Tag: UK

Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank partners with Post Office UK

Posted by | Oct 28, 2008 | |

Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank has teamed up with Post Office Limited to launch a new scheme for small businesses.
Under the new agreement, Post Office branches will be able to introduce a range of Alliance & Leicester business current accounts to small business customers.
The bank noted that the launch follows a successful pilot which was carried out with the National Federation of Sub Postmasters over a three-month period at 41 Post Offices across the UK.
Alliance & Leicester said that the customers of the bank already benefit from being able to carry out their day-to-day banking transactions at any of the UK’s network of Post Offices. Business customers are able to pay in or withdraw cash and check their account balance and deposit checks over the counter, as well as receive a change giving service. The new agreement further strengthens and extends Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank’s support for the Post Office network, the bank added.

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Postcomm's proposal to modify conditions to Fedex's licence

Posted by | Oct 24, 2008 | |

Postcomm has published a proposed modification to the licence of FedEx UK Limited. This proposal relates to earlier modifications of the licences for other non-Universal Service Obligation licensees in March 2008.

If the modification is made, the effect will be the removal of the obligation on FedEx UK Limited to maintain a guarantee, or contract with another operator, to ensure the delivery of mail in the licensee’s care should the licensee cease to carry on business.

Representations regarding this modification should be made by 23 November 2008.

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Royal Mail delivers postal service warning

Posted by | Oct 24, 2008 | |

Royal Mail said its profit had more than doubled but warned its one-price-goes-anywhere universal postage service was in the red and under threat.
The company said the challenge from electronic media and rival postal services meant it needed to step up modernisation while plunging stock markets had sent its pension fund deficit soaring.
Chairman Allan Leighton said: “This strong performance has been delivered against a backdrop of falling mail volumes, increased competition, an unsatisfactory regulatory regime and the challenge of meeting the demands of our pension scheme.” Royal Mail said the deficit in its pension fund, in accounting terms, had risen about GBP 1bn to GBP 4bn owing to plunging equity values. It is expecting next year’s actuarial valuation to show a larger hole. The letters business was facing tougher competition from email and private-sector rivals, and now has a daily postbag of 79m letters – down 5m on two years ago. It warned the economic downturn could mean an additional squeeze on the operation as companies cut back on advertising.
Chief Executive Adam Crozier said that, despite the improvement in performance and reduction in costs, the business still had problems. “The scale of these challenges means there is an urgent need to step up the pace of modernisation and ensure everyone is playing their part in transforming our operations and delivering a world-class postal service.

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EcoTherm choose DHL (UK)

Posted by | Oct 23, 2008 | |

EcoTherm Insulation (UK) has chosen DHL Exel Supply Chain to provide dedicated distribution services in a five-year deal worth GBP 10 million.
Under the agreement DHL will introduce and manage the entire distribution requirement for the company, which makes rigid thermal insulation boards, delivering product to merchants and distributors across the UK.
As part of the contract, DHL will introduce a core fleet of EcoTherm liveried vehicles and plans to develop agreements with hauliers to provide additional capacity to handle peaks in demand.
The company hope this co-ordinated approach, which includes finished goods distribution, supplier collections and the use of ‘high-cube’ trailers to accommodate larger customer orders, will enhance lead times.
Marsh added that partnering with DHL will help the company to drive down costs and inefficiencies as well carbon emissions.

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Post-Switch – Royal Mail most inefficient operator in Europe

Posted by | Oct 23, 2008 | |

Post-Switch says that Royal Mail has failed to react to the commercial world, describing it as one of the most inefficient operators in Europe.
Jonathan DeCarteret, Senior Market Analyst at Post-Switch, says that Royal Mail, under threat from competition, a ballooning pension deficit, shackled to a trade union and a conspicuous lack of innovation has put the USO (universal service obligation) in financial deficit and under threat.

“Royal Mail is one of the most inefficient operators in Europe and there is an urgent need to modernise, streamline, cut costs and compete on customer service. There is a general consensus that Royal Mail has failed to shake off a culture of complacency that reigned under monopoly protection and there is a real need for a culture of change that is about customer obsession and innovation. Royal Mail need the commercial talent to create new revenue streams and take advantage of a liberalised European postal market.” he said.

His remarks follow the announcement by Royal Mail this week that the pension deficit has grown and the universal service is now seriously in the red. The Hooper review, to be released imminently, is expected to recommend a radical shake-up of the Royal Mail, including part privatisation of the delivery network.

In a closed door speech on the Independent Review of the Postal Services Sector, Richard Hooper stated that “The situation in the postal services sector in the UK is and remains untenable”.

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