Tag: Europe

Deutsche Post cancels HP outsourcing deal

Posted by | Aug 1, 2008 | |

Deutsche Post World Net has backed out of a planned IT outsourcing megadeal with Hewlett-Packard worth billions of dollars, InformationWeek has learned.

Deutsche Post, the German logistics company and parent to DHL, chose not to finalize the contract after a six-month review found the “benefits, particularly in the early years, do not outweigh the risks,” according to an internal memo.

The dropped outsourcing deal called for HP to hire 2,500 Deutsche Post employees, including those working for DHL. It included taking over the operations and management of data, infrastructure, networks, and software running in data centers in Scottsdale, Ariz.; Prague, the Czech Republic; Malaysia; and other regions.

Although the companies didn’t make the contract size public in January, when they announced the signing of a letter of intent, they said Deutsche Post would save at least 1 billion euros over seven years by outsourcing IT and expected to reach a “definitive agreement” with HP by the middle of 2008.

In a July 21 e-mail to employees, Stephen McGuckin, IT Services Managing Director at Deutsche Post, wrote that the deal had fallen through partly because it wasn’t going to bring Deutsche Post the expected savings.

During the past six months, “both companies have learnt much about the challenges, risks and benefits of the proposed outsourcing. More significantly [Deutsche Post] IT Services continued to improve its cost position, increased the number of services delivered while also maintaining service levels. Simply put, during the six months of the evaluation, our improving cost position made HP’s job that much harder and their cost reduction target that much more difficult to achieve.”

McGuckin added that the decision is “not a reflection of HP’s merits as a service provider; it is a vote of confidence in [Deutsche Post] IT Services and our track record of service delivery.”

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Financial investor bids over EUR 500m for Seur controlling stake

Posted by | Aug 1, 2008 | |

British private equity company Doughty Hanson has bid more than EUR 500 million to buy a 52 pct majority stake in Spanish express parcels operator Seur in an offer valuing the company at about EUR 1 billion. DHL and UPS were apparently also interested in the company.
According to Spanish business newspaper Expansión, the UK financial investor has made the offer to a group of Seur franchisees who have decided to sell off their shareholdings in the group. The offer, valuing the whole company at EUR 1 billion, is thus worth about EUR 520 million.
Expansión, citing market sources, described the bid as “friendly” and said that Doughty Hanson was ready to work with other Seur shareholders, including La Poste subsidiary GeoPost, which owns a 19.6 pct share in the group.
The other Seur shareholders now have 45 days to decide whether to exercise their right to block the bid with a counter-offer of at least the same size, the newspaper wrote. Sources close to La Poste said that no decision has yet been taken about this, it added.
Seur, with revenues of EUR 665 million last year, has a complex, decentralised ownership structure comprising regional franchisees who also own small stakes in the parent company Seur SA. Seur has 85 franchisees in total controlled by 54 companies. The franchisees seeking to sell their holdings represent 52 pct of Seur capital, 65 pct of the franchises by number, and generate 5 pct of gross profits, according to the newspaper.

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Schuetze new sales MD for TNT Express Germany

Posted by | Jul 31, 2008 | |

TNT Express Germany has appointed experienced Marketing and Sales Manager Dr Roland Schuetze as its Managing Director Sales, Marketing and Customer Service, with effect from 1 August. He comes from the Weidmueller group, one of the world’s leading providers of connecting elements for data, signals and energy, where he was responsible for global sales. Prior to this, Schuetze was senior vice-president sales and a member of the board of Lufthansa Cargo. In that position he was responsible for global key account management, global customer service and margin management.

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UPU adopts new four-year roadmap

Posted by | Jul 31, 2008 | |

UPU member countries unanimously adopted a new four-year roadmap for the worldwide postal sector during yesterday’s (30th July) plenary session of the 24th Universal Postal Congress.

Jean-Luc Dutordoit, from the Belgian delegation, presenting the new world postal strategy to delegates of the 24th Universal Postal Congress in Geneva.

The strategy comprises four objectives that the government of UPU member countries will work to achieve between 2009 and 2012, in collaboration with their regulators, designated postal operators and regional postal associations.

In addition to improving the interoperability, quality and efficiency of the world postal network, the strategy aims to stimulate a universal postal service adapted to the social, economic and technological environment; promote sustainable development of the postal sector and its economy; and foster the growth of the postal market(s) and services.

The strategy’s objectives basically cover what was provided for in the previous Bucharest World Postal Strategy, but they are more detailed and better focused on 18 programmes. They are also based on the three main areas, including the interoperability of postal networks, development and governance.

The implementation will be carried out using a regional approach based on well-defined indicators, which will allow achievements and shortcomings to be monitored.

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Night Star Express signs up Benelux franchisee

Posted by | Jul 31, 2008 | |

Night Star Express has signed a preliminary contract with WanSis transport systems B.V for the franchise area Benelux with effect from 1 January 2009 to expand its presence in Europe.

Founded at the beginning of 2008 in Geldrop, WanSis transport system will take charge of Night Star Express activities as the new franchisee with identical corporate image and high quality standards.

“With this nationwide connection across Germany to the Benelux countries and next-day delivery by 8:00 we are uniquely qualified on the market, as none of our competitors can offer customers throughout Germany such a wide night express service,” said Matthias Hohmann, managing director of Night Star Express.

“We are convinced that WanSis transport systems B.V will make Night Star Express an established company in the Benelux countries,” he added

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