Tag: Europe

UPS updates sustainability report

Posted by | Aug 20, 2007 | |

UPS today released its fourth annual Corporate Sustainability Report tracking progress on the company’s economic, social and environmental objectives.

The report is based on 2006 data. UPS reports annually on its progress meeting five-year goals for employment, safety, environmental and philanthropic initiatives. UPS was the first company in its industry to issue a sustainability report.

Achievements cited in the new report include:

– Employees contributed nearly 1 million volunteer hours to community projects around the globe.
– UPS achieved one of its safety goals a year ahead of schedule, cutting lost-time injuries by 28 pct last year.
– The company maintains the largest alternative-fuel fleet in the industry and shaved more than 28.5 million miles by using technology to streamline delivery routes.
– UPS recycled more than 2.7 million pounds of electronic equipment from its operations.

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Operational Investment at Pallet-Track

Posted by | Aug 20, 2007 | |

Pallet-Track the UK’s fastest growing overnight pallet network is pleased to announce major investment of over GBP 300,000 into its operation.
The company has just taken delivery of six H20 Linde trucks with the latest specification available in the market today. Powered by a VW Audi engine the new IC trucks are the quietest yet producing only 72 decibels. The truck is 30 pct more fuel efficient than its predecessor with enlarged fuel cells providing greater operating hours in the demanding sort operation.
Additionally Pallet Track has also purchased new scales and an automatic shrink wrapping machine in line with introducing a quality controller to oversee the entire night operation. The role of this person will be to check weigh consignments at random, identifying inadequately wrapped goods along with any manifest discrepancy, reporting and setting corrective actions through the head of operations.
The company will also take delivery of 7 new Jungheinrich trucks in two months time.

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Christian Salvesen: Sales of vegetable processing business and interim management statement

Posted by | Aug 20, 2007 | |

Christian Salvesen today announces that it has signed a definitive
agreement for the sale of its frozen vegetable business, Christian
Salvesen Foods (“the business”), comprising stock, plant, machinery,
people and contracts to Pinguin Foods UK Limited, a subsidiary of
Pinguin NV (“Pinguin”) for estimated total cash consideration payable
at completion of GBP 17.2m. The consideration is subject to adjustment
for the actual amount of stock at the date of closing. In addition,

Christian Salvesen will continue to provide storage and distribution
services to the business on normal commercial terms for a minimum
term of sixteen months. The transaction is expected to close in
mid-September following employee consultation.

The business consists of vegetable processing, packing and storage
activities at three sites in Lincolnshire, located in Bourne, North
Thoresby and Easton. In the year ended 31st March 2007 the business
reported revenues of GBP 44.6m and operating profit of GBP 0.7m; operating
profit included exceptional net income of GBP 0.4m and an allocation of
GBP 0.8m of Group overheads. The gross assets of the business were
GBP 29.5m at 31st March 2007.

The impact of the transaction on earnings is expected to be broadly
neutral. The proceeds will be used for general working capital purposes.

Christian Salvesen is also releasing its first Interim Management
Statement.

Overall, for the financial year to date, the Group’s continuing business
has traded broadly in-line with our expectations, which are weighted
to the second half of the year.

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Postcomm issues consultation on proposal to reject Royal Mail's zonal pricing

Posted by | Aug 17, 2007 | |

Postcomm, the independent regulator for postal services, has issued a consultation on its proposal to reject Royal Mail’s application to charge large mailers – using products which are not part of the universal service – different prices depending on where in the UK their mail is delivered (Royal Mail calls this zonal pricing).

To reduce industry uncertainty, Postcomm announced that it was proposing to reject Royal Mail’s decision on 23 July. This consultation sets out in detail the reasons for the regulator’s decision.

The main reason why Postcomm proposes to reject Royal Mail’s application is because it could result in a pricing structure that would discriminate between different classes of postal users. Postcomm concluded that there could be pricing discrimination between:

– two of the five zones proposed by Royal Mail;
– different areas within the London zone; and
– the proposed zonal retail tariff and Royal Mail’s existing zonal access tariff for delivery of other operators’ mail over the so-called ‘final mile’.

The regulator also found that Royal Mail’s application could be introduced in a manner which would result in unreasonable changes for customers. Royal Mail did not propose a sufficient notification period for customers to prepare for the withdrawal of geographically uniform prices. The company also offered limited help to customers in managing the transition and communicating the necessary changes. Postcomm believes Royal Mail should give postal users a notice period of 12 months before geographically uniform prices are withdrawn completely.

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Lost post drives Royal Mail's compensation bill to GBP 1 m a month

Posted by | Aug 17, 2007 | |

Royal Mail is paying out more than GBP 1million a month in compensation for its failures – including settling vast numbers of claims for lost and damaged items.

More than 800 claims a day are paid out for letters and packages that have been lost. There are another 80 a day for damaged parcels and 150 per day over delayed items.

The GBP 13.6 million annual bill to settle claims represents the tip of the iceberg of Royal Mail failings because the company has become notorious for refusing to pay up over complaints.

It received complaints and compensation claims for 651,582 lost items in the 2006-07 financial year, yet paid out on only 311,005.

The Federation of Small Business claims the decline in services has reached crisis point and is damaging the economy.

Royal Mail’s GBP 13,623,473 compensation bill for 2006-07 is likely to rocket in the current financial year because of industrial action by the Communication Workers Union, according to reports to the federation.

The consumer body, Postwatch, has in the past accused Royal Mail of “cheating” customers by failing to pay proper compensation when items are stolen.

It emerged in June that Royal Mail auctions up to 75,000 items a year that have been lost in the post and not reunited with their owners.

Lost items cause more complaints than any other issue dealt with by Postwatch. Another major problem is damaged parcels.

For lost items, Royal Mail customers can claim compensation up to 100 times the cost of a first class stamp or the market value, whichever is lower. Compensation for damaged goods is awarded at the same rate, but not for glass or ceramics.

The company said that complaints and compensation claims fell in 2006-07 and were around 200,000 fewer than the year before.

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