Tag: USA

Mintel Report: Credit card mailing volume continues to decrease

Posted by | Apr 3, 2008 | |

The estimated amount of direct mail sent by credit card companies in the United States dropped 3 pct from December 2007 to January 2008, according to research from Mintel Comperemedia, a media monitoring service.

The decrease is representative of a trend that first started in October. According to the report, mail sent by credit card companies has declined by 19 pct since October of 2007. Mintel Comperemedia speculated that the change in mail volume is the result of an “unsteady, unsure market.”

From December 2007 to January 2008, direct mail sent to current cardholders dropped by 30 pct, the report said. In contrast, mailings to non-customers increased by 7 pct.

During the same period last year, direct mail sent by credit card companies increased by 7 pct, Hronek said. Overall, there were more offers sent to both non-customers and existing customers last year. However, the year before that, from December 2005 to January 2006, there was a decrease of 5 pct, she added.

Not every credit card company decreased its direct mail efforts from December 2007 to January 2008. Six of the top 10 mailers of 2007 actually increased mailings to non-customers from December to January, Mintel Comperemedia said. However, four out of the 10 reduced mailings to non-customers and existing cardholders.

These top ten mailers included in the report were Chase, Bank of America, Citibank, HSBC, American Express, Capital One Bank, Discover, Washington Mutual, Barclays Bank and First Premier Bank, Hronek said.

Read More

US Postal Service high-speed sorters get smarter and faster

Posted by | Apr 2, 2008 | |

In a move to enhance mail sorting technology to better serve customers, the Postal Service Board of Governors today approved funding to purchase technology to postmark letters faster and sort them smarter. The 550 Advanced Facer Canceller System (AFCS) machines will replace existing sorters operating on 1980’s technology.

Today’s AFCS machine locates a stamp’s phosphorescent ink and uses it to position the letter for postmarking on the upper right corner of the envelope. It then sends the letter to one of seven bins for additional sorting. The new AFCS will be 15 percent faster, apply barcodes, and process broader-sized letters before sorting them to one of 12 destination bins. The additional bins will reduce downstream processing needs for about 20 percent of the mail. The new equipment, which is more energy efficient, will be deployed between May 2010 and July 2011.

During its meeting today, the Board also approved funding to purchase 400 computer systems to replace existing National Directory Support System (NDSS) and the Integrated Data System (IDS). The Postal Service’s 13,000 automated sorting machines process 212 billion letters, large envelopes (flats) and packages annually. Key to these operations is providing information to the machines to enable proper mail sorting and retrieving information from the machines about their operations.

The NDSS contains the nation’s 148 million addresses and downloads ZIP Code directories to more than 13,000 letter, flat and parcel sorting machines weekly. On a daily basis, the NDSS generates and downloads more than 25,000 programs to sort mail in the order of delivery.

Read More

DHL teams up with Cincinnati Reds (U,S)

Posted by | Apr 2, 2008 | |

DHL has entered a new multi-year agreement with the Cincinnati Reds to become the team’s Official Express Delivery and Logistics Provider through the 2010 Major League Baseball(R) season.

Under the agreement, DHL will be the exclusive provider of domestic and international shipping services for the Cincinnati Reds. The deal provides for DHL in-stadium signage in the Reds’ and visitor’s bullpens, the DHL “First Ball Delivery” before 40 home games, DHL’s presenting sponsorship of the Reds’ three-game series versus the New York Mets, July 17-20, 2008, and sponsorship of the annual off-season event, Redsfest. Additional benefits include in-stadium hospitality and a discount ticket program for DHL employees and customers.

DHL’s primary air and ground hub in Wilmington, Ohio, is the country’s largest privately owned airport with a workforce of more than 9,000 DHL employees and contractors.

DHL is entering its fourth season as an official sponsor of Major League Baseball, serving as the Official Express Delivery and Logistics Provider of Major League Baseball and MLB.com. The new agreement with the Cincinnati Reds brings the total number of DHL team alliances for the season to seven, which includes sponsorship agreements with the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians.

Read More

Latin America to dodge weak U.S. economy

Posted by | Apr 1, 2008 | |

Latin America and the Caribbean could dodge U.S. economic weakness because of the diversity of its exports and bilateral trade agreements, the regional head of package delivery giant FedEx Corp said on Tuesday.

FedEx is betting on Latin America because the region is growing at its fastest pace in three decades and because of solid economic fundamentals of regional powerhouses Mexico and Brazil.

The firm is also closely watching big commodity producers Peru, Chile and Argentina at a time when metal, oil and grain prices are at record highs.

Some analysts believe a U.S. recession would hit demand for commodities and other products from Latin America. Juan Cento, FedEx’s president for Latin America and the Caribbean, disagrees.

“A weaker U.S. economy is not paralyzing the economies of Latin America,” Cento told the Reuters Latin America Investment Summit in a telephone interview from Miami.

FedEx, which employs 3,400 workers in 50 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, is seen as an indicator of economic health, because a fall in demand for its services is a symptom of a weak economy.

“We are noticing that the change in dynamics of markets, in which exports are being pushed to other areas, has brought a new stability and position of strength (to regional products) in the global economy,” Cento added.

Trade alliances with China, other eastern countries and Europe will help avoid a slowdown in demand for goods and commodities produced in Latin America, he said.

Read More

Deutsche Post World Net sells real estate portfolio to investor

Posted by | Apr 1, 2008 | |

Deutsche Post World Net announced that it has reached an agreement to sell a portfolio of real estate properties comprising about 1,300 assets located mainly in Germany to U.S. investor Lone Star in a cash transaction worth 1 billion euros.

Deutsche Post World Net is divesting real estate assets as part of its “Roadmap to Value” capital markets program presented in November. “We are very committed to the Roadmap to Value initiatives and this transaction again demonstrates our constant focus on quick execution,” said Chief Financial Officer John Allan.

Today’s transaction comes on top of some 350 million euros of real estate sales agreed since last November. The Group thus has already more than delivered on its pledge to generate at least 1 billion euros in cash from real estate sales by 2009. The all-cash sale price will be paid in several tranches with the largest share expected by year-end 2008. The agreement will have only marginal effect on Group EBIT and will not affect the 2008 earnings guidance.

Under the terms of the agreement, the transfer of the real estate assets will take economic effect as of July 1, 2008. Deutsche Post World Net will lease back the major part of the properties under an innovative lease agreement giving the Group immediate relief from excess space and flexibility going forward. The transaction will not lead to any changes for customers or employees.

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