POSTAL NEWS
No 13-2021
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1. PHLpost says it has increased measures to mitigate the threat of using postal service in illegal activities. February 19, 2021.
2. FedEx Social Plan. February 18, 2021.
3. Leading the way in the move to electric vehicles.
February 17, 2021.
4. NZ Post update on services during Alert Level 3 and 2.
February 16, 2021.
5. DHL expands global role in the distribution of Corona vaccines. February 08, 2021.
1. PHLpost says it has increased measures to mitigate the threat of using postal service in illegal activities
February 19, 2021
The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) on Tuesday vowed to implement more stringent security measures following the seizure of about P4.9 million worth of party drugs at the Manila Central Post Office.
Authorities had conducted operations and apprehended a certain Ron Ron Salonga, of Port Area Manila while in the act of claiming a parcel containing the alleged ecstasy or “party drugs” at the Manila Central Post Office Parcel Division.
More or less, a total of 2,878 tablets were found hidden along with clothes, shoes and other personal items.
“We remain vigilant in our effort to thwart illegal drugs on mails and at the same time preventing the Posts as a medium of transshipment of illegal drugs in the country through our Inspectorate Service Department,” PHLPost said in a statement.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
2
Preventive measures have been undertaken by the PHLPost to stop the entry of ecstasy tablets and illegal drugs at the entry point where parcels and other mails are processed for delivery.
PHLPost said that it has been doing its part in the government’s effort to specifically stop illegal drugs and other prohibited materials from entering the country through the mail.
“Security measures are being done by the PHLPost Inspectorate Department in coordination with the Bureau of Customs and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to help detect the entry of illegal drugs allowing the agency’s drug sniffing dogs to check suspicious items for delivery to addressees or consignees”. PHLPost is currently using specialized equipment installed at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City which is capable of detecting contraband in the country.
PHLPost said it “beefed up” measures including “tracking, advanced data collection and close coordination with other country’s postal administrations, security assistance from drug and law enforcement units, and other risk management procedures that would mitigate the threat of using postal service in illegal activities.”
Source : https://postandparcel.info/133696/news/post
2. FedEx Social Plan
February 18, 2021
With a large majority of 89%, the BVPP members who work at FedEx agreed to the Social Plan. You can find the definitive text of the social plan on our website.
We realize that the reorganization that only became known to us after the agreement raises many questions and uncertainty. We have discussed this with your employer. We have made it clear that this does not make sense. FedEx has apologized and explained that this is an international reorganization of which the FedEx delegation itself has only just been informed. We now understand that the employees have been informed, but many concrete matters are not yet clear.
The requests for advice are still with the Central Works Council (COR). We have asked both the employer and the COR to communicate as clearly and clearly as possible. We also advised the COR to enter into discussions with the employees concerned, so that they can form a clear picture of departments where a reorganization has been announced. Talk to COR members, this will help them to give good advice.
We remain closely involved and continue to monitor developments. We will keep you informed!
Source : https://www.bvpp.nl/sectors/overige/nieuws
3. Leading the way in the move to electric vehicles
February 17, 2021
Sandra Roling, head of EV100 at the Climate Group, takes an in-depth look at the findings of the 2021 EV100 Progress and Insights Report and the global transition to electric vehicles.
Transport represents almost a quarter of Europe’s GHG emissions and is the main cause of air pollution in cities. Within this, road transport is the biggest emitter. Following a year where we’ve been increasingly aware of the air around us, businesses – including many
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
3
postal services – are taking responsibility for their role in creating a safer and cleaner world.
EV100 is a global initiative run by the Climate Group that brings together forward-looking companies committed to making electric vehicles (EVs) the new normal by 2030. More than 100 companies have signed up to EV100, committing nearly five million EVs to being on roads by 2030. In emissions terms, that means 75 million metric tons of CO2 emissions are set to be avoided by end of the decade.
The key findings
We produce an annual EV100 Progress and Insights Report to show how our members are performing, to celebrate success stories and highlight the issues that our members are facing in their pursuit of fully electric fleets. In 2020 we have been particularly excited to see that, despite a year of Covid disruption, the number of EVs on the road operated by EV100 businesses has risen to 169,000 vehicles – over twice the number in the previous year.
The businesses in this initiative are not just changing their fleets, they are also using their property portfolios – their offices and stores – to offer a network of charging infrastructure that supports their staff and customers alike.
There has been a boom in planned charging infrastructure this year: 6,500 locations have been committed to have charging installed, a 103% increase on last year. There has also been an 84% increase in the number of locations with charging already installed, to nearly 2,100, and the number of individual charge points installed has increased by 79% to nearly 16,900.
Lessons for the industry
An important part of this leadership has come from the postal and delivery sector. It is worth highlighting that two out of our three largest corporate EV deployments within the membership are from postal companies (Deutsche Post DHL has deployed 11,511 vehicles and Swiss Post has deployed 5,868). These examples reflect the strong business case for electric vehicles particularly in urban contexts.
As seen by many postal fleets already, despite the upfront cost of EVs being higher, over its lifespan an electric fleet is significantly cheaper. For example, EV100 member Austrian Post has deployed over 1,000 EVs already and has found that as well as seeing significant fuel savings from battery electric vehicles (BEVs), the simplified construction of BEVs means maintenance costs have reduced by more than 50%. As all readers will know, this is vital for delivery vehicles that are stopping and starting up to 200 times per day.
Another trend we see reflected in EV100 members’ experiences is the introduction of smaller and more flexible vehicle solutions. Swiss Post, for example, has deployed over 5,800 2/3-wheel electric motorized commercial vehicles to support with deliveries, which is particularly important in crowded city centers.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
4
Barriers our members are facing
Of course, some barriers to the uptake of EVs still remain. EV100 members have reported lack of charging infrastructure, lack of correct vehicle type and capital cost as the most significant barriers they face. The lack of availability of the correct vehicle type is one of the top two barriers in the EU, France, India, Japan, the UK and the USA, with light-commercial and heavy-duty vehicles the segments posing most difficulties.
Nevertheless, progress is clearly visible here as well, with our report showing a 23% increase in electric 4-wheel+ commercial vehicles over the past year. Again, postal companies are at the forefront of driving the transition. Deutsche Post DHL, for example, has nearly tripled its number of medium- to heavy-duty electric vehicles, and among others debuted the UK’s first purpose-built, fully electric 16-metric-ton truck in London, UK, last November.
Future steps
So, how do companies address the challenge when their needs still cannot be met within the existing vehicle offer?
It might mean actually leading the innovation required. EV100 member IKEA Retail (Ingka Group) has a target to reach zero-emission deliveries globally by 2025, meaning that they can’t wait around for others to come up with solutions to their problems. So, they collaborated with OEMs Renault and MAN to co-create a fit-for purpose delivery truck. Its bespoke design enables them to optimize deliveries and reduce the number of vehicles on the road. The new model is currently being showcased across Europe, aiming to encourage as many of IKEA’s partners as possible to start using it. The new trucks were on the roads of Paris within six months of the first meeting with their partners – showing how much is already possible for those willing to put in the extra bit of dedication.
The future is coming up fast, and the postal sector is among those where the benefits are already the most obvious, both for companies’ bottom lines and the air quality in urban city centers.
The time to commit is now – we’re looking forward to many more companies joining us in the electric vehicle revolution.
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/opinion
4. NZ Post update on services during Alert Level 3 and 2
February 16, 2021
NZ Post is continuing to provide delivery services in Alert Level 3 in Auckland and Alert Level 2 nationwide.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
5
“We are committed to keeping our people, and New Zealanders, safe. From today, our delivery people will be reintroducing ‘contactless’ delivery and keeping a two metre distance from all members of the public. This applies to all of New Zealand,” says NZ Post Chief Customer Officer Bryan Dobson.
This means NZ Post courier drivers (including CourierPost and Pace) will arrive at your home and let you know that they are there (knock on door). They will stand 2 metres away from you (or as far back as is safe) and wait for someone to answer the door. They will ask for your name which they will record on their handheld device as proof of delivery. They’ll place the parcel down in front of them to complete the delivery.
“While you may be excited to receive your item from us, we ask everyone to please strictly respect the two metre rule for our people, and to not approach Couriers and Posties as they deliver your items.
“In Auckland, our teams will be wearing masks when in public places, in keeping with Government guidelines. Note that our people are not required by the Government to wear a mask when alone in their vehicles. Couriers are encouraged to scan using the COVID app, but we are also able to provide contact tracing via their parcel delivery scanning. Across the country, we are continuing to follow all Government advise, such as observing hygiene practices, including washing of hands, physical distancing in our processing sites, and other safety measures.
“If you need to visit your local PostShop, it is best to check our store locator for the most up to date information on whether your local PostShop is open, as this will vary within Auckland.
“Outside of Auckland, PostShops will remain open, but are following all Government advice and safety guidelines including high hygiene standards and physical distancing of two metres. If customers have an item they wish to send they can also do so by booking a contactless pick-up via Print Postage Online.
“If you’ve got a query about your item or our services, please visit our website where Frequently Asked Questions and other information is being updated regularly. Our call centre is in the process of setting up Alert Level 3 arrangements – with some of our customer care teams working from home and some working in a physically distanced way at one of our sites. We expect there may be some disruption today as they make these changes, so please check the website in the first instance for information on your query.
“At this stage it is too early to tell what the impact of these Alert Levels might have on the quantity of online shopping we receive to deliver, but we are working with businesses who send large volumes of items to forecast what we might see in the coming days and weeks. It is possible that a sustained increase in the number of parcels coming in over a short period may lead to some delays, however we will provide regular updates if this is the case.
“We want to reassure customers that we are applying what we learnt last time to help keep deliveries flowing smoothly, while prioritising the safety of our people and all New Zealanders,” says Bryan Dobson.
Source : https://www.nzpost.co.nz/about-us/media-centre/media-release
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
6
5. DHL expands global role in the distribution of Corona vaccines
February 15, 2021
Bonn - DHL Global Forwarding has been contracted for the vaccine distribution to Japan.
DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has been contracted for the vaccine distribution to Japan. With this order, the company is further expanding its global presence in vaccine logistics. The first delivery of COVID-19 vaccines arrived end of last week. Further shipments will be delivered in various batches by air from the DHL Global Forwarding hub in Belgium to Japan throughout the year. DHL also handles the customs clearance and delivery to a storage facility in Japan, as well as dispatching the vaccines to vaccination facilities across Japan.
"The world has taken another milestone in effectively combating COVID-19 with the development of the vaccines. Now it is essential to make it available to as many people as possible", says Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. "Logistics plays a key role here. It is our job to get the vaccine to where it is urgently needed, and we accept the responsibility."
To safely store the vaccine at -70 degrees until the final domestic delivery in Japan, deep freezers were installed at a DHL storage facility. Further, warehouse operations have been ramped up and this project will create additional job opportunities for local workers in the area.
"We are proud to play a role in helping the people of Japan receive their vaccinations for COVID-19, which has upended lives and businesses here. While DHL Global Forwarding's well-established cold-chain network and pharmaceutical logistics expertise were key to the success of the shipment, our dedicated employees were the true unsung heroes who meticulously planned every last detail to manage an extremely complex operation seamlessly," said Kelvin Leung, CEO DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.
Across DHL's dedicated global network, more than 9,000 specialists work to connect pharmaceutical and research organizations, wholesalers and distributors, as well as hospitals and healthcare providers across the value chain. With this contract, the logistics expert for air, ocean and road freight expands its global presence in vaccine distribution.
DHL's portfolio for the healthcare industry includes 150+ pharmacists, 20+ clinical trials depots, 100+ certified stations, 160+ GDP-qualified warehouses, 15+ GMP-certified sites, 135+ medical express sites, and an international network covering 220 countries and territories.
Source : https://www.dpdhl.com/en/media-relations/press-releases/2021
POSTAL NEWS
No 14-2021
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1. Royal Mail to use telemetry technology to increase vehicle efficiency. February 19, 2021.
2. Hard-working Capita TVL members set for cash boost.
February 18, 2021.
3. PostNL rolls safe place delivery options. February 17, 2021.
4. Emirates Post introduces digital PO Box system.
February 16, 2021.
5. From FedEx to GM, firms halt operations as freeze grips parts of United States. February 16, 2021.
1. Royal Mail to use telemetry technology to increase vehicle efficiency
February 19, 2021
The UK’s Royal Mail says it is pushing to increase the efficiency of its delivery operations through an expansion in the use of telemetry in its vehicles.
The company is rolling out telemetry technology to an additional 11,000 small vans to encourage more fuel-efficient driving styles across the UK. The latest expansion will be using a system supplied by Trimble Telemetry.
The initiative, due to be completed later this year, will mean that the majority of the Royal Mail fleet is fitted with the technology aimed at further reducing its carbon emissions. Additionally, all new Royal Mail collection and delivery vans purchased moving forward will contain some form of telemetry technology.
Telemetry systems encourage more fuel-efficient and safer driving styles by monitoring the driver’s acceleration, speed, turning and braking patterns, and giving them positive
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
2
feedback. Harsh braking and acceleration wears tires quicker and generally produces higher emissions. In the Trimble telemetry system, real-time feedback is provided to the driver on all of these points. This information is used to compile regular reports, which then create positive, tailored coaching for drivers in each delivery office.
Since 2019, Royal Mail says the systems have saved approximately 177,000 liters of fuel, leading to a reduction of 459 tons of CO2 e. James Baker, chief engineer and fleet director at Royal Mail, said, “As a company, we are committed to making changes to our operations that reduce our environmental impact. The wide-scale expansion of telemetry in our fleet enables us to ensure our drivers are given positive feedback and training on how to drive in the safest and most environmentally conscious way possible, while allowing us to continue to deliver letters and parcels safely, efficiently and responsibly.”
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/delivery
2. Hard-working Capita TVL members set for cash boost
February 18, 2021
Hundreds of Capita TVL members will begin voting soon on a pay and reward package, which will raise basic pay and be backdated to the beginning of last year.
The deal lifts basic pay for all staff by a minimum of 2 per cent with effect from 1st January 2020 – and is fully backdated, pensionable and flowing through to overtime and relevant allowances – with nearly half of our members benefitting from gaining an extra day’s leave after five years’ service.
For those members at the lower end of the pay scale, a commitment from Capita to pay the Real Living Wage rate will lift wages to £9.30 per hour with effect the start of April 2020.
And, although the 2021 pay claim has not yet been submitted, the union has already achieved a firm advance commitment from the company that the new Real Living Wage of £9.50 will be applied too from April 2021.
“This is a positive outcome in the circumstances,” says CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey, explaining that “Capita TVL, as a company, has been through extreme financial difficulties and it’s taken a long time to reach an acceptable settlement with them.
“It’s clearly been a very lengthy process, and we’re grateful to members for their patience, but I’m sure they’ll appreciate that getting the right deal was far more important than getting a quick deal.”
Andy makes the point that, on top of the minimum 2 per cent across the board increase, the extra day’s leave adds value to the overall package as does the Real Living Wage commitment. In fact, the cost to Capita is in excess of 4.5 per cent in total.
“These extra factors, plus the confirmation of the 2021 pay settlement date as January 1st 2021, convinced the CWU side that this deal should be recommended to members,” he says.
“I was pleased that the CWU executive gave its approval and now the settlement goes out to a membership ballot with a clear ‘Vote Yes’ message from the union.
“And if members return a ‘Yes’ vote, then there’ll be a welcome cash boost in their end-of-March salaries.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
3
“Our members have worked extremely hard in difficult circumstances during the pandemic and we now want to get this extra money into their pockets as soon as possible. Our thanks to them all for their efforts and support,” Andy concludes.
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news
3. PostNL rolls safe place delivery options
February 17, 2021
PostNL is allowing customers to specify a preference for where to deliver parcels when they are not at home.
Parcel recipients can choose from delivery to neighbours, to a PostNL drop off point or specify a location near the home, such as a shed. The option can be specified through a PostNL online account, which currently six million people have.
Upon finding the recipient is not at home, the courier will automatically deliver the parcel to this place.
The service is initially available from PostNL’s parcel sorting centres in Goes, Leeuwarden, Born and Venlo.
It will be trialled for five weeks and potentially extended to more areas from mid-April.
“With this new function, PostNL is responding to the recipients’ wish to determine where and when their parcel is delivered,” the company said in a statement.
Source : https://edelivery.net/2021/02
4. Emirates Post introduces digital PO Box system
February 16, 2021
epbox.ae by Emirates Post is a new digital platform allowing subscribers to view and manage their shipments and digital communication online.
The new service gives customers access to several features: a dedicated epbox.ae ID number; setting preferences for delivery; notification; shipment analytics; and sending digitally registered letters.
The biggest benefit for every subscriber is that Emirates Post will deliver every shipment according to their preferences and with full track and track visibility.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
4
The service is free for existing PO Box owners, who will link their virtual epbox.ae to their existing physical PO box registration and have access to managing their subscription through the dedicated website and mobile app.
Businesses and individuals, who do not have a physical PO Box, can also benefit from epbox.ae to manage their delivery address and preferences for free or as a pay-as-you-go service for one-off or regular domestic or international shipments and digital registered letters.
Once registered, the randomly generated seven-digit ID can be used as the virtual PO Box number in addresses, online orders, and based on the selected preference, delivered to the desired location.
Peter Somers, CEO of Emirates Post, said: “epbox.ae is a virtual PO Box enabler. Having a digital extension of our PO Box service was always part of our development roadmap but we accelerated the build and launch of this service to help our customers digitally manage their mail and parcels.
“With epbox.ae, we are using digital mailbox technology to provide customers the freedom to manage their delivery preferences, track their shipments, and enjoy an array of complimentary services including, on-demand delivery and domestic express shipments.
“Customer centricity is always at the heart of everything we do and since a large portion of daily transactions are now conducted online, we wanted to ensure that we are part of an ecosystem that is easily accessible by our customers. We have the ambition to offer an epbox.ae to every UAE business and citizen allowing us to reach out to every consignee and offer great delivery services with full visibility.”
Source : https://www.cbnme.com/logistics-news
5. From FedEx to GM, firms halt operations as freeze grips parts of United States
February 16, 2021
(Reuters) - Many U.S companies, including FedEx and General Motors, were forced to temporarily shut operations on Tuesday as a bone-chilling winter storm caused power outages and gas shortages in parts of the country.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
5
The rare deep freeze swept the southern North America over the three-day Presidents Day holiday weekend, leaving millions without power and sending front-month gas futures to an over three-month high.
General Motors canceled the first shift at its plants in Spring Hill, Tennessee, Bowling Green in Kentucky, Fort Wayne in Indiana and Arlington in Texas, factories that make some of its most profitable pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles including Chevrolet Silverado and Escalade.
“We will be making decisions at the respective plants later this morning regarding their production status for 2nd shift today,” a GM spokesman said.
Japan’s Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor also scrapped the first shift at some of their U.S. plants. Jeep maker Stellantis said it suspended production on the day shift at its Toledo assembly complex in Ohio.
GM’s smaller rival Ford Motor said it had stopped production of best-selling F-150 pickup trucks at its Kansas City assembly plant until Feb. 21 to conserve its supply of natural gas.
Some other Ford facilities that suspended operations included Hermosillo assembly plant in Mexico, Flat Rock factory in Michigan and Ohio assembly plant in Avon Lake, Ohio.
Package delivery company United Parcel Service said operations at its Dallas hub in Texas and Worldport air hub at Louisville International Airport were back to normal.
The company said it did not have any coronavirus vaccine shipments in its network on Monday night.
UPS rival FedEx said severe weather was affecting its ability to deliver packages in certain cities.
Poultry producer Sanderson Farms said it suspended operations at its Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana (Hammond) processing plants Monday and Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for Tyson Foods Inc, the biggest U.S. meat company by sales, said the firm had suspended or scaled back operations at some facilities.
The freeze also wreaked havoc on the U.S. energy sector, bringing operations to a halt at the Houston Ship channel, while several oil refineries remained offline.
(This story corrects fifth paragraph to say that only day shift production was suspended at Stellantis’ Ohio plant).
Source : https://www.reuters.com/article