Tag: International

German Economy Minister Glos to restrict Deutsche Post's VAT privilege

Posted by | Feb 24, 2008 | |

German Economy Minister Michael Glos plans to restrict Deutsche Post World Net AG’s value added tax privilege while expanding that of the company’s competitors, Euro am Sonntag reported, without citing sources.

So far, the company pays no VAT for its so-called universal service, including correspondences of up to 2000 grams, parcels of up to 20 kilograms and the dispatch of newspapers, it said.

The company’s competitors have to pay 19 pct of VAT for all their services, it added.

In the future, the universal service is to be restricted but will be VAT-free for all competitors of Deutsche Post, the magazine added.

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Royal Mail blames Europe for late deliveries

Posted by | Feb 22, 2008 | |

Late postal deliveries affecting many parts of Pembrokeshire look set to be permanent as Royal Mail struggles to find solutions to a new European law which restricts the speed of its carriers.

Royal Mail has had to comply with the new EU road transport directive which introduced lower speed limits for some vehicles.

This means lorries which transport mail down the M4 to Pembrokeshire can only travel at 57mph.

As a direct result, postal workers at sorting offices including Pembroke Dock have been told to clock on an hour later at 6.30am and this has delayed deliveries by an hour Because of Pembrokeshire’s peripherality, the effects of the new transport directive are more apparent here than other areas of the UK.

Royal Mail insisted “customers can be reassured that Royal Mail is working hard to minimise the impact of these changes across the country”.

A spokesman said it would continue to make the last delivery by lunchtime in urban areas and mid-afternoon in rural areas.

But Gordon Barry, secretary of the Narberth Chamber of Trade, said words were of little comfort to businesses which relied on an efficient postal system.

Mr Barry suggested that as the standard of service deteriorates businesses will gravitate further towards the internet.

Mr Barry also questioned why Royal Mail didn’t transport its post by train. For towns with stations and sorting offices such as Narberth, Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock this would be a sensible alternative, he suggested.

However, Royal Mail said this means of transport was abandoned a few years ago.

“A decision was taken at the time to cease the use of trains and instead to maximise the use of our vehicles. By ensuring they are not running with empty or low volumes of mail, we managed to reduce our costs and also our road miles,” said its spokesman.

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China Postal Airlines launches flights between Yantai, Seoul

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

Mail and cargo flights between the Chinese coastal city of Yantai, Shandong Province, and Seoul, Republic of Korea, went into operation, shortening delivery times between the two cities by at least 12 hours.

A Boeing 737 aircraft of China Postal Airlines, specializing in express mail services (EMS) and cargo transport, took off from Yantai International Airport at 11 a.m. and landed in Seoul 70 minutes later, airline sources said.

It is the first cargo flight service between South Korea and Shandong, its largest investment destination in China. South Korea has invested about 20 billion U.S. dollars in the eastern province through 2007, accounting for 27 percent of its China investment.

The new route boosts economic exchange between Shandong and South Korea and gives China Postal a better footing in the international market, according to the China Postal Airlines source.

Currently, there are 18,000 companies that have been directly invested by South Korean businesses in Shandong, half of the total in China.

China Postal Airlines will fly from Yantai to Seoul five times weekly, according to company sources. Express mail from the province can arrive at Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon in South Korea the next day and in other cities a day after that.

Shanghai-based China Postal Airlines, a 51/49 percent joint venture between China’s State Post Bureau and China Southern Airlines, boasts a fleet of 13 aircraft and operates 30 flights to a dozen domestic cities. The company’s delivery network covers more than 300 Chinese cities.

In line with its commitments to the World Trade Organization, China has fully opened its express delivery market. International delivery companies such as DHL, TNT and UPS are now competing in China.

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EnvoiMoinsCher partners Sodexi and Aramex

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

Air France-KLM express subsidiary Sodexi and Middle East carrier Aramex are targeting French small businesses and consumers through a newly-launched online parcels portal “EnvoiMoinsCher.com”. Prices will significantly undercut those of the leading global express operators.

EnvoiMoinsCher (EMC), which is targeting one million online visitors a month and 400,000 parcels booked through its system in its first year, announced yesterday that it had formed partnerships with Sodexi and Aramex. According to information on its website, existing transport partners include La Poste/Chronopost, TNT and Schenker. The portal, launched at the end of 2007, is targeting small businesses, online retailers and consumers, and offers transportation of documents, parcels, pallets and freight.

The online parcels portal said Sodexi prices would be as much as 40 pct lower than competitor offers. The express operator, which is majority-owned by Air France-KLM, would use capacity on the airline’s commercial flights and its network of sub-contractors to transport shipments. Sodexi, which has a 20,000 sqm hub at Paris CDG airport, aims to expand by building up a customer base of small companies and consumers, EMC said in a statement.

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Toll profits from Asian expansion

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

Australian transport and logistics group Toll Holdings announced today it is profiting from its expansion into Asia and good domestic demand. The group has made two express acquisitions in Australia but could soon sell its majority stake in the Virgin Blue airline.

The listed company, whose businesses include leading Australian express operators, announced net profits up 10.7pct to AUD 237 million (EUR 147.8 million) for the half-year ending December 31, 2007. Underlying operating profit (EBIT) rose 13pct to AUD431 million on revenues up 8.3pct to AUD 4.1 billion.

Toll Australia, covering all Australia-based businesses, improved its EBIT by 18pct to AUD 184 million on revenue up 7.3pct to AU D2.3 billion. The company said it benefited from higher volumes generated by the resources sector and buoyant retail sector demand, as well as new facilities and upgraded fleet and technology.

Although Toll does not release figures for its express businesses Toll IPEC, Toll Priority and Toll Fast, it said that “the time sensitive operations of Toll IPEC and Toll Priority continued to drive improved results”, despite Toll Priority’s one-off costs for the creation of an air linehaul network.

In July, Toll Priority launched a dedicated cargo fleet of three B737s and two ATRs, supported by 50 chartered aircraft. The B737s operate between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, while the ATRs fly between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. It also sealed a long-term agreement with Virgin Blue for exclusive access to bellyhold capacity on the passenger airline’s domestic and international flights.

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