Tag: North America

USPS Board of Governors approves request of USD 117.7 for 2009

Posted by | Dec 12, 2007 | |

The US Postal Service’s Board of Governors approved an appropriation request of USD 117.7 million for fiscal year 2009 yesterday.

Every year, the board makes an appropriation request to Congress. For the fiscal year 2008, the board requested USD 153.4 million. At this time, the House has recommended USD 88.9 million of that amount and the Senate has recommended USD 117.9 million.

For the fiscal year 2009, the board’s request included a reimbursement of USD 69.8 million for services such as free mail for the blind and overseas voting. The USPS is required to provide these services without charge. In fiscal year 2008, the USPS requested a reimbursement of USD 83.5 million in this category.

The request also included USD 29 million for the latest annual installment from the Revenue Forgone Reform Act of 1993. In accordance with this act, the USPS is entitled to be reimbursed for lost revenue as a result of certain services it was required to provide in fiscal years 1991 through 1993. This amount also covers shortfalls in reimbursement related to the cost of processing and delivering certain types of nonprofit mail from 1994 through 1998.

The appropriation request also included reconciliation adjustments for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 of USD 16.1 million and USD 2.8 million, respectively. These amounts are based upon final audited mail volumes. By law, the USPS is authorized to request partial reimbursement for costs related to providing universal service. However, since fiscal year 1993, the USPS has not requested funds for this purpose.

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USPS Automated Postal Centers save time (U.S.)

Posted by | Dec 12, 2007 | |

Mail packages and conduct other postal business regardless of Post Office hours using self-service kiosks located in thousands of Post Office lobbies across the country. Just as an ATM is a virtual stand-alone bank, Automated Postal Centers are virtual, stand-alone Post Offices.

APCs are as easy to use as an ATM, but without the fees. APCs accept major credit and debit cards and generate a receipt for payment. All APCs also conduct business in Spanish.

With time always short and schedules overbooked, APCs allow customers the extra convenience of being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. APCs are located in well lit and secure Post Office lobbies, transactions are private and safe.

A touch screen guides customers through their transactions by providing a series of prompts for each purchase or sale. A retail associate can help answer questions during Post Office hours.

Every APC has a scale to weigh the package. Use the SmartMat on the left side of the station to measure packages. Weight and size help determine the proper amount of postage. Customers also input the destination and how quickly the package should arrive to calculate postage.

APCs allow customers to print shipping labels for the services and pay using a credit or debit card. With the address label and postage secured on the package, it can be placed inside the parcel slot next to the APC. Packages up to 12 inches high by 13 inches deep and 20 inches wide can be accepted.

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FedEx Ground chooses Perrysburg, Ohio, site for new distribution hub

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

As part of a multi-billion dollar network expansion plan to nearly double average daily hub package volume capacity in North America, FedEx Ground, an operating unit of FedEx Corp., has chosen a 127-acre site in Perrysburg Township,Ohio, as the location for a new hub to replace its existing Toledo operation.

Total cost for the project is estimated to be USD 87 million, including land, construction and material-handling equipment. Once the hub is operating, FedEx Ground, through payments for property taxes, will be one of the largest contributors to the local Rossford City Schools annual budget.

The 400,000 square-foot facility will be built on Buck Road near the I-75 interchange. When it opens in 2009, the new hub will feature the latest automated material handling technology designed to initially process 22,500 packages per hour and 45,000 packages per hour when it eventually reaches full capacity after a projected expansion. The current workforce of nearly 550 employees and independent contractors is projected to eventually increase to more than 800.

Enhancing our distribution capability in the Midwest is an important step in our ongoing efforts to increase the size, speed and efficiency of our network, said Michael P. Mannion, senior vice president of Operations for FedEx Ground. This new facility will help us meet the growing demand of local shippers and serve as one of just two gateways for shipments destined to Canada.

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USPS ready for busiest mailing and delivery days

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

The Postal Service assured the Board of Governors today it is prepared to handle the busiest mailing and delivery days. Monday, Dec. 17 is expected to be the busiest mailing day as the Postal Service estimates it will handle 275 million cards and letters — more than three times the average daily volume of 82 million. Total mail volume (including packages) on Dec. 17 should approach 1 billion pieces. Wednesday, Dec. 19 is expected to be the busiest delivery day.

“Our employees are working around the clock to make sure cards and presents arrive on time for the holidays,” Deputy Postmaster General and COO Pat Donahoe told the Governors. “In fact, we’re even delivering Express Mail on Christmas Day — excluding Santa, only the Postal Service will deliver on that day.”

The theme of this year’s holiday campaign is Today’s Holidays Need Today’s Mail. “Americans are busier than ever, especially during the holidays, and we’re offering services like extended hours and 24-hour Automated Postal Centers to help meet their needs,” said Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing officer and executive vice president. About 7,000 Post Offices offer extended hours during the holiday season.

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QuantumDigital to Install Commercial Xerox Printers at DHL’s North American Logistics Hub

Posted by | Dec 11, 2007 | |

QuantumDigital announced today that it has reached an agreement with DHL to locate two of its Xerox iGen3™ printers at DHL’s Wilmington, Ohio airport logistics hub. This second facility allows QuantumDigital to process and fulfill print orders as late as 2 a.m. and still have next-day business delivery.

QuantumDigital will be able to offer its customers more cost-effective shipping rates, later ordering hours for next-day shipping and redundancy in case of disaster. By having multiple print fulfillment centers, QuantumDigital can provide its customers redundancy in case of a natural disaster or system crash. This will bring QuantumDigital’s total number of Xerox iGen3™ printers to six, with the remaining four housed in its Austin facility headquarters. The additional printers will increase QuantumDigital’s capacity output from 8 million to 12 million pieces per month.

The two Xerox iGen3™ in Wilmington produced their first print orders on November 28, 2007.

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