Tag: Germany

TNT Express wins Hanse Globe 2007 award

Posted by | Nov 13, 2007 | |

TNT Express has won the new “Hanse Globe 2007” award for sustainable logistics organised by the public-private body Logistik-Initiative Hamburg.

“Many companies have applied with their future-oriented projects,” commented Dr. Mojib Latif, professor for ocean circulation and climate dynamics at Leibniz Institute for sea sciences in Kiel and chairman of the jury. “TNT’s worldwide sustainability project ‘Planet me’ for the reduction of CO2 emissions was very convincing,” he said. “It comprises the whole TNT business worldwide, including 31 locations in Germany.”

In Germany, for example, TNT Express deploys 156 natural gas vehicles in cities that produce hardly any emissions, as well as ecological vans with soot particle filters and modern technologies for route optimizing.

Additionally, the company has invested in 60 video conference systems to reduce business trips, and builds new branches taking environmental issues into account. In the new Hamburg-Allermöhe depot, for example, an integrated leafy roof area makes for a better heat balance and a convenient micro-climate. Moreover, TNT minimises its consumption of water, energy and electricity.

The Logistik-Initiative Hamburg brings together some 300 companies and institutions in Hamburg with the aim of developing the city’s position as the leading logistics metropolis in Northern Europe.

Read More

DPWN addresses shareholders to calm rumours

Posted by | Nov 12, 2007 | |

Deutsche Post World Net’s (DPWN) senior managers have been energetically defending the strategic direction of their company, after the publication of their nine-monthly results last week which saw revenue rise by 5.3pct and EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Tax) after exceptional items fall by 2.5pct.

In particular, the new chief financial officer, John Allan, has been thrust forward to help articulate the new ‘capital markets programme’. Entitled a “Road Map to Value” this is designed to underline DPWN’s commitment to better returns to shareholders. It also emphasises what is an important change in direction for DPWN’s corporate strategy. DPWN’s CEO Klaus Zumwinkel articulated this as “following an expansion phase to build the leading logistics company worldwide, we’re now entering a new era…… We are implementing a series of long-term measures in order to raise profitability, generate more cash, increase payouts to shareholders and improve transparency.”

For a company as acquisitive as DPWN this is an interesting statement, indicating that the strategy of global expansion is being reigned-back, although targeted acquisitions are still being made.

Underlying DPWN’s concern is disenchantment amongst institutional investors outside Germany over the performance of the company’s shares. This is leading to mutterings on stock markets about the merits of a break-up of DPWN, particularly through a buy-out from a private equity house.

From the remarks emerging from Bonn, it does appear that DPWN is feeling the capital markets breathing down its neck. For example, John Allan commented that he didn’t think a private equity bid was a big risk “but I think one can never be complacent and the best way of stopping it even being a small risk and protect the future of our company, the jobs of our employees and so on, is really going to be to carry through very aggressively the programme we have announced today, which should make our shareholders happy”.

Read More

TNT to leave German market?

Posted by | Nov 10, 2007 | |

TNT NV is mulling whether to turn its back on the German postal market, its Chief Financial Officer Peter Bakker said in a letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The letter was reported on Saturday by Dutch media, including Het Financieele Dagblad, and confirmed by a TNT spokesman.

Bakker told Merkel in the letter that he strongly opposes plans for high minimum wages and the beneficial tax status for Deutsche Post, a TNT spokesman said.

“If this situation becomes reality we will reconsider our position, which could include leaving the country,” Bakker was quoted as saying by the spokesman.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Finance Minister Wouter Bos also received a copy of the letter as well as Junior Economy Minister Frank Heemskerk, who is responsible within the government for postal liberalisation.

Investors have closely followed the liberalisation process in the Netherlands as it affects the Dutch mail business, one of TNT’s most profitable units.

The Dutch parliament had approved the new postal law, which is due to end TNT’s remaining monopoly in the Netherlands from January 2008.

It includes a emergency procedure that allows the Economy Ministery to delay the liberalisation if other European countries and particularly Germany do not fully liberalise their markets at the same time.

A spokesman for the Economy Ministry said he had not seen Bakker’s letter yet and that the government was still aiming to introduce the new postal law on Jan. 1 next year.

Read More

German Postbank records growth in a turbulent environment

Posted by | Nov 8, 2007 | |

Deutsche Postbank AG is continuing to grow. Despite intense competition in the retail banking sector and the turbulent capital market environment, Postbank increased its profit before tax for the first nine months by 24.6 pct year-on-year to EUR806 million. Adjusted for the positive impact of the disposal of the Bank’s insurance business and non-recurring effects, including the integration of BHW and the retail outlets, profit before tax increased by 8.4 pct to EUR752 million. The return on equity before taxes broke through the 20 pct barrier for the first time, increasing to 20.9 pct as of September 30, 2007 (previous year: 17.5 pct). The cost-income ratio improved to 65.5 pct (compared with 69.5 pct in the first nine months of the previous year), with the figure for the Company’s traditional banking business, i.e. excluding Transaction Banking, improving to 63.2 pct (previous year: 68.0 pct).

Postbank has only been affected by the crisis on the U.S. real estate market to a minor extent. The Bank has always applied its conservative investment principles when investing in structured credit portfolios. Postbank performed an intensive analysis of the soundness of these investments in the third quarter, on the basis of which it recognized valuation adjustments totaling EUR 61 million.

Postbank is reiterating its target of gaining around one million new customers in the current year, and remains confident that it will generate a return on equity before taxes of more than 20 pct and a cost-income ratio from traditional banking of less than 63 pct in 2008. The Bank’s aim of achieving a tier 1 capital ratio of 7.5 pct by 2009 remains unchanged.

Read More

German Postbank jumps as Deutsche Post signals it may sell

Posted by | Nov 8, 2007 | |

Deutsche Postbank AG, Germany’s biggest consumer bank by clients, rose the most since its initial public offering after parent company Deutsche Post AG said it may look at the lender’s future next year.

The stock surged 5.60 euros, or 13 percent, to 59.54 euros in the biggest gain since the bank sold shares to the public in June 2004. The Bonn-based company’s market value rose to 8.12 billion euros ($11.9 billion).

Deutsche Post Chief Executive Officer Klaus Zumwinkel, answering a question at a Frankfurt analysts conference, said that after Germany’s mail market is liberalized in 2008, there will be “more time to think about” Postbank’s future. Deutsche Post is “the best owner” of the bank at the moment, Zumwinkel said, adding that the unit has attracted interest from a number of banks. He later reiterated that Postbank isn’t up for sale.

Postbank today also said third-quarter profit almost tripled as the sale of its insurance business offset a 61 million-euro writedown on U.S. subprime-related investments. Chief Financial Officer Marc Hess said the bank is confident that the amount is sufficient to cover risks from securities linked to loans for U.S. homebuyers with patchy credit histories.

Postbank stock has declined 23 percent this year, the second-worst performance on Germany’s benchmark DAX Index. Deutsche Post holds 50 percent plus 1 share of Postbank.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

Have you noticed a decrease of non-EU inbound parcel volumes since the implementation of the new €3 charge?

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