WORLD POSTAL NEWS
No 33 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
Deutsche Post Expected To Increase Letter Mail Prices By 10% From July. April 24, 2019.
Omniva to deliver international cargo to parcel terminals. April 24, 2019.
North Coast Rep. Huffman proposes bill to clean up postal service trucks. April 23, 2019.
Earth Day: UPS Is Walking-The-Walk And Driving Cleaner Trucks. April 22, 2019.
APWU Members Take a Tax Day Stand against Privatization. April 18, 2019.
Deutsche Post Expected To Increase Letter Mail Prices By 10% From July
April 24, 2019
The Bundesnetzagentur – the German regulatory office for electricity, gas, telecommunications, post and railway – has published the draft decision regarding the bundling of services as well as the proposed pricing metrics for the price-cap regime for letter mail items of up to 1000 grams as of January 1st 2019.
According to the draft decision, Deutsche Post AG is expected to have pricing scope of 10.63 percent as of July 1st 2019 on the basket of products that are subject to the price-cap regime. This decision is expected to be valid until December 31, 2021.
The final decision of the Federal Network Agency is expected by the end of May 2019. After the final decision Deutsche Post AG will be permitted to apply for the specific stamp price increases which will be valid from July 1st, 2019 onwards.
The Bundesnetzagentur is a separate higher federal authority within the scope of business of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, and has its headquarters in Bonn.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104328/news
Omniva to deliver international cargo to parcel terminals
April 24, 2019
Estonian postal operator Omniva will start delivering international cargo to parcel terminals, with initial tests taking place in April before being rolled out nationwide in the summer.
According to head of the Omniva parcel terminal network Evert Rööpson, there are a number of noteworthy benefits for directing international package flows to the automated network: “First, it enables us to deliver the parcel to the customer more quickly and more conveniently. It also helps to better realize our ever-expanding parcel network and to relieve the post office overload due to high packing volumes in the high season.”
According to Rööpson, the aspect that overloads more popular post offices today is the manual process of serving customers picking up small international parcels. Customers also constantly express the desire to be able to collect small parcels from self-service parcel terminals. ”Now we have a solution that will help us to fulfil the wishes of many customers,“ says Rööpson.
Omniva has now started piloting automated forwarding of parcels from post offices to parcel terminals in locations where large parcel volumes overburden the local post office. The aim of the forwarding is to provide customers the option of claiming their parcel quickly from a parcel locker located nearby, at any time of day.
Previously, parcels sent to customers living in the Kristiine, Õismäe and Tallinn city center districts arrived at the respective post office determined based on postal code; they are now sent straight to the nearest parcel terminal, allowing customers to pick up their parcel 24 hours a day without standing in a queue.
To send a parcel to a parcel terminal, the parcel must be marked with the recipient’s cell phone number so that the customer can be sent a text message when the parcel arrives. The other requirement is that the parcel has to fit into a parcel locker and that parcel terminal with vacant lockers are available in the district. To ensure that they are available, Omniva has expanded its parcel terminal network.
This summer, Omniva will begin testing a sorting line that enables the automatic identification of whether a parcel qualifies for forwarding to a parcel terminal. This will allow goods ordered from Amazon, Aliexpress, eBay or a small foreign e-shop to arrive directly at the parcel terminal, all over Estonia.
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/cross-border
North Coast Rep. Huffman proposes bill to clean up postal service trucks
April 23, 2019
North Coast Representative Jared Huffman introduced legislation Monday that would make the U.S. postal service vehicle fleet more energy efficient.
According to Rep. Huffman, the Federal Leadership in Energy Efficient Transportation (FLEET) Act of 2019 would transform the federal fleet into a national leader in fuel efficiency and technological innovation.
The USPS owns and operates the world's largest civilian vehicle fleet, made up of more than 232,000 mail delivery vehicles. Over 141,000 of these are Grumman LLVs, which average 10 miles per gallon. These Grumman LLV trucks entered service in 1987, and the majority have reached the end of their 24-year operational lifespan, according to Rep. Huffman's office.
Fueling the USPS fleet cost $570 million in 2016 (251 million gallons), making the USPS one of the largest consumers of diesel fuel in the U.S., according to Rep. Huffman.
“Earth Day calls on us all to become better stewards of the planet, and to identify ways to protect our environment for future generations,” said Rep. Huffman. “The Postal Service is one institution with a lot of room for improvement, crippled by an inefficient, outdated fleet, with most of these vehicles reaching the end of their operational lives. The FLEET Act will help invest in a modern, efficient Postal Service fleet and transform our nation’s largest civilian fleet into a global leader in efficiency and innovation.”
Huffman’s FLEET Act of 2019 proposes to save the USPS hundreds of millions of dollars by reducing expenditures on petroleum fuel and maintenance.
Specifically, the FLEET Act:
Requires the USPS to reduce petroleum consumption by 2 percent every year over the next 10 years;
Sets minimum fuel efficiency and tailpipe emission standards for all new fleet vehicles;
Instructs USPS to incorporate new technologies into postal routes that increase fuel economy or reduce tailpipe emissions and use these new technologies to inform purchasing decisions;
Requires USPS to replace old vehicles that require costly unscheduled maintenance; and
Provides USPS with funding tools to help cover the cost of upgrading their fleet, such as Energy and Utility Savings Performance Contracts.
In addition to Rep. Huffman, the FLEET Act is cosponsored by: Reps. Gerald Connolly (D-VA), James McGovern (D-MA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).
Source : https://krcrtv.com/north-coast-news/eureka-local-news
Earth Day: UPS Is Walking-The-Walk And Driving Cleaner Trucks
April 22, 2019
When a logistics company like UPS is reserving 125 of Tesla’s fully electric trucks, it not only says that the future of transportation will change but also that such companies are dead serious about addressing climate change. The trucks, which are scheduled to go into production this year, are part of an extensive fleet of alternatively-fueled vehicles that UPS owns.
Earth Day 2019 has some stark realities: Transportation and electricity production comprise more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. And the good news is that there are now about 3 million electric vehicles are on the road — and that more are being built and are expected to get bought as the technologies advance. To that end, there are 550,000 Tesla drivers.
“Everything comes down to what we put into the air. Carbon is where we can get it right or wrong,” Carlton Rose, president of the global fleet at UPS. “UPS wants to be part of the solution. And we should be.” Almost daily, he adds, 6% of everything manufactured in this country and 3% of everything produced in the world moves through the UPS network.
As for UPS, it has 122 electric cars in the United States and another 172 worldwide. It has 683 hybrids in this country. It says that the electric trucks will have about a 500-mile range
before they have to be recharged. The company also has pledged to obtain 25% of the electricity it consumes from renewable energy sources by 2025 and to replace 40% of all ground fuel with sources other than conventional gasoline and diesel. To put that in perspective, the logistics company’s total fleet is 110,000.
Of note, eBikes, or bikes that are powered by electric motors and that can also be peddled in densely populated areas are gaining traction. UPS’ big trucks have 1 thousand cubic of storage and can carry 300 packages on board. The bicycles that UPS uses have one-tenth the space. As a practical matter, the bicycles need to be able to carry smaller items to a small urban area or be able to make frequent trips back to a nearby distribution center.
Envelops, for example, are a typical delivery item that can be stacked onto to a bicycle delivery vehicle. UPS’ eBike was first demonstrated in 2012 in Hamburg, Germany. The bikes are prevalent here in Portland and Seattle.
“We think there is a lot of delivery opportunity for this platform,” says Mike Britt, from the UPS automotive department in an earlier telephone interview. “There is a lot of potential for this,” especially in urban areas.
Concrete Steps
It’s all necessary: In 2016, CO2 concentrated levels exceeded 400 parts per million — the red line where climate scientists are warning of irreversible ecological effects. Annual CO2 emissions, in fact, have roughly doubled in 50 years, notes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
But a critical question posed here is whether these heavy-duty couriers will successfully tap into the electric vehicle movement or whether they will be more dependent on natural gas-fueled vehicles to cut their tailpipe emissions. Oil will, undoubtedly, remain the dominant presence in the transport sector, although there is plenty of room for competition.
Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is best used with heavy duty trucks while compressed natural gas, or CNG, is used to power passenger vehicles and corporate fleets. The momentum for each, however, is slow mainly because of a nascent infrastructure to support such a movement. The future course?
Royal Dutch Shell, for example, expects the global demand for LNG to double to 400 million tons by 2020 and potentially to climb to 500 million tons by 2025. Meeting this demand will require an industry investment of $700 billion, it says. An added incentive: If petroleum prices were $3.10 a gallon, CNG prices would equate to about $2.11 a gallon.
"There's a big push now to use natural gas as transportation fuel and especially for heavy-duty trucking," says Greg Dolan, chief executive officer of the Methanol Institute, in earlier comments expressed to this reporter. ”But it costs a lot to get a fleet up to par: seven years before a return is realized.”
There are, currently, more than 23 million natural gas vehicles in the world, with 175,000 of those now in use in the United States, says NGVAmerica. About 20% of public transit buses in this country now run on CNG, and trucks hold potential for greater LNG use. Domestically, natural gas comprises only about 1% of the fuels used in vehicles.
As for UPS, it has CNG vehicles in at least 16 states. It has says that it has invested $750 million into alternatively-fueled vehicles and advanced technology vehicles since 2009. But it is also eying all-electric trucks.
“The auto industry is moving towards electrification, and governments around the world have recognized the harmful impact of internal combustion engine vehicle emissions and have started to take concrete steps towards making the future more environmentally friendly and sustainable,” says Tesla, in its 2018 Impact Report.
Both the logistics and auto industries have miles to go before they can rest, given the need to keep a lid on greenhouse gas levels and temperature rises. But Earth Day 2019 brings some positive news — that those who keep commerce humming along are walking-the-walk, and investing in solutions.
Source : https://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2019
APWU Members Take a Tax Day Stand against Privatization
April 18, 2019
On April 15, Tax Day, thousands of APWU members and allies took to the street to spread the news that the US Mail Runs on Zero Tax Dollars! At more than 100 locations from Hawaii to New England, activists fighting for the public good passed out flyers and spoke to citizens about the vital, public good the USPS provides, all without a dollar of taxpayer money.
Recently, privatizers – those who want to sell the public Postal Service to private corporations, have been empowered by the White House, whose June Office of Management and Budget (OMB) report called for the total privatization of the USPS.
APWU has news for them: The U.S. Mail is Not for Sale! Together, we are Standing Up and Fighting Back.
Source : http://www.apwu.org/news
No 34-2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
Correos has attended more than one million citizens in its offices in the last two days, April 25,2019.
Prime Members To “Truly Unlock” The Convenience Of Amazon. April 25, 2019.
Strong first quarter 2019 in challenging times. April 24, 2019.
Solidarity with the Striking Mexican University Workers of SITUAM. April 24 2019.
DPD prepares for Brexit, consolidating its competitive position. April 23, 2019.
Correos has attended more than one million citizens in its offices in the last two days
April 25, 2019
CORREOS has attended over the past two days more than one million visits in its offices throughout Spain. Only yesterday, more than 600,000 visits were attendedand , in just one day, 250,000 votes were accepted by mail for the General and Valencian Elections that will be held next Sunday, April 28.
To address this influx of citizens, motivated by the high number of mail-in requests managed (1,346,476), CORREOS has extended the hours of its 2,400 offices throughout Spain and will keep the 500 offices open until 12 midnight. greater affluence to process the vote by mail of the citizens (the list of those offices can be consulted in the web www.correos.es ).
In addition, today April 25 all the offices of CORREOS will be open, even in the many localities of Spain where it is a local holiday .
CORREOS makes available to citizens all the logistical and technological means at the service of the activities entrusted to it in the electoral processes, in order to expedite them to the maximum. There have been 4,500 contracts of reinforcement, all customer service positions in the offices are covered one hundred percent.
Votes by mail can be deposited until tomorrow, Friday, April 26 until 14 hours maximum, according to the extension agreed yesterday by the Central Electoral Board.
Source : https://www.correos.es/ss/Satellite
Prime Members To “Truly Unlock” The Convenience Of Amazon
April 25, 2019
Amazon has launched a new service for Prime members which allows them to get deliveries in their garage using the Key Smart Garage Kit.
Key for Garage allows eligible Amazon Prime members to select “In-Garage delivery” at check out on Amazon.com and have packages delivered securely and conveniently to their garage. Additionally, customers can check the status of their garage door in the Key by Amazon app and remotely open or close it.
“We know it is important to keep innovating to make delivery as convenient as possible for customers, which is why we’re excited to now have Key for Garage available,” said Rohit Shrivastava, GM of Key by Amazon. “Today, we are thrilled to open Key by Amazon to millions of Prime members.
“With this new option, members can truly unlock the convenience of the Amazon experience,” he adds.
Key for Garage is made possible by integrating Key by Amazon with Chamberlain Group’s proprietary myQ-connected technology.
Those who already have a myQ-connected garage door opener, simply need to link their Amazon and myQ accounts in the Key by Amazon app.
Otherwise, customers can purchase one of two Key Smart Garage Kits: the myQ Smart Garage Hub—which lets you add connectivity to your existing garage door opener—or a new myQ-connected Chamberlain or LiftMaster Wi-Fi garage door opener. You can also choose to add an Amazon Cloud Cam (Key Edition) to either kit so you can see your garage any time via the livestream or view clips of entries, including deliveries. Additionally, any customer in the U.S. can use Key for Garage to manage access to their garage via the Key by Amazon app.
“A recent survey found 72% of Americans who live in a house or townhome take extra measures to ensure delivery acceptance of their packages, including staying home from work to wait for the package,” said Jeff Meredith, CGI President and Chief Operating Officer. “With Key by Amazon, homeowners no longer have to reorganise their life to receive packages. Key plus myQ smart garage access gives homeowners control over the package delivery process while offering a safe and convenient destination for unattended package delivery.”
Source : https://postandparcel.info/104354/news/e-commerce
Strong first quarter 2019 in challenging times
April 24, 2019
First quarter 2019*
Net sales totaled SEK 9,471m (9,102), an organic increase of 2%.
Operating income totaled SEK 162m (−74).
Net income for the period was SEK 56m (−167).
Earnings per share were SEK 0.03 (−0.08).
Cash flow from operating activities totaled SEK 435m (−25).
*Figures presented for comparison have not been restated in accordance with IFRS 16 Leases.
Message from Annemarie Gardshol Acting CEO
PostNord, now under the stewardship of Acting CEO Annemarie Gardshol, today reports its results for the first quarter 2019. PostNord needs to continue to adjust at an even faster pace for both the shrinking mail market and the growing parcel market, without sacrificing quality or service. In April, a number of changes were made at top management level and the then CEO and CFO departed from the Company. To meet the challenges from external changes in society, and thereby strengthen PostNord’s leading position in the Nordic region, our new management is now working on a plan to effect the necessary changes.
“I’ve worked at the Group for seven years, and I feel great pride in all our outstanding employees who go to work every day with a real will to make a difference. I sense that there’s a desire to make things right at the Company. People want nothing more than together to succeed in the huge journey of change that we’re on, to regain the trust of customers and the public and to bring our products and services to the attention of more people,” says Acting CEO Annemarie Gardshol.
The first quarter 2019 shows a strong improvement in income, and growth.
“Although it’s been a challenging period, with continued digitalization in the mail market, it’s a pleasure to announce a strong improvement in income. After a number of years of falling sales, we’re growing again. This has been made possible by robust growth in e-commerce logistics, but also by a certain slowing in the decline of volume in mail, compared with earlier quarters. To a certain extent, we’re also seeing a certain flow-back of customers from competitors on the mail side in Sweden, which of course is pleasing,” says Acting CEO Annemarie Gardshol.
PostNord’s main focus is on helping to make everyday life easier, in line with consumer expectations. The ambition is increasingly to offer the delivery method that best suits the individual consumer’s needs in any situation. To meet, improve and simplify the customer experience, we introduced several e-commerce related solutions during the quarter.
“In March, we began a test project in Denmark with 200 digital parcel lockers, called “Nærboks”, in partnership with the SwipBox company. The lockers, mostly located close to the home, are used with the PostNord app to provide a totally new infrastructure for simple, eco-friendly and convenient delivery. If the outcome of the trial is positive, parcel lockers will be rolled out all over Denmark and, in a slightly longer term, in the other Nordic countries. Another simplification that we’ve introduced is track-and-trace for our Varubrev product in Sweden. A delivery notification is now sent via SMS or the app as soon as the Varubrev item is posted. A further example is same-day delivery, which we launched as a test project in Sweden with the retail chain Lager 157, as the SameDay service. We have plans to make the service permanent and extend it to more businesses in 2019,” says Annemarie Gardshol.
To meet expectations, initiatives are also in progress to expand capacity.
“To handle the growth in parcels, going forward, PostNord will be investing in more parcel terminals. Recent investments include two separate terminals for parcels and third-party logistics in Helsingborg, new delivery vehicles and more than 700 additional service partners in Denmark and Sweden for increased availability. PostNord also maintains dialogue with e-commerce customers to adapt our offers so that terminals and vehicles can
be used more efficiently 24/7. The benefits are increased capacity, reduced environmental impact and more delivery options,” says Annemarie Gardshol.
The accelerating process of digitalization in Sweden demands realignment of the service offering and a more cost-efficient production model. PostNord’s adjustments to an ongoing decline in mail demand are continuing with the aim of minimizing negative impact on our financial results.
“Although the first quarter was a relatively strong one overall, the future still looks challenging for our mail business, and it will be challenging to compensate for that case simply through internal actions. Transformation of an organization of this size takes time if it is to be done responsibly, without jeopardizing quality. Against that background, we must have a flexible, predictable and sustainable system of regulation in Denmark and Sweden,” says Annemarie Gardshol.
The current system of regulation is not sufficiently flexible and predictable to meet future developments. If we are to be able to maintain a long-term postal service for everyone throughout both Sweden and Denmark, the system of regulation needs to be brought up to date. Our decision-makers should make clear what kind of postal service is to be provided to our citizens, and how it is to be financed. We are engaged in positive dialogue with both Swedish and Danish governments on this point.
Our goal-focused work of improving trust in PostNord continues and has been given top priority.
“Certain improvements in trust ratings are evident, but are still far from an acceptable level. Our objective is to achieve this by maintaining a high level of delivery quality, being responsive to customer needs and delivering innovative customer- and consumer-led services. Via the initiative, we are obtaining direct feedback on our deliveries. The feedback is applied in our day-to-day focus on improvement,” says Annemarie Gardshol.
The improvement in delivery quality in our logistics products is maintaining an acceptable trend and mail quality during the quarter was good in both Swedish and Danish operations.
In Europe’s biggest brand survey focusing on sustainability, PostNord was recently named by consumers as the most sustainable logistics brand in the industry. This provides confirmation that the Group is on the right track with our sustainability work.
Source : https://www.postnord.com/en/media/press-releases/postnord/2019
Solidarity with the Striking Mexican University Workers of SITUAM
April 24 2019
CUPW is proud to stand with SITUAM in their fight for respect of their collective agreement and union rights, better social conditions, and wages that enable workers to live in dignity.
SITUAM is a union of 6000 members who work at the Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico’s third-largest university. Many of its professors were activists in the student movement of 1968 and the union continues to be militant in its struggle for a better Mexico and better workplaces in the university. SITUAM represents all categories of workers in one union – it unites labourers, professors, and everyone else in common struggle.
Since SITUAM formed in 1974, real wages of their membership have fallen by 60%. The University has been misclassifying new hires in order to exclude them from membership.
They’ve been on strike since February 1 of this year. A movement – aiming to hold the Mexican government to its promises to revoke the neoliberal education reforms of the last five years – has been organized around this strike. This strike can help Mexican labour to build the strength to reverse neoliberal policies and challenge authoritarian policies in the national government.
Doctor Edur Velasco Arregui, former Secretary-General of SITUAM, visited the CUPW national office today to ask for our support. We offer our solidarity to SITUAM as they bargain a return to decent liveable wages, fight to make the university respect their collective agreement, and resist the austerity agenda in the university system.
Source : https://www.cupw.ca/en
DPD prepares for Brexit, consolidating its competitive position
April 23, 2019
PD Netherlands has announced the opening a new distribution centre in Eindhoven. Eindhoven’s “green sorter” hub will be an international hub for parcels from all around Europe.
The new site extends over 88,000 sq m and includes a sorting installation of over 2.1 km. During phase two the site will expand by a further 36,000 sq m.
The LS-4000 CB sorter, also known as the “green sorter” has a capacity of 50,000 parcels an hour and is capable to deal with peaks in demand.
The hub will connect DPD with Rotterdam Mainport, Schiphol (with its customs clearance facilities) and the logistics hotspot Eindhoven, but it will also bring together European destinations within a radius of 800 km. In the event of a “No-deal Brexit”, Eindhoven hub will handle parcel volumes on their way to and from the United Kingdom, for the Netherlands as well as the surrounding countries, extending to Poland.
“The new Eindhoven hub offers plenty of opportunities to grow along with the rising market demand. It allows us to respond even better to the needs of parcel senders and recipients and to quickly process peak volumes. The new distribution centre is by far the largest hub in the DPD network and will play a crucial role in our international network in Europe. Therefore, Eindhoven hub will be fully in line with DPD’s ambition to achieve sustainable growth in an innovative way,” said Eric Dietz, CEO of DPD Netherlands.
Source : https://www.ti-insight.com