Tag: TNT

Royal Mail to post GBP 2.6bn shortfall by 2010

Posted by | May 21, 2008 | |

Royal Mail will have made GBP 2.6 billion less than expected by the time that its price-control period ends in 2010, the company said yesterday.

The revenue shortfall from the present pricing plan, which controls the price of stamps, among other things, was attributed largely to Postcomm’s estimate in 2006 that the postal market would grow, rather than decline, as it has done.

In evidence to the government-commissioned review into the postal market, Royal Mail backed the initial findings that the “status quo is not tenable”.

Recently, Royal Mail said that it would need a new cash injection soon because of the declining market and escalating pension problems.

Its pension deficit could double to GBP 7 billion shortly and require GBP 1 billion a year in servicing. The postal group recorded a GBP 279 million pre-tax loss last year and operating profits fell 30 per cent to GBP 162 million.

Last week the regulator made a controversial call for private equity to be allowed to buy into the state-owned group — a move attacked as partial privatisation by unions. Last year Royal Mail received a GBP 3.9 billion rescue package from the Government.

The postal group’s evidence to the review said that it “fully recognises the need to accelerate its cultural and operational transformation, to become substantially more customer-focused, and to take costs out ahead of revenue declines”.

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TNT offers talks while postal workers strike

Posted by | May 20, 2008 | |

Postal company TNT has invited postal workers’ unions to meet on Friday in an effort to end the impasse over their wage demands.

The invitation comes on the second day of a new series of industrial action, which began on Monday 19th May in The Hague and affects Nieuwegein.

TNT hopes the unions will attend the meeting to try and break deadlock. The CNV union says it would be impolite to turn down an invitation.

Postal workers want a rise of 3.5 pct in wages this year. TNT is offering 1.5 pct this year and another 1.5 pct in 2009.

A 30-hour general strike is planned for May 28.

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TNT invites unions to restart wage talks

Posted by | May 20, 2008 | |

TNT NV said on Tuesday it would invite unions to restart wage talks in a bid to avert a countrywide strike next week.

“We have listened carefully to our employees and see room for negotiations,” a TNT spokesman said, adding that if the unions accept the invitation, talks would start on Friday.

TNT workers are demanding a 3.5 percent wage rise retroactive to April 1 for a one-year period.

TNT has offered a 1.5 percent increase retroactive to April 1 and another 1.5 percent rise on Jan. 1, 2009, conditional on changing employment conditions.

TNT argued its workers are already paid 20 to 25 percent more than market rates. It had originally sought a pay freeze, in a bid to cut costs and compete better with rivals.

TNT is targeting cost savings of 395 million euros (USD 615 million) between 2007 and 2015.

The unions have been holding rolling industrial action in different parts of the country, that will culminate in a countrywide strike planned for May 27 to back their demands.

The company, which is expected to lose its monopoly in the domestic market, has said that without changes to employment terms, it may have to cut up to 11,000 jobs from its Dutch workforce of 59,000.

The government said on Friday it would postpone the opening of the Dutch mail market due to uncertainties over a level playing field in Germany and labour conditions at home.

TNT has steadily lost market share to rivals Sandd and Deutsche Post’s Selekt Mail.

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Dutch government decides against opening Dutch postal market on July 1

Posted by | May 16, 2008 | |

The Dutch government decided on last Friday 16 May against opening up the Dutch postal market to competition on July 1, stressing there are too many uncertainties to allow for full liberalisation.

The Cabinet said in a statement the wage accord agreed between unions and a number of new postal operators still offers insufficient certainty regarding a postal sector collective labour agreement.

The government also said the situation in the German postal market and the impediments for Dutch companies there means there is insufficient reason to agree to an opening of the Dutch market.

The Cabinet will continue to urge the European Commission to undertake action to allow competition in various European postal markets.

It added that the decision to delay liberalisation in the Netherlands does not mean the country’s postal market will remain closed to competition as an EU agreement stipulates that all countries open up their postal markets by December 31, 2010.

Newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad earlier reported on Friday that a parliamentary majority was in favour of opening up the Dutch market from July 1, a decision that would see former state company TNT NV lose its monopolist position for parcels less than 50 grams.

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TNT builds up its Green Fleet Worldwide

Posted by | May 15, 2008 | |

TNT is doubling its effort to cut carbon emissions of its road fleet with the introduction of over 100 electric trucks in the UK, China, and Australia.

TNT Express and Smith Electric Vehicles last Monday launched in London the world’s largest fleet of zero emission electric vehicles. TNT’s new 100-strong fleet of battery-powered ‘Newton’ delivery trucks will replace diesel equivalents over the next 18 months. The 7.5 ton lorries will prevent the release of up to 1,299,000 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere of towns and cities in the UK each year. The first tranche of 50 trucks will operate from TNT locations in London, Basildon, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, Enfield, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Luton, Northampton, Oxford, Paisley, Preston, and Wolverhampton. The partnership with Smith – the world’s largest manufacturer of road-going commercial electric vehicles – follows an 18-months trial in London. TNT is looking into piloting electric vehicles in all major European cities.

Last week, TNT and Dong Feng Motor Co., China’s largest automaker and manufacturer of electric vehicles, began a trial of two battery-electric delivery vans in the city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, China. The trial involves two light electric vans designed, manufactured and assembled in Wuhan by Dong Feng Motor Co. It is TNT’s first zero-emissions test outside of Europe. The vans have a top speed of 80 kph (50 mph), a range of 160-200 km (100-124 miles) and can carry a one ton load.

At the end of April, TNT Express Australia introduced 10 Hino hybrid trucks, becoming the first business in Australia to start operating a fleet of diesel-electric hybrid as replacements for conventionally powered vehicles. The new trucks will reduce TNT’s greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,600 kilograms of CO2 a year per vehicle. They emit 14 percent less CO2 and 50 percent less nitrous oxides than a conventional diesel truck of equivalent size.

“Greening our road fleet is a must to achieve TNT’s quest to become the first zero emissions express and mail company,” says TNT CEO Peter Bakker. “TNT is renewing its operations to reduce their environmental impact. Examples range from greener offices and depots to electricity sourcing and innovative electric vehicles.”

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