Fortec plans European expansion
Fortec plans European expansion
Read MoreTag: UK
New pallet network to join crowded market
New pallet network to join crowded market
Read MoreDM volumes drop by 2.1% in 2006
Volumes in direct mail are continuing to fall with just over 5bn items sent in 2006, a dip of 2.1%.
Figures from Royal Mail published this week also showed that expenditure dropped by 2.1% to £2.32bn and consumer DM volumes fell by 1.6% to just below 4bn items. Business DM fell 3.6% to just over 1bn.
But over the last quarter of 2006 charities, government and health sectors and building societies boosted their volumes of DM. Charities boosted their use of DM by 9.1% to 132.2m items while the government sent out 17.4m mailings, up by 6%.
Royal Mail market development manager Emily Travis said: “The charity sector has long recognised the benefits of direct mail and these figures reinforce its importance to them as a marketing tool.”
Overall volumes in the fourth sector of 2006 were at 958.6m compared to 1bn in the same period last year.
Read MoreUnited Parcel Service "market perform"
Analysts at Morgan Keegan reiterate their “market perform” rating on United Parcel Service Inc.
In a research note published this morning, the analysts mention that although the company has a few longer-term growth opportunities, there seems to be a lack of potential catalysts for multiple expansion and substantial earnings growth in the near term. United Parcel Service’s recent acquisitions have boosted the company’s presence in key areas such as the United Kingdom and Poland, the analysts say. The company expects the transition towards online purchases to favour the small package business beyond 2007.
Read MoreUK High Court rejects Royal Mail's appeal against Postcomm
The High Court has upheld the GBP 9.62 million financial penalty Postcomm levied on Royal Mail for failing to protect adequately the mail in its care, following an appeal of the penalty by Royal Mail. The judgment reinforces Postcomm’s position that the fine is proportionate and reflective of the loss suffered by customers.
Royal Mail did not dispute Postcomm’s finding that it breached its licence requirements to keep mail safe and secure, nor that this breach was serious; it appealed only against the level of the financial penalty.
On 24 August 2006, Postcomm imposed a financial penalty of GBP 9.62 million on Royal Mail for breaching its licence by failing to properly protect the mail in its care. The penalty followed a review of Royal Mail’s mail integrity procedures, during which Postcomm found that some important features of Royal Mail’s procedures were not being applied across the business.
The most significant weakness found was the poor management of the recruitment and training process for non-contract (agency) staff. In addition, the framework and information systems that Royal Mail had put in place to prevent the loss, theft or damage of mail were not operating effectively. These weaknesses significantly reduced the company’s ability to protect customers’ mail.
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