Tag: UPS

New owners at the helm of the UPS Store Canadian Network

Posted by | Jul 2, 2008 | |

MBEC Communications Inc. (MBEC), the privately held Canadian company that owns The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. master license in Canada, announced new owners of the company. David Druker, who has been a centre owner and area franchisee in Quebec since 2005, and Larry Plotnick, a seasoned business executive, have acquired the company. This comes as Ralph Askar announces his move into semi-retirement and away from his current role as president and chief executive officer and major shareholder of The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. franchise network in Canada.
“Over the past 10 years,” notes Plotnick, “The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. network has doubled its footprint in Canada, growing to over 330 franchises and truly becoming the leader of our industry. Over the coming decade we are committed to continuing our growth. We believe very strongly in the company and the role The UPS Store brand plays within the small-business market.”
The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. is Canada’s largest franchise network of business service centres in addition to being recognized as the country’s largest chain of franchised print and document centres. The network has been ranked in Entrepreneur magazine’s “Franchise 500” as the number one franchise opportunity in the business services category for 18 consecutive years.
“Our focus and our business strategy will not change,” states Druker, “We will continue to cater to the small and medium-size business sector, adapting our products and services to their changing needs, while at the same time looking at traditional and non-traditional venues such as airports, university campuses and hotels for our expansion. We are also convinced that using our centres as mini-offices for corporate sales reps, and as distribution hubs for many e-commerce and catalogue companies, has strong appeal for larger, national clients.”

Read More

Union and state officials protest Deutsche Post plans to cut U.S. airlines ties

Posted by | Jul 1, 2008 | |

Deutsche Post World Net’s decision to outsource DHL Express’ domestic U.S. airlift to UPS is drawing fire from a coalition of public officials and union forces – and the state of Ohio.

The 10-year deal, which could bring some USD 10 billion to UPS, will face extensive antitrust scrutiny.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland is calling for an investigation into whether DPWN’s plans for DHL would violate U.S. antitrust laws by reducing competition in the express package delivery market.

Facing the legal hurdle and an outcry over the impending loss of thousands of jobs in the state, DPWN board member John Mullen, CEO of DHL Express, and Wolfgang Pordzik, DHL vice president of public policy, met in Washington with Strickland and with Ohio’s congressional representatives.

One of them, Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, is calling for an antitrust investigation that goes beyond the initial UPS-DHL deal, saying there are signs the two companies will forge similar arrangements in Europe and Asia.

Several unions also are threatening to sue to block the agreement with UPS on antitrust grounds.

Deutsche Post’s move would essentially unravel part of DHL’s expansion in the United States, enabling the company to focus on international business as DPWN looks for ways to stem the U.S. operation’s losses, expected to reach USD 1.3 billion this year.

But first, DHL has to sever ties with its current carriers, ABX Air and ASTAR Air Cargo. That’s causing angst for public officials and union leaders, especially those in Wilmington, Ohio, DHL’s main domestic hub.

Read More

UPS spent nearly USD 1.3M lobbying in first quarter

Posted by | Jun 30, 2008 | |

United Parcel Service Inc. spent nearly USD 1.3 million in the first quarter lobbying on a raft of transportation rules and regulations, according to a disclosure report.

The Atlanta-based company lobbied on legislation involving aviation taxes and safety, cargo security, the rules that govern the Federal Aviation Administration, airport congestion and railway regulations.

UPS also lobbied on a proposal to require the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gases, truckers’ hours of service and trade agreements with South Korea, Peru, Colombia and Panama.

UPS and other trucking companies have fought with consumer groups over the hours that truck drivers can work. The truckers won a key victory in December when federal regulators maintained existing limits on drivers’ hours, rather than endorsing a court order sought by consumer advocates that would have required one less hour behind the wheel each day.

In the first three months of this year, the company lobbied the White House, FAA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Trade Representative, Government Accountability Office, and the departments of Commerce, Transportation, Treasury and Homeland Security.

Read More

Mexican express market hit by weaker demand

Posted by | Jun 27, 2008 | |

The Mexican express market is starting to experience the impact of falling US demand and rising prices driven by higher fuel surcharges, according to a recent newspaper report. DHL is meanwhile pledging further investment in Argentina.

In Mexico, which has strong trade links with the USA, air cargo volumes dropped by 12.9 pct in the first quarter of 2008, the Reforma newspaper reported. Mexican airlines saw a 33.8 pct fall in their domestic volumes, although their international shipments rose by 18.4 pct, it said, citing figures from the Mexican civil aviation authority.

International airlines, including FedEx and UPS, suffered a combined 15.4 pct declines in volumes, it added. FedEx suffered a 73 pct decline in Mexico volumes while UPS had a 9.1 pct drop, according to official figures.

Customers started to switch business away from air transport rather than pay higher prices resulting from the rapid increase in fuel surcharges, the newspaper said. It cited UPS manager Miguel Trejo as saying that the situation was “stable” until now. But he added: “There are certain reductions in the growth expectations, however, and we are staying alert to market behaviour.”

In Argentina, in contrast, DHL Express has announced that it is maintaining its leadership of the international express market, with market shares of about 50 pct for express exports and 30 pct for imports.

Roger Crook, CEO DHL Express, International Americas, said on a recent visit to Buenos Aires that DHL would continue to invest in the market to offer customers the best possible service and a wide range of products. DHL Argentina has six operational centres linking the major cities, and operates with 90 vehicles, which it described as 30 pct more than the combined vehicle fleets of other international express operators.

Read More

UPS shares at 4 1/2-year low after profit warning

Posted by | Jun 24, 2008 | |

United Parcel Service Inc shares fell 4.6 percent on Tuesday to their lowest point since late 2003.

UPS’s announcement came just a week after main rival Memphis-based FedEx Corp posted a quarterly loss and gave a weak profit outlook for its fiscal 2009.

The warning, which weighed on U.S. stocks, was the latest sign that corporate America could no longer brush off surging energy prices. Crude oil prices have roughly doubled over the past year.

UPS shares dropped USD 3.06 to USD 63.20.

The Dow Jones transportation index .DJT, which also includes airlines and railroads, was down 1.3 percent.

Like other major companies in the U.S. transport sector, UPS passes on higher fuel costs to customers. But as BB&T Capital Markets analyst John Barnes wrote in a note to clients, “fuel prices may have reached a tipping point at which many shippers are simply unwilling to pay the higher fuel surcharges.

Late Monday, UPS said it expected to earn between 83 cents and 88 cents per share in the second quarter, down from a previous range of 97 cents to USD 1.04.

In a statement, the company said U.S. package volume had been lower than expected, while demand for higher-priced air delivery services had seen a particular drop.

UPS also said that the “anemic U.S. economy is negatively impacting volume into the United States, affecting results for the international segment.”

In recent quarters, strong international package demand has helped both UPS and FedEx offset lower growth in their domestic services as U.S. economic growth has slowed.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

Have you noticed a decrease of non-EU inbound parcel volumes since the implementation of the new €3 charge?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!


View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest