not think it is satisfactory simply to accept that the network may continue to shrink in an unplanned way between now and 2011. Post Office Ltd should be obliged to use its best endeavours to keep the network at a minimum of 11,500 fixed outlets.

“The future shape of the network is a matter of direct political concern and the Labour Government must take ultimate responsibility for ensuring its considerable subsidies are being used to secure a network which meets the public’s needs.”

Dr Milne also commented on the Post Office Card Account contract, which is currently up for tender, with the result of who will run the contract in future, expected this summer.

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Royal Mail USO needs funding says Lawson

Posted by | Aug 12, 2008 | |

Steve Lawson, editor for Hellmail the postal industry news site said it was ‘highly probable’ that Royal Mail would have to consider reducing the frequency of its deliveries or cutting back on some of its services if fuel costs continue to remain high and more business was lost to rivals.

“Royal Mail is providing a very expensive service whilst continuing to lose market share” he said.

“Raising stamp prices to meet increased costs isn’t something that Royal Mail is able to do at will either, and often there’s a real lag between pricing and operating costs which puts Royal Mail at a real disadvantage. Present stamp prices are fixed until 2010 but that doesn’t take into account the sharp increase in diesel prices.”

“Royal Mail wants to provide the best service it can, as indeed do postal workers themselves, but the business is under huge pressure from Postcomm to reduce its operating costs. The six day a week service is an expensive one to provide, as is the universal service which guarantees a minimum collection and delivery service even to areas that are incredibly costly to provide. Sending a postman into the back of beyond to deliver a 34p letter isn’t exactly profitable. Add declining mail volume as well as business lost to rivals, and it becomes fairly obvious that maintaining such a high level of service is an enormous task. I doubt its sustainable unless stamp pricing becomes more flexible. It seems highly probable that some key part of its service will go.”

“There needs to be a fixed funding for the USO if Royal Mail is to be able to compete on fair terms but no decision has been made on who should pay for it in the longer term. Postcomm has already said that it isn’t keen to share that cost between operators as that would effectively undo its own efforts to help stimulate competition. Postwatch too, suggested some contribution from all postal operators but to date, it remains unresolved and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Royal Mail reports an even bigger loss on the USO this year. Its not an issue we can ignore.”

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