Tag: Europe

Postbank remains on track in first half-year

Posted by | Jul 30, 2008 | |

In the first half-year of 2008, Deutsche Postbank AG asserted its position well in an environment characterized by the capital market crisis and an inverse yield curve. In key product categories, new business was expanded and market gains achieved. There was a positive trend in operating results while charges on the income statement resulting from the trend on capital markets were again relatively moderate.

In comparison to the first half-year of 2007 – the last before the capital market crisis started – Postbank improved its core operating figures – net interest income and net fee and commission income. Due to market turbulence, net trading income and net income from investment securities declined. As a result of enhanced efficiency and rigorous cost control, administrative expenses moved down considerably. Allowances for losses on loans and advances was appreciably below the level of the previous year.

In the first six months of 2008, profit before tax fell by 26.1pct to EUR337 million. Adjusted for the impact of the financial market crisis, the result increased by 43.4pct to EUR654 million. Return on equity before tax declined to 13.9pct (previous year: 17.5pct). The cost-income ratio of the whole bank increased to 73.7pct (68.7pct ), while in the classical banking business (without Transaction Banking) this figure rose to 71.8pct (66.6pct ). Adjusted for the financial impact of the market jitters, there was a year-on-year improvement of profit before tax, return on equity and the cost-income ratio in the first six months.

In view of the positive development of the operating business after the first half year of 2008, Postbank sees itself as well on track for achieving an operating result before tax (without positive and negative non-recurring effects) of between EUR1.1 billion and EUR1.2 billion for the current fiscal year. This guidance is given despite the inverse yield curve and high volatility on capital markets.

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Royal Mail selects Intermec CN3 Mobile Computer to improve service to customers

Posted by | Jul 30, 2008 | |

Intermec has announced that Royal Mail has awarded Intermec a contract to provide over 25,000 of its rugged, handheld CN3 mobile computers.

The Intermec CN3 mobile computers have been chosen as part of Royal Mail’s investment in new technology to modernise the business, improve efficiency and customer service while cutting operational costs.

The Intermec CN3 mobile computer will enable Royal Mail to improve on its current paper-based system for collecting signatures for the majority of its tracked products, including Special Delivery and Recorded Signed for services. A signature will be collected on the handheld device which is then sent via GPRS wireless technology to enable sending customers to confirm delivery, and view the signature, within 15 minutes. The CN3 mobile computers will be rolled out to postmen and women who deliver guaranteed delivery items by van from late summer.

As the leader of the class of small, advanced, rugged mobile computers, the CN3, with up to four integrated radios including GPS, enables more expedient processes for the mobile worker through 1D and 2D bar code scanning. The CN3 handheld also runs Windows Mobile which supports direct push wireless email giving the Royal Mail users real-time connectivity with the corporate network.

Pat Byrne, Intermec President and CEO added, “As one of the major trend-setters in European and global postal services, Royal Mail is strengthening its leadership position with the selection of the CN3. As the global supply chain continues to evolve, in-transit visibility will have a significant impact on improving customer service and revenue generation.”

Intermec will provide further commentary regarding the announcement on its upcoming earnings conference call on 31st July.

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Royal Mail workers get mobile computers (UK)

Posted by | Jul 30, 2008 | |

After extensive trials, Royal Mail has finally chosen a supplier for the hand-held computers it wants to introduce to its delivery network. Postal workers across the country will soon become very familiar with the new CN3 units as Royal Mail takes one further step forward on its modernisation plan.

The contract has gone to Intermec which will be providing some 25,000 units. Royal Mail said the CN3 hand-helds were easy to use and had fared well during trials. The units can scan barcodes and log digital signatures, similar to those already being used by other parcel carriers alerting the sender of items like special delivery within 15 minutes. The CN3 is also fitted with GPS.

The Intermec CN3 mobile computer will enable Royal Mail to improve on its current paper-based system for collecting signatures for the majority of its tracked products, including Special Delivery and Recorded Signed for services. A signature will be collected on the handheld device which is then sent via GPRS wireless technology to enable sending customers to confirm delivery, and view the signature, within 15 minutes. The CN3 mobile computers will be rolled out to postmen and women who deliver guaranteed delivery items by van starting late this summer.

The CN3, with up to four integrated radios including GPS, enables more expedient processes for the mobile worker through 1D and 2D bar code scanning. The CN3 handheld also runs Windows Mobile(R) which supports direct push wireless email giving the Royal Mail users real-time connectivity with the corporate network.

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Poste Italiane helps pave the way for the delivery of electronic postmarks

Posted by | Jul 30, 2008 | |

Poste Italiane’s Director General, Massimo Sarmi introduced an application to enable Posts the world over to deliver electronic postal certification marks.

The plug-in developed by Poste Italiane with the help of Microsoft applies an electronic postal certification mark that provides evidential proof of an electronic event, in a certain form, at a certain time, and involving one or more parties. This certification mark can be seen as the electronic equivalent of a registered letter. It brings all the benefits of the traditional paper-based postmark to electronic documents. Features such as date and time stamping, digital identity capture, content verification and encryption prove that the content of an electronic message has not been altered. The electronic postal certification mark acts as evidence of who signed what and when.

The Advanced Electronic Services user group, part of the UPU’s Telematics Cooperative (an association of UPU member countries that work together to develop technical applications for the benefit of the postal world), and countries currently using electronic postmarks also contributed their expertise to the project. These include Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Portugal and the United States.

With this application, the UPU will work to provide member countries wishing to offer electronic postal certification marks the necessary infrastructure to do so.

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GBP 1/4m extension for APC Overnight

Posted by | Jul 30, 2008 | |

APC Overnight has invested GBP 250,000 in extending its national sortation centre at Essington near Wolverhampton.

The company has increased the sorting area by 50 per cent with the addition of an 80m x 30m mezzanine floor, which is serviced by five lifts designed to deliver parcel cages in less than 40 seconds.

APC Overnight now has room to allocate a specific area for each type of business, including the M Sort area for local Midlands-based deliveries, in a bid to streamline and speed up the sortation process.

Ivor Skinner, director of APC Overnight, said: “This investment allows us to create a dedicated area for MailPacks and CourierPacks, which makes perfect sense for the entire operation. These consignments are often the most time sensitive, so now we can segregate them on arrival and take them straight up to the mezzanine to be processed.”

The company has also devoted an area on the mezzanine level to its Security Freight System, which handles valuable items, such as laptops. All parcels travel in separate sealed cages and are hand-scanned using a camera-based system before being sorted and resealed into cages for delivery.

In addition, the company has installed a 1,400 sq m weatherproof canopy over its unloading bays.

The canopy is free of vertical supports to allow vehicles and staff to move around freely, and is designed to be lightweight yet flexible in order to withstand adverse weather conditions.

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