Tag: UK

TNT plans UK expansion

Posted by | Jan 25, 2007 | |

TNT NV said it is considering plans to intensify its challenge to the UK”s state-owned postal group Royal Mail as it declined to comment on speculation that it is planning a bid for Deutsche Post AG.

Chief Executive Peter Bakker said TNT is conducting pilot schemes in a number of UK cities to assess the financial viability of setting up “end-to-end” mail networks, which would enable TNT to deliver mail as well as collect and sort it.
Bakker told AFX News in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos that TNT is conducting experiments in Manchester and Glasgow to assess whether it can generate sufficient mail volumes to make end-to-end networks viable.
Meanwhile, the company refused to comment on speculation that it is interested in German logistics giant Deutsche Post AG.

Shares in the latter outperformed the market on Jan 18 amid the rumours, although one Frankfurt-based trader said he thinks the rumours are unrealistic because TNT is much smaller than Deutsche Post.
Bakker said, meanwhile, that TNT is undertaking a number of initiatives to try to reduce carbon emissions from its planes and trucks.

It is experimenting with biofuel-powered lorries in Amsterdam and with zero-emission electric trucks in the UK.

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Government gives green light to Royal Mail 'phantom' share sale

Posted by | Jan 25, 2007 | |

Royal Mail is to press ahead with a scheme to give “phantom shares” worth up to GBP5,000 to each of its employees after the Government formally vetoed a plan to hand 20 per cent of the organisation to its employees.

The decision, which was announced to a committee of MPs by the Trade and Industry Secretary, Alistair Darling, is a blow to the Royal Mail chairman, Allan Leighton, who had personally promoted the scheme to give equity to its 190,000 employees.

It is unclear what the initial value of the shares will be and it is not thought that Royal Mail will pay a dividend on them. Crucially, they will not carry any voting rights, nor will it be possible to sell them to anyone outside Royal Mail.

Unions welcomed the move as “great news” for postal workers, saying Mr Leighton’s original plan would have been tantamount to back-door privatisation of Royal Mail. “The Government is keeping its manifesto commitment on public ownership of Royal Mail,” Billy Hayes, the general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said.

However, the Liberal Democrats attacked it as a “cowardly move” which could seriously destabilise the company.

Approval for the phantom share scheme will pave the way for the Government to go ahead with a GBP2bn financial rescue of Royal Mail, which is designed to provide money for investment, fund post office closures and ease the GBP5.6bn deficit in the organisation’s pension fund.

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DHL UK enhances international delivery service

Posted by | Jan 24, 2007 | |

DHL’s Sameday International Service now offers 24 hour delivery of urgent packages throughout the world, from anywhere in the UK, following the launch of a dedicated mission critical International Sameday team.

With its comprehensive network of strategically located same day service centres, the largest courier fleet in the UK, dedicated teams and specially trained couriers, DHL offers businesses tailor-made solutions for urgent international deliveries.

For deliveries that require extra special care, DHL provides worldwide onboard couriers. These specially trained staff hand-carry small packages, contents permitting, on commercial flights and personally deliver the package, providing greater safety and peace of mind. When speed and security is paramount, DHL offers a next available flight service which ensures documents and parcels are delivered in the quickest possible time.

Alternatively, DHL offers either a dedicated vehicle service to transport shipments into Europe or a cost-effective chartered aircraft service for mission critical shipments to worldwide destinations.

Sameday International is one part of DHL’s extensive family of Sameday services, which include UK and Europe.

Simon Croft, Managing Director of DHL Sameday, commented: “Sameday International has been developed to meet the growing demands of today’s fast-paced business environment. DHL’s resources and reach means we can offer unparalleled flexibility and reliability when it comes to urgent international deliveries, through a single dedicated worldwide network.”

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Four make shortlist for Royal Mail brief

Posted by | Jan 24, 2007 | |

Royal Mail is understood to have shortlisted four agencies to pitch for its GBP25m media planning and buying account. They are incumbent Carat, plus OMD UK, PHD and MediaCom.
Starcom was involved in the early stages but is not going through to the next round.
An appointment is set to be made at the end of March, when Carat’s contract expires.
No one from Royal Mail was available for comment at the time of writing.
In its invitation to tender document, the Royal Mail stated that the four-year contract was worth between GBP75m and GBP100m.
Up to two agencies will be appointed to the planning and buying account, which is divided into media planning and buying, including pre and post-campaign analysis, and communications planning for disciplines such as direct marketing and sales promotion. Both are currently handled by Carat and the latter is worth between GBP1m and GBP1.25m a year.

Carat has handled the account since 1997.

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Royal Mail walkout is cancelled

Posted by | Jan 23, 2007 | |

Strike action by UK postal workers has been called off for the second week in a row.

Royal Mail delivery staff at 11 offices were set to walk out for 48 hours tomorrow and Thursday in a dispute over the firm using part-time workers for full-time positions.

However, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) has cancelled the action after a resolution was reached following national talks last week.

It comes after another 48-hour strike was called off on January 19 and 20.

The row has raged for more than a month and hit pre-Christmas deliveries when more than 700 staff from 11 offices walked out on December 9, 16 and 18.

They included employees from offices in Biddulph, Burslem, Cheadle, Kidsgrove, Leek, Longton, Stoke, Stafford, Stockton Brook, Uttoxeter and Werrington.

Last week’s two-day strike was averted at the 11th hour and the dispute was expected to be brought to an end at final talks yesterday.

However, progress was held up when the meeting had to be postponed due to illness.

Royal Mail confirmed an agreement had been struck with the CWU, but declined to reveal any details.

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