Tag: La Poste

Swiss Post International acquires German-based GPD

Posted by | Jul 22, 2008 | |

Swiss Post International (SPI), the international Group unit of Swiss Post, has taken over Global Press Distribution GmbH (GPD) in Germany. With this acquisition, SPI is consolidating its position in the German export press market, the largest in Europe. GPD has a staff of 31 and generated sales of CHF 8 million in 2007.
The acquisition of Global Press Distribution GmbH (GPD) by Swiss Post International (SPI) will take effect retroactively to 1 January 2008. It was agreed that the purchase price will not be disclosed. GPD, whose registered office is in Moerfelden near Frankfurt, provides services connected with the international and national dispatch of magazines. Its customers in Germany include publishers, printers, lettershops and other service providers in the publishing industry. With a workforce of 31, GPD generated sales equivalent to CHF 8 million francs in 2007.
With this acquisition SPI is reinforcing its position in the export press business. The German press market is the biggest in Europe, with 400 newspapers and 200 magazine publications. By entering this market, Swiss Post is pursuing its strategy of establishing itself in international niche markets. Swiss Post now already generates 20 percent of its sales abroad and in its cross-border business. SPI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Swiss Post and currently employs 1,200 people in eleven European countries, five major cities in Asia and in the USA. SPI is now number five on the cross-border letters market after Deutsche Post, United States Postal Service, the UK’s Royal Mail and France’s La Poste.

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Signature of public service agreement 2008-2012 between French state and La Poste

Posted by | Jul 22, 2008 | |

La Poste has signed a public service contract with the French government for the time period 2008-2012 confirming the company’s commitment towards four basic service areas and preparing it for total postal liberalisation in 2011.

The contract, signed by La Poste President Jean-Paul Bailly and the Minister for Economic Affairs Christine Lagarde among others, follows the announcement of possible future partial privatisation of La Poste in 2009 with the government remaining the majority shareholder of the company.

With the new agreement, the public postal operator expects to calm the French unions regarding the modification of the company’s legal structure as they have always strongly opposed opening up La Poste to private investors.

The four main service areas stipulated in the agreement include postal services, transportation and distribution of press, accessibility of banking services for as many clients as possible and nationwide coverage of postal service points.

The postal services mentioned in the contract comprise distribution and delivery of mail 6 days a week with the same tariffs all over France. In addition, the new deal defines some targets for the group such as distributing 83 pct all letters the next-day in 2008. The quantity should rise to 84 pct in 2009 and 85 pct in 2010.

The accessibility of banking services means that every customer has the right to open an account at the postal bank of the company, disregarding the financial resources of the customer.

Nationwide coverage of postal service points guarantees the accessibility of La Poste service points all over France, even in the remotest regions of the country maintaining 17.000 service points nationwide. According to the corresponding law, La Poste has to guarantee that no more than 10 pct of the population in any French department will be more than 5 km away, or at more than 20 minutes distance by car, from a post office.

French trade unions are already preoccupied with the uncertainty around the financing of the plan since neither the cost of the postal distribution service nor the method of financing has been outlined in the contract.

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Eurocarex to provide express transportation by rail in Europe

Posted by | Jul 21, 2008 | |

Roissy Cargo Rail Express Association and European Intermodal Association (EIA) have signed a “Memorandum of Interest” in Brussels in preparation for the launch of the rail express network “ Eurocarex” which would have clear environmental benefits, the French newspaper Le Lloyd reported.

The project is aimed at creating a European high-speed rail network to transport express and cargo shipments from 31 March 2012 onwards. The plan is to run trains between a new express freight station at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport and other airports such as Lyon, Lille, Liege, Amsterdam, Cologne and London, with other airports being added later. The key project members include French railway operator SNCF, Air France Cargo, FedEx, La Poste and TNT.

According to Yanick Paternotte, the president of Carex Cargo Rail Express, Eurocarex will initially employ 8 high speed trains specially designed for air cargo with a capacity to transport up to 100 tons of express shipments per train every night to corresponding terminals in Lyon, Lille, Liege, Amsterdam, Cologne and London. Perfectly adapted to the loading of air containers, the trains can be reloaded in less than 45 minutes each.

In spite of the initial investment of estimated EUR 600 million in the special trains and EUR 300 in terminals, Paternotte is convinced that the project will pay off.

The express market will make up the core business of Eurocarex, complemented through air cargo. Public authorities are tempted by the positive environmental impact striving to limit the noise pollution caused by night flights, Le Lloyd further reported.

According to a study conducted by EIA, the transportation via high speed trains would reduce CO2 emissions up to 98 pct compared to air transport.

The Eurocarex network is planned to be extended to cities Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Marseille and Francfort with 20-23 trains in service until 2015.

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eBay and La Poste France offer e-postage

Posted by | Jul 18, 2008 | |

La Poste and eBay have signed a partnership that will enable French Internet vendors to purchase their postage online. The new service, in the pipeline since December 2007, allows eBay users to print out their own postage labels for letters and parcels direct from the auction site. The sender simply enters the weight, the destination and the required service (standard or registered post). Once payment has been received via PayPal, the label is simply printed out and attached to the packet to be sent.

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DPD launches new modeshift campaign

Posted by | Jul 16, 2008 | |

DPD has launched a new modeshift campaign promoting its product DPD Classic and committing itsself to sustainable development under the slogan “Why fly parcels in Europe?”.

As part of the new campaign, the multi-language website www.whyflyparcels.com represents different aspects of DPD’s sustainability strategy introducing the modeshift concept as well as the ECO Calculator. This web-based calculator which calculates the CO2-equiv. emissions representing all green house gases produced during the transportation of package consignments by road and in the air.

The company’s strategy for ecologically and economically sound trade is helping shippers make a better choice. With whyflyparcels.com DPD shows that flying parcels within Europe can create up to eight times more CO2 equiv. although air freight remains the ideal method of transport for goods are required urgently such as relief supplies, high-value goods or spare parts that need to be transported over great distances. The company points out that there are numerous non time-critical goods and that could easily be transported by road and not by air.

The ECO Calculator allows customers to compare the effects of the two transport modes by road and by air on climate change. The simulation is based on a totally virtual network and uses data to reflect the reality in a best possible way. It has been supported and assisted by an independent sustainable development agency O2 France relying upon expert sustainable development knowledge.

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