POSTAL NEWS
No 41 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
UPS Shows Its Commitment To Reduce Ground Fleet Emissions. May 23, 2019.
Australia Post reviews media account. May 23, 2019.
Royal Mail To Introduce 1,400 Parcel Postboxes Across UK. May 20, 2019.
Historic Election at CUPW: Postal Workers Elect First Female Black President. May 17, 2019.
Austrian Post Q1 2019.May 16, 2019
UPS Shows Its Commitment To Reduce Ground Fleet Emissions
May 23, 2019
UPS has announced an agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to purchase 170 million gallon equivalents of renewable natural gas (RNG) through 2026.
This is the largest commitment for use of RNG to date by any company in the United States, with a range of 22.5 – 25 million gallon equivalents per year.
RNG is a key part of UPS’s strategy to increase alternative fuel consumption to be 40% of total ground fuel purchases by 2025, supporting the logistics leader’s efforts to reduce the absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its ground fleet 12% by 2025.
Mike Casteel, UPS director of fleet procurement said:“The world has a trash problem. And the world has an emissions problem. Renewable natural gas, produced naturally from bio sources such as landfills and dairy farms, not only turns trash to gas, but it turns it into clean gas,”
“Since RNG is supported by existing national infrastructure used to transport natural gas, it’s a winning solution that will help UPS to reach our ambitious sustainability goals. At the same time, we hope our unprecedented seven-year commitment serves as a catalyst for wider adoption of RNG by other companies.”
UPS has used more than 28 million gallons of RNG in its ground fleet since 2014. This means the company will now be using nearly as much RNG in one year as it has used over the past five years combined.
By switching from diesel fuel to RNG, UPS vehicles fueling at 18 company-owned and operated natural gas stations across 12 states will realise a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as much as 1,074,000 metric tons of GHG over the life of the agreement. This is equivalent to planting 17,000,000 trees, removing 228,000 cars off the road or recycling 374,000 tons of waste that would otherwise be sent to the landfill.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104863/news/e-commerce
Australia Post reviews media account
May 23, 2019
Australia Post is set to review its agency arrangements less than a year after reappointing Dentsu X as its media agency of record, AdNews understands.
The account, which according to Nielsen is worth roughly $5 million annually, has been held by the agency since 2014.
Sources close to AdNews say the pitch is in it early stages, with a handful of agencies involved. They added that the media spend is in fact in excess of $5m and may climb as Australia Post looks to boost its reach in market.
It is unclear if Australia Post would look to roll the account into the Federal Government's master media account, which is currently managed by UM.
According to sources, Australia Post has undergone recent internal changes, with the intention of positioning itself as a retail aligned brand.
In recent years, Aus Post has focused on driving strategic partnerships with major retailers and e-commerce platforms, becoming exclusive delivery partners.
In 2017, The Monkeys were appointed to the organisation's creative panel, launching their first work for the brand in July last year, 'Everyone Matters'.
The news continues the run of brands and businesses that are rethinking their relationships with Dentsu Aegis Network-owned media agencies, with the likes of Dentsu X, Carat and Vizeum losing sizeable amounts of business in the last six months.
Yesterday AdNews revealed that the holding group had made three members of its executive leadership team redundant, as the business continues its restructure under new CEO Henry Tajer.
Amplifi president Adrian Roeling, iProspect national managing director Nick Seckold and head of corporate communications for the network Andrew Hewett have all exited the business this week.
Unrelated to the decisions, DAN's recently appointed CFO Anthea Kane was also revealed to have exited the business, resigning her role after just four months.
Source : http://www.adnews.com.au/news
Royal Mail To Introduce 1,400 Parcel Postboxes Across UK
May 20, 2019
Royal Mail is introducing the UK’s first ever parcel postboxes in locations across the UK. This follows a successful trial in 2018, and 1,400 parcel postboxes will be rolled out in total.
Royal Mail is introducing the UK’s first ever parcel postboxes in locations across the country, over a six month period from August this year. This marks the first major repurposing of the postbox in the last 160 years.
The launch will see the Company convert existing meter boxes (1,400 in total), which include a wider aperture and secure design. The initiative follows a successful trial of the boxes in 2018.
This is the first time parcel postboxes have been widely introduced in the UK, and the launch represents the first major change of use for the postbox since it was introduced 160 years ago. The launch of parcel postboxes is also one of the biggest innovations in parcels since the launch of Parcel Post in 1883.
The change means that small businesses and marketplace sellers can post pre-paid* parcels through securely designed parcel postboxes, in the same way that they currently post a letter. Customers will also be able to post some return parcels** at any time, seven days a week.
The postboxes will be introduced in locations across the UK including Birmingham, Leeds, Aberdeen and Cardiff***.
Mark Street, Head of Campaigns at Royal Mail, said “The wide scale introduction of parcel postboxes is one of the many ways we at Royal Mail are looking to make the lives of our customers easier. The parcel postboxes trial last year was a success, and we hope that the wider roll-out gives added flexibility to online sellers who might be running a business in their spare time and not keeping regular office hours.”
Source : https://www.royalmailgroup.com/en/press-centre/press-releases
Historic Election at CUPW: Postal Workers Elect First Female Black President
May 17,2019
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has elected Jan Simpson, a postal worker from the Scarborough local, as the union’s new National President. She becomes the first black woman to lead a national union in Canada. Julee Sanderson from the Saskatoon local was elected 1st National Vice-President. Bev Collins was re-elected as National Secretary-Treasurer.
Simpson has been breaking barriers at CUPW for many years. She was the first black woman elected to the national office and to the national board. “I am truly honoured to be a part of a progressive union that values diversity and continues to challenge the status quo.”
She promises to continue to fight against back-to-work legislation and get Canada Post back to the negotiating table. “Our members need a new contract. This arbitration has gone on for far too long. Our members need safe working conditions, fair wages and equality for all.”
With a federal election less than six months away, Simpson vows to make postal issues an electoral priority for all candidates and all citizens.
Simpson promises to fight for a renewed and reinvigorated post office by supporting the Delivering Community Power campaign. “The post office of the future must include new and expanded services like postal banking, services to seniors and climate-friendly delivery models. The time for change is now.”
In another historic first, a record number of women were elected to the National Executive Committee.
At the convention, held in Toronto May 13-17, about 575 delegates representing CUPW membership worked on union policy and elected national and regional leadership. They also marched to Nathan Philips Square with Foodora bike and car couriers who are unionizing with CUPW. The next CUPW national convention will be in 2023.
Source : https://www.cupw.ca/en
Austrian Post Q1 2019
May 16, 2019
Revenue
Revenue up by 0.4% to EUR 492.5m
Good parcel growth (+6.7%) compensated for the decline in the Mail & Branch Network Division (–1.4%)
Earnings
EBIT up by 1.3% to EUR 57.4m
Earnings per share of EUR 0.64 (+3.4%)
Cash flow and balance sheet
Operating free cash flow of EUR 60.8m (+10.4%)
Capitalisation of right-of-use assets from leases according to IFRS 16 increased the balance sheet total by EUR 270m
Outlook 2019
Targeted stability of revenue and earnings in the core business
Austrian Post’s Group revenue in the first quarter of the current financial year amounted to EUR 492.5m, comprising a slight increase of 0.4% year-on-year. The market development of the mail and parcel business in the first quarter confirmed the trends forecasted for the 2019 financial year. The traditional letter mail business is anticipated to experience volume declines of about 5% annually as a consequence of electronic substitution. The direct mail business is also generally declining, additionally influenced by the current data protection regulations. The share of total Group revenue generated by the Mail & Branch Network Division was somewhat over 70% in the first quarter of 2019.
The new product and pricing model as well as additional revenue from elections positively impacted the division’s development in contrast to the fundamental decline in addressed letter mail volumes and lower direct mail revenue.
In contrast, good growth rates are expected in the Austrian parcel business in 2019, driven by the expansion of e-commerce. Competitive intensity – especially due to own delivery by a large customer in Vienna – as well as demands for delivery quality remain high. The Parcel & Logistics Division generated nearly 30% of the total Group revenue in the reporting period against the backdrop of an ongoing upward trend. Revenue growth of 6.7% in the parcel business was primarily driven by the e-commerce trend and the related parcel volume increases in Austria. Austrian Post profits from dynamic market growth driven by the ongoing online shopping trend. The related competitive intensity and price pressure remain high. Predicted future parcel volumes have led Austrian Post to work full steam ahead on an extensive expansion of parcel logistics capacities in Austria.
“Parcel capacities are expected to increase by 25% starting in summer of 2019 when the new parcel centre in Hagenbrunn in the north of Vienna starts its operation”, states Austrian Post CEO Georg Pölzl. The ground-breaking ceremony for the second planned parcel centre in Kalsdorf near Graz took place on March 18, 2019. Completion is scheduled for mid-2020. Overall transport and sorting capacities should each be doubled over the medium-term. Furthermore, Austrian Post is steadily pressing ahead with the expansion of its service offering based on self-service and online solutions, making it easier and more convenient to send and receive parcels.
On the basis of the solid revenue development combined with strict cost discipline, Group EBIT rose by 1.3% year-on-year to EUR 57.4m. Earnings per share improved from EUR 0.62 to EUR 0.64 compared to the prior-year period.
A dividend of EUR 2.08 per share was distributed on April 25, 2019. In this way, Austrian Post has once again confirmed its clear capital market positioning as a reliable dividend stock. “Reliability and stability towards shareholders and other stakeholders of our company remain the focal point of our strategic activities, and we want to continue along this path”, adds CEO Georg Pölzl. Accordingly, Austrian Post aims to achieve a stable development in both revenue and operating earnings in the core business in line with the previous year. “We want to remain faithful to our positioning as a reliable company going forward. In the spirit of customer orientation, the quality of our services will continue to be the focus of our business operations”, Pölzl concludes.
Source : https://www.post.at/en
POSTAL NEWS
No 42 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
The electoral folds are coming! May 23, 2019.
USPS Begins Autonomous Truck Trial In Phoenix And Dallas. May 22, 2019.
Poste Italiane To Digitise Excess Truck Capacity.
May 21, 2019.
DHL Supply Chain deploys latest version of smart glasses worldwide. May 21, 2019.
SingPost and Synagie to provide on-demand warehousing and logistics solutions in Southeast Asia. May 20, 2019.
The electoral folds are coming!
May 23, 2019
During the election period, the factors distribute the electoral folds, which generates a very important peak of activities.
For some destinations, the folds are sorted at the PIC (Platform Industrial Courier) by the Sorting Objects Flat (TOP) sorting preparatory to the distribution which means that each tray is equivalent to the tour of an attendant who must deliver the content in order.
For other destinations, the folds arrive directly in PPDC where they are prepared and distributed in each mailbox by the factors.
The extra workload is not really calibrated. The large weight of the envelopes (160 grams) makes the task difficult for the factors. In front of the different local framings, FO Com contacted the BSCC in order to obtain a national framing.
FO Com boasts a work organization that is truly adapted to this additional workload, the management of catering during these peak activities, the systematic consultation of local CHSCTs and the unconditional payment of overtime.
Source : http://www.focom-laposte.fr/
USPS Begins Autonomous Truck Trial In Phoenix And Dallas
May 22, 2019
USPS has started delivering letters and parcels moving between Phoenix and Dallas, using customised Peterbilt trucks made by TuSimple, an autonomous startup based in San Diego.
It’s the first time that the Postal Service has contracted with an autonomous provider for long-haul service.
“This pilot is just one of many ways the Postal Service is innovating and investing in its future,” the USPS said in a press release that cited the possibility of using “a future class of vehicles” to improve service, reduce emissions and save money.
After the initial trial, which is expected to last about two weeks, the Postal Service will assess whether to continue working with TuSimple.
Two years ago, the USPS Office of Inspector General outlined a step-by-step approach for the adoption of autonomous vehicles, and then earlier this year put out a request for ideas on using autonomous technology in its delivery fleet. While self-driving mail trucks are still years—if not decades—away, autonomous long-haul trucking might be realistic much sooner.
The Postal Service spends more than $4 billion per year on highway trucking services through outside contractors. Those costs have been rising due to a national shortage of drivers. Self-driving trucks could save hundreds of millions by eliminating human drivers and the hours-of-service rules that keep them from driving round the clock.
For now, however, TuSimple will have a safety driver behind the wheel for the 1,000-mile trip between Phoenix and Dallas, as well as an engineer in the passenger seat monitoring the autonomous systems. In the future, the startup aims to provide “depot-to-depot” service without drivers.
“When the vehicle can operate truly driverless, it will be much more efficient,” said Chuck Price, chief product officer at TuSimple. “We think we complete a coast-to-coast run in two days, where today it takes five.”
TuSimple has raised $178 million in funding since its founding in 2015. For its most recent round in February, the company was valued at $1 billion. Its trucks have been carrying cargo for customers in Arizona since last year.
Price said that drivers who encounter a TuSimple truck on the interstate between Phoenix and Dallas probably won’t notice: “It’s polite. It uses turn signals. It merges properly. It does all of the things that a professional driver is trained to do.”
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104852/news
Poste Italiane To Digitise Excess Truck Capacity
May 21, 2019
Italian postal operator Poste Italiane is setting up a joint venture with digital freight forwarder sennder, aimed at improving the post’s long-haul road efficiency.
The partnership with sennder will focus on the full truck load market, allowing Poste Italiane to drive efficiencies and leverage surplus capacity in its trucking network.
“Empty space in a truck means you’re leaving money on the table.” - Cathy Morrow Roberson, lead consultant and founder of Logistics Trends & Insights.
The joint venture will target transport demand coming from third parties inside and outside of Italy.
Poste Group currently employs around 800 third-party vehicles for long-haul alone, making approximately 2,300 journeys and covering 450,000km on an average day.
Based in Berlin, digital freight start-up sennder last month raised an undisclosed amount in its Series B financing, which followed a headline-grabbing seven-digit euro investment from Scania Growth Capital (Scania’s corporate venture capital fund) in 2017. Earlier this month sennder was announced as a participant in logistics startup accelerator Dynamo’s latest incubator programme.
The sennder software platform comprises mobile apps for drivers, fleet management tools for carrier managers and logistics management solutions for shippers.
To this point, the platform has focused on connecting large enterprise clients to small fleets. With the Poste Italiane JV, sennder will be involved with a national fleet that is grappling with the growth demands of e-commerce.
Poste Italiane CEO Matteo Del Fante said that the post is aiming for operational efficiencies and reduced emissions as a result of the JV.
Amazone’s Role
Amazon is a big part of Poste Italiane’s push to deliver e-commerce. Poste Italiane is accommodating Amazon’s last mile needs by offering evening delivery, delivery to post offices, parcel lockers, and a PUDO partnership with tobacconists.
More recently, it seems that Poste Italiane’s air cargo subsidiary Mistral Air has been expanded to meet Amazon’s domestic demands in Italy.
Which leaves road transport. Could this partnership be a way for Poste Italiane to gain a share of Amazon’s LTL and FTL domestic freight? It’s a competitive market – but of late Poste Italiane has shown that it is prepared to compete in the last mile against the likes of DHL.
Major Competitors In This Market
Other companies have recognised an opportunity to digitise their fleets – in particular in the European market. Europe provides a special challenge to fleet managers, with trucks capable of crossing multiple borders in a day.
In 2017, DB Schenker invested US$25m in online shipping marketplace uShip. At the time, DB Schenker said it planned to use the platform for land transport, connecting its 30,000 or so transport partners in the European land transport network to their freight.
DHL launched online road freight platform Saloodo! in January 2017 for Europe, which was expanded to the Middle East earlier this year. Another global giant, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, acquired Freightquote.com for $365 million in 2015.
Meanwhile digital freight forwarder InstaFreight has been building an experienced management team following its Series A funding round of €8 million in late 2017. The German startup has digitised the entire freight booking process from quoting prices to invoicing.
What’s Next?
Poste Italiane and sennder are still in the process of setting up the joint venture, with the aim of commencing operations in Q3 2019. Will that be enough time for sennder to come to grips with the quirks of the Italian transport, postal, and labour markets
Source : http://www.thepostalhub.com/blog
DHL Supply Chain deploys latest version of smart glasses worldwide
May 21, 2019
As one of the first customers worldwide, DHL will now use the second-generation of Glass Enterprise Edition.
DHL will be one of the first customers worldwide to use the latest generation of Glass Enterprise Edition in warehouses and hubs
With longer battery life, faster processors and shorter charging times, the new devices have been further optimized for industrial use in intralogistics
Smart Glasses and Wearables are one part of the digitalization strategy at DHL
As part of its company-wide digitization strategy DHL Supply Chain, market leader in contract logistics and part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group, is further expanding the deployment of Smart Glasses and wearables. As one of the first customers worldwide, DHL will now use the second-generation of Glass Enterprise Edition. The device can virtually support the vision picking process in warehouses. Augmented reality in the warehouse is driving a more accurate, productive and efficient picking process. While user-friendly and intuitive, hands-free picking is providing a positive experience and high approval rating among employees. The successful use of smart glasses in contract logistics has also convinced other DHL business units. In the future, DHL Express will also use these wearables in its hubs.
Source: https://www.dpdhl.com/en/media-relations/press-releases/2019
SingPost and Synagie to provide on-demand warehousing and logistics solutions in Southeast Asia
May 20, 2019
Singapore Post and Synagie Corporation Ltd have announced that they will collaborate to provide on-demand warehousing and fulfillment solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Singapore and Southeast Asia (SEA).
The region’s SMEs will now be able to utilize state-of-the-art warehousing and fulfillment services provided by SingPost subsidiary Quantium Solutions, and powered by Synagie’s cloud commerce platform. The partnership will enable SMEs to capitalize on the strong growth in e-commerce order volumes, while enjoying the same enterprise grade logistics capabilities used by industry leaders. It also offers SMEs a one-stop solution for greater operational efficiency and faster turnaround times in both the traditional and e-commerce markets.
SEA’s internet economy is growing at an unprecedented rate and is expected to exceed US$200bn (£156bn) by 2025. High mobile penetration is driving growth of e-commerce transactions in the region, which surpassed US$10bn (£7.8bn) in 2017.
SingPost’s partnership with Synagie to provide on-demand warehousing allows brands and SMEs to save on the heavy up-front capital expenditure required to set up or operate their own warehouse, as they are able to acquire integrated warehousing services on a pay-as-you-use basis without long-term commitments. This highly scalable solution will better help them cater to the spikes in warehousing demands during peak seasons (such as mega sales events) and provide greater cost savings and better inventory management.
Designed to provide multi-channel fulfillment for both off-line and online businesses, the on-demand warehousing solution will be offered to SMEs in Singapore and SEA from Q3 2019.
Commenting on the partnership, Synagie’s executive director and CEO, Clement Lee said, “We are honored to collaborate with SingPost to provide one of the region’s first fully integrated on-demand warehousing and fulfillment solutions focused at helping SMEs manage their multi-channel supply chains. By combining our solutions and infrastructure, we can provide a fulfillment ecosystem for brands and SMEs that will bring about greater efficiencies and cost savings for both their off-line and online businesses.”
SingPost Group CEO, Paul Coutts added, “We are pleased to partner Synagie on this endeavor. SMEs can leverage our extensive presence in Southeast Asia to grow their business in the region, as well as capitalize on the rapid growth of e-commerce worldwide.”
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/technology
POSTAL NEWS
No 43 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
USPS Reviewing Solutions to Reduce Costs, Expand Services. May 29, 2019.
Royal Mail to invest US$2.2bn in UK over five years. May 28, 2019.
DHL’s Fuel-Efficient Freighter Completes Maiden Flight.
May 28, 2019.
Canada Post segment reports $23 million profit before tax in first quarter. May 27, 2019.
Royal Mail Fleet members voting on 11.8% pay deal. May 24, 2019
USPS Reviewing Solutions to Reduce Costs, Expand Services
May 29, 2019
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has recently been put under pressure to improve its financial outlook without compromising its services, a directive that comes on the heels of the USPS’s reported loss of $1.5 billion for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2019. This figure represents an almost $1 billion increase from the same financial period last year. The USPS has also experienced slower growth in its package delivery business, where it continues to compete with private delivery services.
In 2018, the postal service reported a financial loss for the 12th year straight, with net losses widening from $2.7 billion in 2017 to almost $4 billion in 2018. One of the USPS’s most profitable products, first-class mail, continues to experience a rapid decline, with a 41% decrease in overall volume since 2007. These figures continue to worsen despite a 5.4% increase in package deliveries during the first quarter of 2019 (an equivalent of nearly 100 million packages).
Behind the Decline
While the USPS downturn has been worsening for more than a decade, their most significant losses occurred due to the passage the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act 2006, which resulted in the payment of higher retiree health benefits. It is estimated that the USPS’s health benefits expenditures range between $5.4-$5.8 billion annually.
These financial losses are further compounded by rising employing salaries and higher transportation-related costs including the rising price of gas and growing vehicle maintenance costs.
While package deliveries from online retail giants, such as Amazon, have become a vital part of the USPS’s business, such deliveries are not enough to offset their rapid decline in profits.
Source : https://www.postaltimes.com/postalnews
Royal Mail to invest US$2.2bn in UK over five years
May 28, 2019
Royal Mail has announced it will be investing around £1.8bn (US$2.2bn) in the UK’s postal service over the next five years, focusing on customer service improvements, digital initiatives, network enhancements, and new ways of working to deliver more productivity and efficiency.
As part of the plan, the company is introducing a second delivery for parcels that will expand in line with demand and be fully operational by 2023. This second delivery will consist of Next-Day parcels, typically purchased online from retailers the evening before, and larger items more appropriate for van delivery. In many cases, the delivery will be less than 24 hours after the order is made.
Customers will continue to receive a delivery of letters and all other parcels earlier in the day via Royal Mail’s network of postmen and women.
As part of the move to a second daily delivery, three new fully automated parcel hubs will be built, representing a significant investment in the regions in which they are located.
The company has had preliminary discussions with the Communications Worker Union and is committed to working collaboratively on the strategy, detailed design and deployment, including a trial for separate van delivery.
In another plan element, Royal Mail will collect returns from customers at their homes, including both consumers making returns and small marketplace sellers fulfilling sales. Royal Mail will also offer a range of inflight redirection options where consumers are not going to be at home when their parcel is scheduled to arrive.
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/delivery
DHL’s Fuel-Efficient Freighter Completes Maiden Flight
May 28, 2019
The first of DHL’s new fuel-efficient Boeing 777 Freighters has commenced revenue service.
On Saturday, May 25, the airplane took off from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), its home operating base. Clad in DHL’s yellow and red, the brand new 777 with the registration number N-705GT departed to Bahrain on its commercial maiden flight.
The replacement of the older intercontinental fleet with the most fuel-efficient and reliable freighter type allows DHL to meet the increasing global demand for express services. The new Boeing 777 will strengthen DHL’s intercontinental services and connect major DHL hubs in Cincinnati, Leipzig, Hong Kong and others. Operated by DHL partner Southern Air, the plane will soon start scheduled operations.
“The delivery of our first Boeing 777 Freighter marks an important milestone in our mission to overhaul our intercontinental fleet. This efficient, long-range and high-capacity freighter will enable us to serve even more markets with non-stop flights and significantly contributes to greater sustainability in line with our sustainability strategy ‘zero emission by 2050’ “, says John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express.
With a payload capability of 112 tons and a range of 9,200 km, the B777 F has the largest capacity and range of all twin-engine freight airplanes. They are also more fuel efficient and reliable than older models, reducing CO2 emissions by 18 per cent versus the aircraft being replaced. The older B747-400s aircraft will be gradually replaced as the new models arrive. Another three B777 F are scheduled to arrive this year.
DHL Express operates over 260 dedicated aircrafts with 17 partner airlines on over 600 daily flights across 220 countries and territories.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104903/news
Canada Post segment reports $23 million profit before tax in first quarter
May 27, 2019
Canada Post recorded a profit before tax of $23 million in the first quarter of 2019, as growth in its Parcels business continued, but only moderately due to the continued impact from major customers making other delivery arrangements last fall and into 2019.
Canada Post revenues totalled almost $1.7 billion in the first quarter – a decrease of $26 million or 1.5 per cent from the first quarter of 2018. The Corporation's $23 million profit before tax in the first quarter, which ended March 30, was a $45 million decline compared to the same period a year earlier.1
Parcels results
The increases in Parcels revenue and volumes in the first quarter were significantly less than in the same period last year. Revenue increased by $20 million or 3.4 per cent and volumes increased by about 1 million pieces or 2.6 per cent, compared to the same period in 2018. Domestic Parcels, the largest product category, drove growth in this line of business, as revenue increased by $40 million or 9.4 per cent and volumes grew by 6 million pieces or 14.4 per cent, compared to the first quarter of 2018. The increases in revenue and volumes were driven by major commercial customers as well as the continued growth in e-commerce.
Transaction Mail results
Transaction Mail is mostly letters, bills and statements. In the first quarter of 2019, Transaction Mail volumes decreased by 68 million pieces or 8.1 per cent and revenue decreased by $31 million or 4 per cent, compared to the first quarter of 2018.
For domestic Lettermail™, the largest product category, volumes decreased by 61 million pieces or 7.6 per cent, while revenue decreased by $22 million or 3.1 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier.
This was despite a regulated increase in the postage rate for domestic Lettermail. The ongoing decline in mail volumes in the digital era remains a significant challenge.
Direct Marketing results
Direct Marketing revenue decreased by $17 million or 6.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018, while volumes decreased by 70 million pieces or 6.2 per cent. Canada Post Neighbourhood MailTM, the largest product category by volume, saw revenue decrease by $6 million or 6.2 per cent, while volumes decreased by 50 million pieces or 6 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier. Canada Post Personalized MailTM and Publications MailTM revenue declined by $8 million and $3 million respectively, while volumes decreased by 14 million pieces and 6 million pieces respectively. Direct Marketing revenue and volumes were also negatively affected by the labour disruption of 2018 as business customers reduced their marketing expenditures with Canada Post or redirected them to other media channels.
Group of Companies results
The Canada Post Group of Companies2 reported a profit before tax of $39 million for the first quarter of 2019, compared to a profit before tax of $94 million for the same period in 2018. The $55 million decrease in profit was largely due to the results of the Canada Post segment. Purolator's profit before tax was $12 million in the first quarter, compared to a profit before tax of $20 million for the same period in 2018. Results for the Group of Companies can also be attributed in part to a softening of the Canadian economy in late 2018 and in early 2019.
Background
The operations of the Canada Post Group of Companies are funded by the revenue generated by the sale of its products and services, not taxpayer dollars.
1 The amounts for 2018 were restated as a result of new or revised accounting standards.
2 The Canada Post Group of Companies consists of the core Canada Post segment and its three non-wholly owned subsidiaries, Purolator Holdings Ltd., SCI Group Inc. and Innovapost Inc.
Source : https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases
Royal Mail Fleet members voting on 11.8% pay deal
May 24, 2019
Ballot papers have been sent out to some 750 Royal Mail vehicle repair and maintenance workers, with a letter urging them to vote ‘Yes’ to a negotiated agreement raising basic rates by 11.8 per cent – taking account of pay supplement consolidation.
The substantial wage increase – which comes on top of the Royal Mail Group-wide 2 per cent rise that came in last month and is the largest ever offered to RM Motor transport grades – is linked to changes in contracted hours, which will mean that Saturday will become a rostered duty day, rather than a voluntary overtime day.
CWU assistant secretary Ray Ellis explains: “Revision discussions are now under way at local level to reach agreement as to exactly how the new status of Saturday will be implemented and deployed, so Fleet members voting in the ballot will have a reasonable idea of how this change will specifically affect them.
“If this agreement is endorsed in the ballot, these revision discussions will continue and will be deployed once agreed and signed off.
“And the agreed ‘core opening hours’ will be 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am – 4pm on Saturdays,” Ray continued.
The basic rate increase becomes pensionable next year and applies with immediate effect to London Weighting and Scottish Distant Island allowances – while there is also a 5.5 per cent increase in assigned shift allowance and a rise in overtime rates. Reserved rights, shift allowance and senior tech allowance remain in place.
Ray accepts that Saturday working within conditioned hours represents a major change, saying: “To date, Saturday attendance has been performed on overtime, but the change is needed to enable growth of non-Royal Mail work to underpin jobs and to meet the changing needs of Royal Mail.
“In exchange, our members get rates of pensionable pay and allowances which make Fleet a market leader.
“For all these reasons, the Postal Executive has strongly recommended a YES vote in the forthcoming ballot.”
Ballot papers went out to all Fleet members today (Friday 24th). The ballot closes on Tuesday 11th June and, if the deal is accepted, the pay rise will be implemented with effect from 1st April 2019
The next pay settlement date will be 1st April 2020
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news
POSTAL NEWS
No 44 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
USPS OIG Delivers on Service Outage Probe and Five-Year Strategic Plan. May 28, 2019.
Siemens receives order from Deutsche Post for international hub. May 28, 2019.
Swiss Post to sell CarPostal France to Keolis S.A. May 27, 2019.
SENDLE To Have “Larger Drop-Off Network Than Australia Post By 2020”. May 24, 2019.
Pay Equity Retro Wage Payment. May 24 2019.
USPS OIG Delivers on Service Outage Probe and Five-Year Strategic Plan
May 28, 2019
Imagine that you’re in charge of an organization with nationwide reach, one that regularly visits the front doorstep of every street address in America, and one that pledges delivery of service under any kind of condition including snow, rain, heat, and “gloom of night.” Today, keeping that promise requires maintaining the highest levels of visibility into IT issues to keep network functions online and manage advanced data analytics.
That’s exactly what the United States Postal Service (USPS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) set out to do, starting in 2012, with the deployment of big data analytics and the addition of a new role – the manager of data analytics.
Bill Rickett holds this position today in the Office of Audit, Information Technology, Office of the Inspector General, USPS. At ServiceNow’s Knowledge 19 conference on May 7, Rickett explained that OIG’s mission is to foster integrity by detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse – and that technology and innovation are vital to this mission.
Initially, the team’s data analytics focus was on cybersecurity and creating an IT risk model for audit planning and research. Rickett explained they selected two metrics to track – spam and malware – between 2013 and 2015. They would sort and rank the threats and provide reports. Next, the team expanded to focus on IT Service Management (ITSM), specifically incident response, and implemented ServiceNow.
OIG used the platform strictly for IT audits initially, and then expanded to all types of audits across their six directorates: planning, operations, finance, delivery/customer experience, IT, and supply chain/HR management – sharing data back with each directorate much more quickly than possible in the past.
“This started to allow us to manage the relationships and see correlations between the directorates,” Rickett said.
In one example, Rickett explained that to help identify insurance fraud, the team executed a zip code analysis, identifying areas with an enormous number of USPS insurance claims – significantly outside of the norm.
In 2018 following an outage where internal and external networks dropped offline, OIG used the ServiceNow platform to execute an Availability for Tier 1 Business Critical Services Audit.
They team was able to identify the problem, expose the root causes, and find a lasting fix. OIG pulled data from multiple applications to review together in the ServiceNow platform – incidents, change requests, problem investigations.
Debra Gilkey, IT Auditor at the USPS OIG explained they gathered data and visualized that data from different fields including business categories, business services, and incident creation dates. USPS was able to use the information collected through the audit to visualize data categories, create data storyboards, and unlock meaning from the information.
“We finished our audit back in September, and published the findings back to the American people,” said Gilkey.
In conjunction with the probe, the team also identified and mitigated a related $6.7 million potential revenue loss.
One of ServiceNow’s advantages is central plug in capabilities with other application tools, Gilkey added. USPS OIG is using the Splunk plug-in through ServiceNow and TeamMate to capture audit reports.
The visual storyboards, created with Microsoft Power BI from data pulled from ServiceNow, were significantly more effective than spreadsheet presentations used in the past.
“We are now creating visualizations for all our audits,” Rickett said. He noted they can share the visualizations with the directorates “and get immediate impact…we call it quick insights.”
Gilkey said the USPS OIG team also simplified alert management and priority lists with ServiceNow. The team can account for incident numbers at high-priority and critical-priority levels, and identify incidents with downgraded priority levels – including why and when. This was an important update for USPS, as the previous system set priorities at initial levels and with no ability to update status.
The ability to grab a field and drill down to see sublayers in ServiceNow is also very helpful, Gilkey noted. The analysts can identify outliers to help prioritize and maximize the team’s time and attention.
Going forward, USPS OIG will continue to deliver against a strategic five-year plan. Goals include evolving postal operations, developing the mission staff, and encouraging a performance culture with increasingly challenging and satisfying work that focuses on what matters — adding value to the USPS mission – from avoiding network downtown to detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. That’s how USPS OIG delivers.
Siemens receives order from Deutsche Post for international hub
May 28, 2019
Siemens Logistics has received an order from Deutsche Post for the International Postal Center at Frankfurt Airport in Germany. The contract includes the integration of the high-performance VarioSort cross-belt sorter into the existing infrastructure and putting it into operation, as well as the installation of the innovative ARTread address recognition software.
Growing international mail-order volumes means an increasing number of parcels must be processed at the International Postal Center in Frankfurt. Siemens is supporting Deutsche Post with reliable technology and modern software solutions for efficient processing of international items in different shapes and weight classes, and ensures close to 100% sorting accuracy.
To guarantee optimum working conditions at the conveyors, Siemens will also set up ergonomic workstations, previously tested under real conditions at the Siemens Logistics Test Center in Nuremberg. The initial equipment for the IPZ was already provided by Siemens and is being modernized on a regular basis.
“The new order builds on a proven and reliable partnership with Deutsche Post”, said Michael Reichle, CEO of Siemens Logistics. “With our VarioSort and the ARTread software, we support our customer to process incoming and outgoing parcels more exactly and considerably faster.”
The new order includes the high-performance VarioSort cross-belt sorter which, with a maximum speed of 2m/s (6.5ft/s), reaches a peak throughput of 18,000 parcels per hour. It allows for efficient sorting of even very small and lightweight items starting from 20g (0.7oz). The VarioSort can be flexibly configured and is characterized by its low maintenance requirements.
Based on optical character recognition, the ARTread software enables reliable extraction and interpretation of address information, logos and labels. Items in different shapes and packing materials, as well as with varying print qualities, fonts and address layouts, can be accurately processed.
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news
Swiss Post to sell CarPostal France to Keolis S.A.
May 27, 2019
Swiss Post is in advanced talks with Keolis S.A. to sell CarPostal France. The interested buyer is a subsidiary of SNCF. The two companies signed an exclusivity agreement for the sale on 16 May.
Swiss Post is substantiating its promise to review the foreign commitments of PostBus in France. It received an irrevocable purchase offer from the French company Keolis S.A. on 16 May and signed the corresponding exclusivity agreement for the sale of CarPostal France. The potential buyer Keolis S.A, based in Paris, is a subsidiary of the French state-owned rail company SNCF and operates internationally within passenger transport. It has a good market reputation and intends to take over all CarPostal France entities. This meets Swiss Post’s intention of structuring its exit in a way that is socially responsible.
As the exclusivity agreement has been signed, the sale process can now move forward. In the coming weeks, the legally required information and consultation process will be carried out with the responsible employee representatives, and official authorizations will be obtained. Swiss Post will not comment any further on the ongoing process and will give more information in due course.
Source : https://www.post.ch/en/about-us/company/media/press-releases/2019
SENDLE To Have “Larger Drop-Off Network Than Australia Post By 2020”
May 24, 2019
Australia’s carbon-neutral courier service Sendle has announced plans to expand its parcel drop-off network in partnership with logistics company Hubbed.
Sendle has said it will offer more parcel drop off points than there are Post offices in Australia by 2020.
The announcement by Sendle follows strong uptake of its 24/7 parcel drop-off service, which has increased up to 204% a month, in the six months since launch.
Together with Hubbed, the service has created 24/7 parcel drop-off and collection points across hundreds of BP service stations, newsagents and pharmacies within Australia.
The extended parcel drop off network will include locations that are more convenient than Post and operate 24/7. New research has revealed that the 10 suburbs with the greatest uptake of the dropoff service, also have between one and four existing Australia Post establishments in the very same suburb.
CEO and Co-founder of Sendle, James Chin Moody, says: “This data is further proof that the days of Australia Post’s monopoly are over. Modern business owners must be able to choose when and how they ship to their customers.”
“It doesn’t hurt that we are up to 72% cheaper as well.” said Chin Moody.
Demand for the parcel service has been so great that new locations have been rapidly added, with almost 600 locations now available across Australia, growing to over 1000 in the next few months.
“The tide is turning on Post. Sendle has created genuine competition with a service that provides flexible and convenient delivery options for time-poor business owners. The early response to the drop off network proves that business owners want convenient 27/7 drop off and that the 200 year old postal network is becoming increasingly redundant.
“Whether they are mumpreneurs, young professionals with a side-hustle, or a full time e-commerce operator, small businesses are the engine room of the Australian economy and deserve services that empower them to thrive,” James continued.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104879/news/e-commerce
Pay Equity Retro Wage Payment
May 24 2019
The retro wage payment for the Pay Equity award is on schedule.
It will be paid on pay period 12, June 13, 2019.
It will encompass 78 pay periods, from January 2016 to December 2018.
The retro wage payment for January 1st and 2nd 2016 will not be included in this payment as they are included in pay period 26 from 2015. The payment for these 2 days will be made at a later date.
The disability insurance and basic life insurance retro premiums will be deducted at this time as well as statutory deductions. Pension payments on the retro wage will be deducted as well for all time that is pensionable. The amount for these deductions will vary for each person, depending on your wage, as well as your retro payment.
Canada Post has calculated what is owed by each of the 78 pay periods. This detailed breakdown will not be included in your pay statement as it contains over 4000 lines of data.
Absences, ad-hoc payments, overtime earnings, own route earnings, and coverage of additional routes are included in the payment.
The corporation will provide a T1198 form at a later date that attributes each years’ retro payment to a specific year. This will allow you to request a reassessment of your income tax for each year you receive a retro wage payment, which should lower the amount of income tax you will have to pay.
If you disagree with the amount of your retro payment, email bmcmillan@cupw-sttp.org with all the pertinent details or contact AccessHR.
Source : https://www.cupw.ca/en
Read ac issue
No 41 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
UPS Shows Its Commitment To Reduce Ground Fleet Emissions. May 23, 2019.
Australia Post reviews media account. May 23, 2019.
Royal Mail To Introduce 1,400 Parcel Postboxes Across UK. May 20, 2019.
Historic Election at CUPW: Postal Workers Elect First Female Black President. May 17, 2019.
Austrian Post Q1 2019.May 16, 2019
UPS Shows Its Commitment To Reduce Ground Fleet Emissions
May 23, 2019
UPS has announced an agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to purchase 170 million gallon equivalents of renewable natural gas (RNG) through 2026.
This is the largest commitment for use of RNG to date by any company in the United States, with a range of 22.5 – 25 million gallon equivalents per year.
RNG is a key part of UPS’s strategy to increase alternative fuel consumption to be 40% of total ground fuel purchases by 2025, supporting the logistics leader’s efforts to reduce the absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its ground fleet 12% by 2025.
Mike Casteel, UPS director of fleet procurement said:“The world has a trash problem. And the world has an emissions problem. Renewable natural gas, produced naturally from bio sources such as landfills and dairy farms, not only turns trash to gas, but it turns it into clean gas,”
“Since RNG is supported by existing national infrastructure used to transport natural gas, it’s a winning solution that will help UPS to reach our ambitious sustainability goals. At the same time, we hope our unprecedented seven-year commitment serves as a catalyst for wider adoption of RNG by other companies.”
UPS has used more than 28 million gallons of RNG in its ground fleet since 2014. This means the company will now be using nearly as much RNG in one year as it has used over the past five years combined.
By switching from diesel fuel to RNG, UPS vehicles fueling at 18 company-owned and operated natural gas stations across 12 states will realise a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as much as 1,074,000 metric tons of GHG over the life of the agreement. This is equivalent to planting 17,000,000 trees, removing 228,000 cars off the road or recycling 374,000 tons of waste that would otherwise be sent to the landfill.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104863/news/e-commerce
Australia Post reviews media account
May 23, 2019
Australia Post is set to review its agency arrangements less than a year after reappointing Dentsu X as its media agency of record, AdNews understands.
The account, which according to Nielsen is worth roughly $5 million annually, has been held by the agency since 2014.
Sources close to AdNews say the pitch is in it early stages, with a handful of agencies involved. They added that the media spend is in fact in excess of $5m and may climb as Australia Post looks to boost its reach in market.
It is unclear if Australia Post would look to roll the account into the Federal Government's master media account, which is currently managed by UM.
According to sources, Australia Post has undergone recent internal changes, with the intention of positioning itself as a retail aligned brand.
In recent years, Aus Post has focused on driving strategic partnerships with major retailers and e-commerce platforms, becoming exclusive delivery partners.
In 2017, The Monkeys were appointed to the organisation's creative panel, launching their first work for the brand in July last year, 'Everyone Matters'.
The news continues the run of brands and businesses that are rethinking their relationships with Dentsu Aegis Network-owned media agencies, with the likes of Dentsu X, Carat and Vizeum losing sizeable amounts of business in the last six months.
Yesterday AdNews revealed that the holding group had made three members of its executive leadership team redundant, as the business continues its restructure under new CEO Henry Tajer.
Amplifi president Adrian Roeling, iProspect national managing director Nick Seckold and head of corporate communications for the network Andrew Hewett have all exited the business this week.
Unrelated to the decisions, DAN's recently appointed CFO Anthea Kane was also revealed to have exited the business, resigning her role after just four months.
Source : http://www.adnews.com.au/news
Royal Mail To Introduce 1,400 Parcel Postboxes Across UK
May 20, 2019
Royal Mail is introducing the UK’s first ever parcel postboxes in locations across the UK. This follows a successful trial in 2018, and 1,400 parcel postboxes will be rolled out in total.
Royal Mail is introducing the UK’s first ever parcel postboxes in locations across the country, over a six month period from August this year. This marks the first major repurposing of the postbox in the last 160 years.
The launch will see the Company convert existing meter boxes (1,400 in total), which include a wider aperture and secure design. The initiative follows a successful trial of the boxes in 2018.
This is the first time parcel postboxes have been widely introduced in the UK, and the launch represents the first major change of use for the postbox since it was introduced 160 years ago. The launch of parcel postboxes is also one of the biggest innovations in parcels since the launch of Parcel Post in 1883.
The change means that small businesses and marketplace sellers can post pre-paid* parcels through securely designed parcel postboxes, in the same way that they currently post a letter. Customers will also be able to post some return parcels** at any time, seven days a week.
The postboxes will be introduced in locations across the UK including Birmingham, Leeds, Aberdeen and Cardiff***.
Mark Street, Head of Campaigns at Royal Mail, said “The wide scale introduction of parcel postboxes is one of the many ways we at Royal Mail are looking to make the lives of our customers easier. The parcel postboxes trial last year was a success, and we hope that the wider roll-out gives added flexibility to online sellers who might be running a business in their spare time and not keeping regular office hours.”
Source : https://www.royalmailgroup.com/en/press-centre/press-releases
Historic Election at CUPW: Postal Workers Elect First Female Black President
May 17,2019
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has elected Jan Simpson, a postal worker from the Scarborough local, as the union’s new National President. She becomes the first black woman to lead a national union in Canada. Julee Sanderson from the Saskatoon local was elected 1st National Vice-President. Bev Collins was re-elected as National Secretary-Treasurer.
Simpson has been breaking barriers at CUPW for many years. She was the first black woman elected to the national office and to the national board. “I am truly honoured to be a part of a progressive union that values diversity and continues to challenge the status quo.”
She promises to continue to fight against back-to-work legislation and get Canada Post back to the negotiating table. “Our members need a new contract. This arbitration has gone on for far too long. Our members need safe working conditions, fair wages and equality for all.”
With a federal election less than six months away, Simpson vows to make postal issues an electoral priority for all candidates and all citizens.
Simpson promises to fight for a renewed and reinvigorated post office by supporting the Delivering Community Power campaign. “The post office of the future must include new and expanded services like postal banking, services to seniors and climate-friendly delivery models. The time for change is now.”
In another historic first, a record number of women were elected to the National Executive Committee.
At the convention, held in Toronto May 13-17, about 575 delegates representing CUPW membership worked on union policy and elected national and regional leadership. They also marched to Nathan Philips Square with Foodora bike and car couriers who are unionizing with CUPW. The next CUPW national convention will be in 2023.
Source : https://www.cupw.ca/en
Austrian Post Q1 2019
May 16, 2019
Revenue
Revenue up by 0.4% to EUR 492.5m
Good parcel growth (+6.7%) compensated for the decline in the Mail & Branch Network Division (–1.4%)
Earnings
EBIT up by 1.3% to EUR 57.4m
Earnings per share of EUR 0.64 (+3.4%)
Cash flow and balance sheet
Operating free cash flow of EUR 60.8m (+10.4%)
Capitalisation of right-of-use assets from leases according to IFRS 16 increased the balance sheet total by EUR 270m
Outlook 2019
Targeted stability of revenue and earnings in the core business
Austrian Post’s Group revenue in the first quarter of the current financial year amounted to EUR 492.5m, comprising a slight increase of 0.4% year-on-year. The market development of the mail and parcel business in the first quarter confirmed the trends forecasted for the 2019 financial year. The traditional letter mail business is anticipated to experience volume declines of about 5% annually as a consequence of electronic substitution. The direct mail business is also generally declining, additionally influenced by the current data protection regulations. The share of total Group revenue generated by the Mail & Branch Network Division was somewhat over 70% in the first quarter of 2019.
The new product and pricing model as well as additional revenue from elections positively impacted the division’s development in contrast to the fundamental decline in addressed letter mail volumes and lower direct mail revenue.
In contrast, good growth rates are expected in the Austrian parcel business in 2019, driven by the expansion of e-commerce. Competitive intensity – especially due to own delivery by a large customer in Vienna – as well as demands for delivery quality remain high. The Parcel & Logistics Division generated nearly 30% of the total Group revenue in the reporting period against the backdrop of an ongoing upward trend. Revenue growth of 6.7% in the parcel business was primarily driven by the e-commerce trend and the related parcel volume increases in Austria. Austrian Post profits from dynamic market growth driven by the ongoing online shopping trend. The related competitive intensity and price pressure remain high. Predicted future parcel volumes have led Austrian Post to work full steam ahead on an extensive expansion of parcel logistics capacities in Austria.
“Parcel capacities are expected to increase by 25% starting in summer of 2019 when the new parcel centre in Hagenbrunn in the north of Vienna starts its operation”, states Austrian Post CEO Georg Pölzl. The ground-breaking ceremony for the second planned parcel centre in Kalsdorf near Graz took place on March 18, 2019. Completion is scheduled for mid-2020. Overall transport and sorting capacities should each be doubled over the medium-term. Furthermore, Austrian Post is steadily pressing ahead with the expansion of its service offering based on self-service and online solutions, making it easier and more convenient to send and receive parcels.
On the basis of the solid revenue development combined with strict cost discipline, Group EBIT rose by 1.3% year-on-year to EUR 57.4m. Earnings per share improved from EUR 0.62 to EUR 0.64 compared to the prior-year period.
A dividend of EUR 2.08 per share was distributed on April 25, 2019. In this way, Austrian Post has once again confirmed its clear capital market positioning as a reliable dividend stock. “Reliability and stability towards shareholders and other stakeholders of our company remain the focal point of our strategic activities, and we want to continue along this path”, adds CEO Georg Pölzl. Accordingly, Austrian Post aims to achieve a stable development in both revenue and operating earnings in the core business in line with the previous year. “We want to remain faithful to our positioning as a reliable company going forward. In the spirit of customer orientation, the quality of our services will continue to be the focus of our business operations”, Pölzl concludes.
Source : https://www.post.at/en
POSTAL NEWS
No 42 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
The electoral folds are coming! May 23, 2019.
USPS Begins Autonomous Truck Trial In Phoenix And Dallas. May 22, 2019.
Poste Italiane To Digitise Excess Truck Capacity.
May 21, 2019.
DHL Supply Chain deploys latest version of smart glasses worldwide. May 21, 2019.
SingPost and Synagie to provide on-demand warehousing and logistics solutions in Southeast Asia. May 20, 2019.
The electoral folds are coming!
May 23, 2019
During the election period, the factors distribute the electoral folds, which generates a very important peak of activities.
For some destinations, the folds are sorted at the PIC (Platform Industrial Courier) by the Sorting Objects Flat (TOP) sorting preparatory to the distribution which means that each tray is equivalent to the tour of an attendant who must deliver the content in order.
For other destinations, the folds arrive directly in PPDC where they are prepared and distributed in each mailbox by the factors.
The extra workload is not really calibrated. The large weight of the envelopes (160 grams) makes the task difficult for the factors. In front of the different local framings, FO Com contacted the BSCC in order to obtain a national framing.
FO Com boasts a work organization that is truly adapted to this additional workload, the management of catering during these peak activities, the systematic consultation of local CHSCTs and the unconditional payment of overtime.
Source : http://www.focom-laposte.fr/
USPS Begins Autonomous Truck Trial In Phoenix And Dallas
May 22, 2019
USPS has started delivering letters and parcels moving between Phoenix and Dallas, using customised Peterbilt trucks made by TuSimple, an autonomous startup based in San Diego.
It’s the first time that the Postal Service has contracted with an autonomous provider for long-haul service.
“This pilot is just one of many ways the Postal Service is innovating and investing in its future,” the USPS said in a press release that cited the possibility of using “a future class of vehicles” to improve service, reduce emissions and save money.
After the initial trial, which is expected to last about two weeks, the Postal Service will assess whether to continue working with TuSimple.
Two years ago, the USPS Office of Inspector General outlined a step-by-step approach for the adoption of autonomous vehicles, and then earlier this year put out a request for ideas on using autonomous technology in its delivery fleet. While self-driving mail trucks are still years—if not decades—away, autonomous long-haul trucking might be realistic much sooner.
The Postal Service spends more than $4 billion per year on highway trucking services through outside contractors. Those costs have been rising due to a national shortage of drivers. Self-driving trucks could save hundreds of millions by eliminating human drivers and the hours-of-service rules that keep them from driving round the clock.
For now, however, TuSimple will have a safety driver behind the wheel for the 1,000-mile trip between Phoenix and Dallas, as well as an engineer in the passenger seat monitoring the autonomous systems. In the future, the startup aims to provide “depot-to-depot” service without drivers.
“When the vehicle can operate truly driverless, it will be much more efficient,” said Chuck Price, chief product officer at TuSimple. “We think we complete a coast-to-coast run in two days, where today it takes five.”
TuSimple has raised $178 million in funding since its founding in 2015. For its most recent round in February, the company was valued at $1 billion. Its trucks have been carrying cargo for customers in Arizona since last year.
Price said that drivers who encounter a TuSimple truck on the interstate between Phoenix and Dallas probably won’t notice: “It’s polite. It uses turn signals. It merges properly. It does all of the things that a professional driver is trained to do.”
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104852/news
Poste Italiane To Digitise Excess Truck Capacity
May 21, 2019
Italian postal operator Poste Italiane is setting up a joint venture with digital freight forwarder sennder, aimed at improving the post’s long-haul road efficiency.
The partnership with sennder will focus on the full truck load market, allowing Poste Italiane to drive efficiencies and leverage surplus capacity in its trucking network.
“Empty space in a truck means you’re leaving money on the table.” - Cathy Morrow Roberson, lead consultant and founder of Logistics Trends & Insights.
The joint venture will target transport demand coming from third parties inside and outside of Italy.
Poste Group currently employs around 800 third-party vehicles for long-haul alone, making approximately 2,300 journeys and covering 450,000km on an average day.
Based in Berlin, digital freight start-up sennder last month raised an undisclosed amount in its Series B financing, which followed a headline-grabbing seven-digit euro investment from Scania Growth Capital (Scania’s corporate venture capital fund) in 2017. Earlier this month sennder was announced as a participant in logistics startup accelerator Dynamo’s latest incubator programme.
The sennder software platform comprises mobile apps for drivers, fleet management tools for carrier managers and logistics management solutions for shippers.
To this point, the platform has focused on connecting large enterprise clients to small fleets. With the Poste Italiane JV, sennder will be involved with a national fleet that is grappling with the growth demands of e-commerce.
Poste Italiane CEO Matteo Del Fante said that the post is aiming for operational efficiencies and reduced emissions as a result of the JV.
Amazone’s Role
Amazon is a big part of Poste Italiane’s push to deliver e-commerce. Poste Italiane is accommodating Amazon’s last mile needs by offering evening delivery, delivery to post offices, parcel lockers, and a PUDO partnership with tobacconists.
More recently, it seems that Poste Italiane’s air cargo subsidiary Mistral Air has been expanded to meet Amazon’s domestic demands in Italy.
Which leaves road transport. Could this partnership be a way for Poste Italiane to gain a share of Amazon’s LTL and FTL domestic freight? It’s a competitive market – but of late Poste Italiane has shown that it is prepared to compete in the last mile against the likes of DHL.
Major Competitors In This Market
Other companies have recognised an opportunity to digitise their fleets – in particular in the European market. Europe provides a special challenge to fleet managers, with trucks capable of crossing multiple borders in a day.
In 2017, DB Schenker invested US$25m in online shipping marketplace uShip. At the time, DB Schenker said it planned to use the platform for land transport, connecting its 30,000 or so transport partners in the European land transport network to their freight.
DHL launched online road freight platform Saloodo! in January 2017 for Europe, which was expanded to the Middle East earlier this year. Another global giant, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, acquired Freightquote.com for $365 million in 2015.
Meanwhile digital freight forwarder InstaFreight has been building an experienced management team following its Series A funding round of €8 million in late 2017. The German startup has digitised the entire freight booking process from quoting prices to invoicing.
What’s Next?
Poste Italiane and sennder are still in the process of setting up the joint venture, with the aim of commencing operations in Q3 2019. Will that be enough time for sennder to come to grips with the quirks of the Italian transport, postal, and labour markets
Source : http://www.thepostalhub.com/blog
DHL Supply Chain deploys latest version of smart glasses worldwide
May 21, 2019
As one of the first customers worldwide, DHL will now use the second-generation of Glass Enterprise Edition.
DHL will be one of the first customers worldwide to use the latest generation of Glass Enterprise Edition in warehouses and hubs
With longer battery life, faster processors and shorter charging times, the new devices have been further optimized for industrial use in intralogistics
Smart Glasses and Wearables are one part of the digitalization strategy at DHL
As part of its company-wide digitization strategy DHL Supply Chain, market leader in contract logistics and part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group, is further expanding the deployment of Smart Glasses and wearables. As one of the first customers worldwide, DHL will now use the second-generation of Glass Enterprise Edition. The device can virtually support the vision picking process in warehouses. Augmented reality in the warehouse is driving a more accurate, productive and efficient picking process. While user-friendly and intuitive, hands-free picking is providing a positive experience and high approval rating among employees. The successful use of smart glasses in contract logistics has also convinced other DHL business units. In the future, DHL Express will also use these wearables in its hubs.
Source: https://www.dpdhl.com/en/media-relations/press-releases/2019
SingPost and Synagie to provide on-demand warehousing and logistics solutions in Southeast Asia
May 20, 2019
Singapore Post and Synagie Corporation Ltd have announced that they will collaborate to provide on-demand warehousing and fulfillment solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Singapore and Southeast Asia (SEA).
The region’s SMEs will now be able to utilize state-of-the-art warehousing and fulfillment services provided by SingPost subsidiary Quantium Solutions, and powered by Synagie’s cloud commerce platform. The partnership will enable SMEs to capitalize on the strong growth in e-commerce order volumes, while enjoying the same enterprise grade logistics capabilities used by industry leaders. It also offers SMEs a one-stop solution for greater operational efficiency and faster turnaround times in both the traditional and e-commerce markets.
SEA’s internet economy is growing at an unprecedented rate and is expected to exceed US$200bn (£156bn) by 2025. High mobile penetration is driving growth of e-commerce transactions in the region, which surpassed US$10bn (£7.8bn) in 2017.
SingPost’s partnership with Synagie to provide on-demand warehousing allows brands and SMEs to save on the heavy up-front capital expenditure required to set up or operate their own warehouse, as they are able to acquire integrated warehousing services on a pay-as-you-use basis without long-term commitments. This highly scalable solution will better help them cater to the spikes in warehousing demands during peak seasons (such as mega sales events) and provide greater cost savings and better inventory management.
Designed to provide multi-channel fulfillment for both off-line and online businesses, the on-demand warehousing solution will be offered to SMEs in Singapore and SEA from Q3 2019.
Commenting on the partnership, Synagie’s executive director and CEO, Clement Lee said, “We are honored to collaborate with SingPost to provide one of the region’s first fully integrated on-demand warehousing and fulfillment solutions focused at helping SMEs manage their multi-channel supply chains. By combining our solutions and infrastructure, we can provide a fulfillment ecosystem for brands and SMEs that will bring about greater efficiencies and cost savings for both their off-line and online businesses.”
SingPost Group CEO, Paul Coutts added, “We are pleased to partner Synagie on this endeavor. SMEs can leverage our extensive presence in Southeast Asia to grow their business in the region, as well as capitalize on the rapid growth of e-commerce worldwide.”
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/technology
POSTAL NEWS
No 43 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
USPS Reviewing Solutions to Reduce Costs, Expand Services. May 29, 2019.
Royal Mail to invest US$2.2bn in UK over five years. May 28, 2019.
DHL’s Fuel-Efficient Freighter Completes Maiden Flight.
May 28, 2019.
Canada Post segment reports $23 million profit before tax in first quarter. May 27, 2019.
Royal Mail Fleet members voting on 11.8% pay deal. May 24, 2019
USPS Reviewing Solutions to Reduce Costs, Expand Services
May 29, 2019
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has recently been put under pressure to improve its financial outlook without compromising its services, a directive that comes on the heels of the USPS’s reported loss of $1.5 billion for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2019. This figure represents an almost $1 billion increase from the same financial period last year. The USPS has also experienced slower growth in its package delivery business, where it continues to compete with private delivery services.
In 2018, the postal service reported a financial loss for the 12th year straight, with net losses widening from $2.7 billion in 2017 to almost $4 billion in 2018. One of the USPS’s most profitable products, first-class mail, continues to experience a rapid decline, with a 41% decrease in overall volume since 2007. These figures continue to worsen despite a 5.4% increase in package deliveries during the first quarter of 2019 (an equivalent of nearly 100 million packages).
Behind the Decline
While the USPS downturn has been worsening for more than a decade, their most significant losses occurred due to the passage the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act 2006, which resulted in the payment of higher retiree health benefits. It is estimated that the USPS’s health benefits expenditures range between $5.4-$5.8 billion annually.
These financial losses are further compounded by rising employing salaries and higher transportation-related costs including the rising price of gas and growing vehicle maintenance costs.
While package deliveries from online retail giants, such as Amazon, have become a vital part of the USPS’s business, such deliveries are not enough to offset their rapid decline in profits.
Source : https://www.postaltimes.com/postalnews
Royal Mail to invest US$2.2bn in UK over five years
May 28, 2019
Royal Mail has announced it will be investing around £1.8bn (US$2.2bn) in the UK’s postal service over the next five years, focusing on customer service improvements, digital initiatives, network enhancements, and new ways of working to deliver more productivity and efficiency.
As part of the plan, the company is introducing a second delivery for parcels that will expand in line with demand and be fully operational by 2023. This second delivery will consist of Next-Day parcels, typically purchased online from retailers the evening before, and larger items more appropriate for van delivery. In many cases, the delivery will be less than 24 hours after the order is made.
Customers will continue to receive a delivery of letters and all other parcels earlier in the day via Royal Mail’s network of postmen and women.
As part of the move to a second daily delivery, three new fully automated parcel hubs will be built, representing a significant investment in the regions in which they are located.
The company has had preliminary discussions with the Communications Worker Union and is committed to working collaboratively on the strategy, detailed design and deployment, including a trial for separate van delivery.
In another plan element, Royal Mail will collect returns from customers at their homes, including both consumers making returns and small marketplace sellers fulfilling sales. Royal Mail will also offer a range of inflight redirection options where consumers are not going to be at home when their parcel is scheduled to arrive.
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/delivery
DHL’s Fuel-Efficient Freighter Completes Maiden Flight
May 28, 2019
The first of DHL’s new fuel-efficient Boeing 777 Freighters has commenced revenue service.
On Saturday, May 25, the airplane took off from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), its home operating base. Clad in DHL’s yellow and red, the brand new 777 with the registration number N-705GT departed to Bahrain on its commercial maiden flight.
The replacement of the older intercontinental fleet with the most fuel-efficient and reliable freighter type allows DHL to meet the increasing global demand for express services. The new Boeing 777 will strengthen DHL’s intercontinental services and connect major DHL hubs in Cincinnati, Leipzig, Hong Kong and others. Operated by DHL partner Southern Air, the plane will soon start scheduled operations.
“The delivery of our first Boeing 777 Freighter marks an important milestone in our mission to overhaul our intercontinental fleet. This efficient, long-range and high-capacity freighter will enable us to serve even more markets with non-stop flights and significantly contributes to greater sustainability in line with our sustainability strategy ‘zero emission by 2050’ “, says John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express.
With a payload capability of 112 tons and a range of 9,200 km, the B777 F has the largest capacity and range of all twin-engine freight airplanes. They are also more fuel efficient and reliable than older models, reducing CO2 emissions by 18 per cent versus the aircraft being replaced. The older B747-400s aircraft will be gradually replaced as the new models arrive. Another three B777 F are scheduled to arrive this year.
DHL Express operates over 260 dedicated aircrafts with 17 partner airlines on over 600 daily flights across 220 countries and territories.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104903/news
Canada Post segment reports $23 million profit before tax in first quarter
May 27, 2019
Canada Post recorded a profit before tax of $23 million in the first quarter of 2019, as growth in its Parcels business continued, but only moderately due to the continued impact from major customers making other delivery arrangements last fall and into 2019.
Canada Post revenues totalled almost $1.7 billion in the first quarter – a decrease of $26 million or 1.5 per cent from the first quarter of 2018. The Corporation's $23 million profit before tax in the first quarter, which ended March 30, was a $45 million decline compared to the same period a year earlier.1
Parcels results
The increases in Parcels revenue and volumes in the first quarter were significantly less than in the same period last year. Revenue increased by $20 million or 3.4 per cent and volumes increased by about 1 million pieces or 2.6 per cent, compared to the same period in 2018. Domestic Parcels, the largest product category, drove growth in this line of business, as revenue increased by $40 million or 9.4 per cent and volumes grew by 6 million pieces or 14.4 per cent, compared to the first quarter of 2018. The increases in revenue and volumes were driven by major commercial customers as well as the continued growth in e-commerce.
Transaction Mail results
Transaction Mail is mostly letters, bills and statements. In the first quarter of 2019, Transaction Mail volumes decreased by 68 million pieces or 8.1 per cent and revenue decreased by $31 million or 4 per cent, compared to the first quarter of 2018.
For domestic Lettermail™, the largest product category, volumes decreased by 61 million pieces or 7.6 per cent, while revenue decreased by $22 million or 3.1 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier.
This was despite a regulated increase in the postage rate for domestic Lettermail. The ongoing decline in mail volumes in the digital era remains a significant challenge.
Direct Marketing results
Direct Marketing revenue decreased by $17 million or 6.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018, while volumes decreased by 70 million pieces or 6.2 per cent. Canada Post Neighbourhood MailTM, the largest product category by volume, saw revenue decrease by $6 million or 6.2 per cent, while volumes decreased by 50 million pieces or 6 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier. Canada Post Personalized MailTM and Publications MailTM revenue declined by $8 million and $3 million respectively, while volumes decreased by 14 million pieces and 6 million pieces respectively. Direct Marketing revenue and volumes were also negatively affected by the labour disruption of 2018 as business customers reduced their marketing expenditures with Canada Post or redirected them to other media channels.
Group of Companies results
The Canada Post Group of Companies2 reported a profit before tax of $39 million for the first quarter of 2019, compared to a profit before tax of $94 million for the same period in 2018. The $55 million decrease in profit was largely due to the results of the Canada Post segment. Purolator's profit before tax was $12 million in the first quarter, compared to a profit before tax of $20 million for the same period in 2018. Results for the Group of Companies can also be attributed in part to a softening of the Canadian economy in late 2018 and in early 2019.
Background
The operations of the Canada Post Group of Companies are funded by the revenue generated by the sale of its products and services, not taxpayer dollars.
1 The amounts for 2018 were restated as a result of new or revised accounting standards.
2 The Canada Post Group of Companies consists of the core Canada Post segment and its three non-wholly owned subsidiaries, Purolator Holdings Ltd., SCI Group Inc. and Innovapost Inc.
Source : https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases
Royal Mail Fleet members voting on 11.8% pay deal
May 24, 2019
Ballot papers have been sent out to some 750 Royal Mail vehicle repair and maintenance workers, with a letter urging them to vote ‘Yes’ to a negotiated agreement raising basic rates by 11.8 per cent – taking account of pay supplement consolidation.
The substantial wage increase – which comes on top of the Royal Mail Group-wide 2 per cent rise that came in last month and is the largest ever offered to RM Motor transport grades – is linked to changes in contracted hours, which will mean that Saturday will become a rostered duty day, rather than a voluntary overtime day.
CWU assistant secretary Ray Ellis explains: “Revision discussions are now under way at local level to reach agreement as to exactly how the new status of Saturday will be implemented and deployed, so Fleet members voting in the ballot will have a reasonable idea of how this change will specifically affect them.
“If this agreement is endorsed in the ballot, these revision discussions will continue and will be deployed once agreed and signed off.
“And the agreed ‘core opening hours’ will be 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am – 4pm on Saturdays,” Ray continued.
The basic rate increase becomes pensionable next year and applies with immediate effect to London Weighting and Scottish Distant Island allowances – while there is also a 5.5 per cent increase in assigned shift allowance and a rise in overtime rates. Reserved rights, shift allowance and senior tech allowance remain in place.
Ray accepts that Saturday working within conditioned hours represents a major change, saying: “To date, Saturday attendance has been performed on overtime, but the change is needed to enable growth of non-Royal Mail work to underpin jobs and to meet the changing needs of Royal Mail.
“In exchange, our members get rates of pensionable pay and allowances which make Fleet a market leader.
“For all these reasons, the Postal Executive has strongly recommended a YES vote in the forthcoming ballot.”
Ballot papers went out to all Fleet members today (Friday 24th). The ballot closes on Tuesday 11th June and, if the deal is accepted, the pay rise will be implemented with effect from 1st April 2019
The next pay settlement date will be 1st April 2020
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news
POSTAL NEWS
No 44 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
USPS OIG Delivers on Service Outage Probe and Five-Year Strategic Plan. May 28, 2019.
Siemens receives order from Deutsche Post for international hub. May 28, 2019.
Swiss Post to sell CarPostal France to Keolis S.A. May 27, 2019.
SENDLE To Have “Larger Drop-Off Network Than Australia Post By 2020”. May 24, 2019.
Pay Equity Retro Wage Payment. May 24 2019.
USPS OIG Delivers on Service Outage Probe and Five-Year Strategic Plan
May 28, 2019
Imagine that you’re in charge of an organization with nationwide reach, one that regularly visits the front doorstep of every street address in America, and one that pledges delivery of service under any kind of condition including snow, rain, heat, and “gloom of night.” Today, keeping that promise requires maintaining the highest levels of visibility into IT issues to keep network functions online and manage advanced data analytics.
That’s exactly what the United States Postal Service (USPS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) set out to do, starting in 2012, with the deployment of big data analytics and the addition of a new role – the manager of data analytics.
Bill Rickett holds this position today in the Office of Audit, Information Technology, Office of the Inspector General, USPS. At ServiceNow’s Knowledge 19 conference on May 7, Rickett explained that OIG’s mission is to foster integrity by detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse – and that technology and innovation are vital to this mission.
Initially, the team’s data analytics focus was on cybersecurity and creating an IT risk model for audit planning and research. Rickett explained they selected two metrics to track – spam and malware – between 2013 and 2015. They would sort and rank the threats and provide reports. Next, the team expanded to focus on IT Service Management (ITSM), specifically incident response, and implemented ServiceNow.
OIG used the platform strictly for IT audits initially, and then expanded to all types of audits across their six directorates: planning, operations, finance, delivery/customer experience, IT, and supply chain/HR management – sharing data back with each directorate much more quickly than possible in the past.
“This started to allow us to manage the relationships and see correlations between the directorates,” Rickett said.
In one example, Rickett explained that to help identify insurance fraud, the team executed a zip code analysis, identifying areas with an enormous number of USPS insurance claims – significantly outside of the norm.
In 2018 following an outage where internal and external networks dropped offline, OIG used the ServiceNow platform to execute an Availability for Tier 1 Business Critical Services Audit.
They team was able to identify the problem, expose the root causes, and find a lasting fix. OIG pulled data from multiple applications to review together in the ServiceNow platform – incidents, change requests, problem investigations.
Debra Gilkey, IT Auditor at the USPS OIG explained they gathered data and visualized that data from different fields including business categories, business services, and incident creation dates. USPS was able to use the information collected through the audit to visualize data categories, create data storyboards, and unlock meaning from the information.
“We finished our audit back in September, and published the findings back to the American people,” said Gilkey.
In conjunction with the probe, the team also identified and mitigated a related $6.7 million potential revenue loss.
One of ServiceNow’s advantages is central plug in capabilities with other application tools, Gilkey added. USPS OIG is using the Splunk plug-in through ServiceNow and TeamMate to capture audit reports.
The visual storyboards, created with Microsoft Power BI from data pulled from ServiceNow, were significantly more effective than spreadsheet presentations used in the past.
“We are now creating visualizations for all our audits,” Rickett said. He noted they can share the visualizations with the directorates “and get immediate impact…we call it quick insights.”
Gilkey said the USPS OIG team also simplified alert management and priority lists with ServiceNow. The team can account for incident numbers at high-priority and critical-priority levels, and identify incidents with downgraded priority levels – including why and when. This was an important update for USPS, as the previous system set priorities at initial levels and with no ability to update status.
The ability to grab a field and drill down to see sublayers in ServiceNow is also very helpful, Gilkey noted. The analysts can identify outliers to help prioritize and maximize the team’s time and attention.
Going forward, USPS OIG will continue to deliver against a strategic five-year plan. Goals include evolving postal operations, developing the mission staff, and encouraging a performance culture with increasingly challenging and satisfying work that focuses on what matters — adding value to the USPS mission – from avoiding network downtown to detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. That’s how USPS OIG delivers.
Siemens receives order from Deutsche Post for international hub
May 28, 2019
Siemens Logistics has received an order from Deutsche Post for the International Postal Center at Frankfurt Airport in Germany. The contract includes the integration of the high-performance VarioSort cross-belt sorter into the existing infrastructure and putting it into operation, as well as the installation of the innovative ARTread address recognition software.
Growing international mail-order volumes means an increasing number of parcels must be processed at the International Postal Center in Frankfurt. Siemens is supporting Deutsche Post with reliable technology and modern software solutions for efficient processing of international items in different shapes and weight classes, and ensures close to 100% sorting accuracy.
To guarantee optimum working conditions at the conveyors, Siemens will also set up ergonomic workstations, previously tested under real conditions at the Siemens Logistics Test Center in Nuremberg. The initial equipment for the IPZ was already provided by Siemens and is being modernized on a regular basis.
“The new order builds on a proven and reliable partnership with Deutsche Post”, said Michael Reichle, CEO of Siemens Logistics. “With our VarioSort and the ARTread software, we support our customer to process incoming and outgoing parcels more exactly and considerably faster.”
The new order includes the high-performance VarioSort cross-belt sorter which, with a maximum speed of 2m/s (6.5ft/s), reaches a peak throughput of 18,000 parcels per hour. It allows for efficient sorting of even very small and lightweight items starting from 20g (0.7oz). The VarioSort can be flexibly configured and is characterized by its low maintenance requirements.
Based on optical character recognition, the ARTread software enables reliable extraction and interpretation of address information, logos and labels. Items in different shapes and packing materials, as well as with varying print qualities, fonts and address layouts, can be accurately processed.
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news
Swiss Post to sell CarPostal France to Keolis S.A.
May 27, 2019
Swiss Post is in advanced talks with Keolis S.A. to sell CarPostal France. The interested buyer is a subsidiary of SNCF. The two companies signed an exclusivity agreement for the sale on 16 May.
Swiss Post is substantiating its promise to review the foreign commitments of PostBus in France. It received an irrevocable purchase offer from the French company Keolis S.A. on 16 May and signed the corresponding exclusivity agreement for the sale of CarPostal France. The potential buyer Keolis S.A, based in Paris, is a subsidiary of the French state-owned rail company SNCF and operates internationally within passenger transport. It has a good market reputation and intends to take over all CarPostal France entities. This meets Swiss Post’s intention of structuring its exit in a way that is socially responsible.
As the exclusivity agreement has been signed, the sale process can now move forward. In the coming weeks, the legally required information and consultation process will be carried out with the responsible employee representatives, and official authorizations will be obtained. Swiss Post will not comment any further on the ongoing process and will give more information in due course.
Source : https://www.post.ch/en/about-us/company/media/press-releases/2019
SENDLE To Have “Larger Drop-Off Network Than Australia Post By 2020”
May 24, 2019
Australia’s carbon-neutral courier service Sendle has announced plans to expand its parcel drop-off network in partnership with logistics company Hubbed.
Sendle has said it will offer more parcel drop off points than there are Post offices in Australia by 2020.
The announcement by Sendle follows strong uptake of its 24/7 parcel drop-off service, which has increased up to 204% a month, in the six months since launch.
Together with Hubbed, the service has created 24/7 parcel drop-off and collection points across hundreds of BP service stations, newsagents and pharmacies within Australia.
The extended parcel drop off network will include locations that are more convenient than Post and operate 24/7. New research has revealed that the 10 suburbs with the greatest uptake of the dropoff service, also have between one and four existing Australia Post establishments in the very same suburb.
CEO and Co-founder of Sendle, James Chin Moody, says: “This data is further proof that the days of Australia Post’s monopoly are over. Modern business owners must be able to choose when and how they ship to their customers.”
“It doesn’t hurt that we are up to 72% cheaper as well.” said Chin Moody.
Demand for the parcel service has been so great that new locations have been rapidly added, with almost 600 locations now available across Australia, growing to over 1000 in the next few months.
“The tide is turning on Post. Sendle has created genuine competition with a service that provides flexible and convenient delivery options for time-poor business owners. The early response to the drop off network proves that business owners want convenient 27/7 drop off and that the 200 year old postal network is becoming increasingly redundant.
“Whether they are mumpreneurs, young professionals with a side-hustle, or a full time e-commerce operator, small businesses are the engine room of the Australian economy and deserve services that empower them to thrive,” James continued.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104879/news/e-commerce
Pay Equity Retro Wage Payment
May 24 2019
The retro wage payment for the Pay Equity award is on schedule.
It will be paid on pay period 12, June 13, 2019.
It will encompass 78 pay periods, from January 2016 to December 2018.
The retro wage payment for January 1st and 2nd 2016 will not be included in this payment as they are included in pay period 26 from 2015. The payment for these 2 days will be made at a later date.
The disability insurance and basic life insurance retro premiums will be deducted at this time as well as statutory deductions. Pension payments on the retro wage will be deducted as well for all time that is pensionable. The amount for these deductions will vary for each person, depending on your wage, as well as your retro payment.
Canada Post has calculated what is owed by each of the 78 pay periods. This detailed breakdown will not be included in your pay statement as it contains over 4000 lines of data.
Absences, ad-hoc payments, overtime earnings, own route earnings, and coverage of additional routes are included in the payment.
The corporation will provide a T1198 form at a later date that attributes each years’ retro payment to a specific year. This will allow you to request a reassessment of your income tax for each year you receive a retro wage payment, which should lower the amount of income tax you will have to pay.
If you disagree with the amount of your retro payment, email bmcmillan@cupw-sttp.org with all the pertinent details or contact AccessHR.
Source : https://www.cupw.ca/en
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