Tag: Europe

Hermes mulls legal steps if German government extends VAT exemption for Deutsche Post

Posted by | Aug 27, 2007 | |

Hermes, a Hamburg-based logistics groups, is considering legal steps if the German Finance Ministry extends the VAT exemption for Deutsche Post World Net AG beyond 2007, its Managing Director Hanjo Schneider told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

The tax exemption violates EU law, he said.

Deutsche Post enjoys an exemption from Germany’s 19 pct value-added tax in its letter and parcel services in return for its promise to deliver mail to every German household.

Without this advantage, Deutsche Post would have to raise its parcel prices ‘substantially’, Schneider said.

Hermes, which owns 29 pct in TNT NV’s TNT Post, moved some 50 mln parcels last year.

Schneider also criticized government plans to introduce minimum wages for postal workers.

If Deutsche Post’s wage agreement becomes a benchmark for the industry, the road into the letter market for new providers remains blocked, he said.

Read More

Norway Post: Continued growth, but lower earnings

Posted by | Aug 27, 2007 | |

Norway Post’s half year results show continued growth in revenue for the Group. The results are lower compared to the same period last year as a result of higher personnel and transportation costs. Norway Post is implementing initiatives to strengthen the profitability of the Post segment.

The Group has experienced positive development in operating revenues, which is in line with the Group’s Nordic growth strategy. Total operating revenues after the first six months were NOK 13.4 billion, an increase of 17.8 per cent from the same period last year. The ICT and Logistics segments contributed to revenue growth following acquisitions and high activity in the marketplace. Second quarter earnings in the Post segment were at the same level as last year.

Earnings before taxes for the first six months were NOK 879 million, compared to NOK 565 million for the same period last year. Earnings were high due to a profit of NOK 625 million from the sale of Norway Post’s distribution center building in Oslo during the first quarter. The Group’s earnings before taxes (EBIT) prior to adjustments for special items were NOK 268 million, compared to NOK 625 million after the second quarter last year.

The Post segment is the reason for the decrease in earnings, mainly due to increased personnel and transportation costs, and the establishment of CityMail in Denmark. The Logistics and ICT segments show positive growth prior to adjustments for special items. The EBIT for the ICT segment showed the same results as last year.

Read More

Firms counting cost of UK postal walk-outs

Posted by | Aug 26, 2007 | |

Businesses are still counting the cost of postal strikes and say the action has the potential to lose them thousands of pounds. Royal Mail workers walked out in two 24-hour strikes followed by a campaign of staggered action, in which each division was allocated a different day to revolt in a bid to cause continuous disruption.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) were protesting at job losses which they say will come from modernization of the firm and have rejected a 2.5 per cent pay offer.

Royal Mail, which has been losing business to rivals since the postal market was opened to competition, says the changes are needed for it to stay competitive and vowed to keep delivering mail during the action.

Smaller businesses have felt the biggest impact from the strikes as orders and deliveries have been delayed.

Burslem-based Lorna Bailey Artware depends on Royal Mail to bring in responses to its mailshots.

“Potentially, it could cost us thousands of pounds. When mail shots go out they can turn over GBP 20,000. If it is late, it puts back the manufacturing and painting – all very problematic.

“It puts us in an awkward situation because we can use Parcelforce for larger parcels, but we don’t want to pass extra charges on to the customers.

Toy and book supplier Everything Dinosaur, based in Middlewich, relies heavily on the post for its mail order service.

Owner Mike Walley said the biggest concern was not knowing which division was on strike each day.

Mr Walley has introduced a new service using couriers in an attempt to overcome disruptions but said this is costing the company money.

He added: “We’re using couriers for some of the larger parcels, but it’s costing us money because we have offered it at a discounted rate.

The national strikes have now been called off and Royal Mail and the CWU are expected to reach an agreement by September 4. Royal Mail has pledged to get services back to normal as quickly as possible.

Read More

UPS expresses interest in Deutsche Post

Posted by | Aug 24, 2007 | |

Rumors are rife that UPS and private-equity firm Apax Partners Worldwide may bid for a stake in Deutsche Post.

The operator’s share value rose on the back of the speculation and 2Q results. “Deutsche Post are boosted by the rumor Apax and UPS might bid 28 euros a share for about 30 per cent in the company,” said Thomas Nagel, a trader at Equinet AG in Frankfurt.

2Q profit rose 13 per cent as the DHL express division increased package volumes in Asia and earned more per shipment in the US.

Net income rose to 285 million euros, from 252 million euros, or 21 cents, a year earlier.

Read More

Adtio Gives DHL an RFID Boost in HK and China

Posted by | Aug 24, 2007 | |

Adtio Group Limited, a leading RFID solutions provider in Asia, announced that it has been awarded a contract by DHL Exel Supply Chain (HK) Limited (DHL) to improve warehouse operations efficiency with its RFID technologies in Hong Kong and China.

Adtio will deliver RFID total solutions, including Adtio Smart-i RFID System (EPC compliant RFID Middleware and EPCIS Server), RFID readers, tags and integration services, to track the movement of case and pallets into and out of the warehouse, and share this information with shippers via EPCnetwork.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

What's the future of the postal USO?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!



View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest