The British post’s subsidiary GLS has accused DHL of practising price dumping in Germany. In an interview with the daily “Die Welt”, CEO Rico Back said the Deutsche Post parcel subsidiary would undercut GLS tariffs with discounts between 8 and 10% or 20 to 30 cent per parcel. DHL would guarantee customers the same price until 2007 and exclude any increase due to higher road toll or fuel costs. Mr Back called the practice “untrustworthy”.
Read MoreFor the last few years there has been a steady flow of complaints to public representatives, consumer groups, radio talk shows and newspaper editors about package deliveries from America to this country and many other European destinations handled by GLS, a Royal Mail subsidiary, operating out of a central depot in Germany.
This situation arose after An Post, and many other European state-run post offices, lost its handling contracts to GLS. Air mail packages from America to Ireland can now spend an inordinate amount of time sitting in a German sorting warehouse where every package is scrutinised to see if it was liable to a Vat or duty charge and only then dispatched to the recipient with a cash-on-delivery demand for the amount payable.
Read MoreVicenza, Schio, Conegliano and Treviso: GLS acquired another four parcel businesses in Italy – this time from the franchise partner De Vicari. Just shortly before, GLS purchased the parcel businesses of the franchise partner Tavassi. These recent transactions are in line with GLS’ strategy of evolutionarily expanding and strengthening its own operations in Italy’s key regions.
“Including the most recent transaction, GLS’ own locations contribute 15 percent to GLS Italy’s total revenue”, explains Rico Back, CEO of General Logistics Systems B.V., Amsterdam. “In total, GLS has now direct access to customers at 13 locations in Italy. This proximity to the market provides a better understanding of the regional mentality and needs. It allows us to react even more flexibly to our customers’ requirements.”
General Logistics Systems B. V. (GLS), headquartered in Amsterdam, presents a new network partner for Portugal: from spring 2005 onwards, the GLS Group will be cooperating with the Portuguese parcel and express service Personalis S.A., based in Lisbon. During the course of the coming year, GLS will also acquire a 25.1 percent stake in the new partner. GLS and its current network partner Transnautica S.A. mutually agreed to terminate the contract with effect from February 28th 2005, as Transnautica S.A. will concentrate in future more strongly on their core business (general cargo, container handling and freight forwarding).
Read MoreThe Polish market of courier services is dominated by three private companies DHL-Servisco, General Logistics System (GLS) and Masterlink, which control together 66 pct of the country’s market, the telecommunication and postal market regulator URTiP said.
Read More
The Mail & Express Review (MER) Magazine is our quarterly print publication. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, MER is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.
