“Forward ever, backward never: onwards with Breaking Through”

 

POSTAL NEWS No 65-2021

Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector

1. DHL rolls out Saloodo! in Argentina as entry to South
American market. August 20, 2021. 2. USPS reports steady service performance improvements. August 19, 2021. 3. NZ Post update on services during Alert Level 4. August 18, 2021. 4. Golden anniversary plaudits for Royal Mail veteran.
August 17, 2021. 5. Posti's climate targets are in line with the latest climate
science - all transport emission-free by 2030. August 16,
2021. 1. DHL rolls out Saloodo! in Argentina as entry to South
American market August 20, 2021 Digital road freight platform Saloodo!, operated by DHL Global Forwarding and
Freight, which provides air, sea and road freight services, has launched its digital
logistics platform for shippers and transport providers in Argentina.


“We are proud of how quickly we are able to expand our digital platform. The successful
implementation of Saloodo! in Europe, the Middle East and Africa allows us to offer the
service now also in South America. This helps to improve the connectedness and
efficiency of the road freight system in this region,” said Antje Huber, CEO of Saloodo!. “According to our Global Connectedness Index, South America is one of the least
connected continents in the world but has made great progress in recent years. In a country
where road and, above all, rail infrastructure is deficient, solutions of this type boost
round-trip logistics, with the Saloodo! platform being an ideal place to link supply and
demand.” According to the company, Argentina provides the foundation for entry into the Latin
American market. “An efficient land freight network is essential for local and international
trade and gives an additional boost to economic growth and local and regional
connectivity, as it is the key channel of trade within a geographically very large country.
Our goal is to get rid of traditional, time-consuming and offline logistics processes –
Saloodo! optimizes the whole shipping process on just one single platform,” explained
Eduardo Rodrigues, general manager of DHL Global Forwarding Argentina. The Saloodo! platform works by recommending a transport price based on current market
data and makes all transportation documents accessible online. With its logistics expertise
in combination with the flexibility and digital skills of a startup, DHL says Saloodo! will
give weight to the digitalization efforts of the logistics sector in Argentina. Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/logistics
2. USPS reports steady service performance improvements August 19, 2021 The U.S. Postal Service reported data for fourth-quarter service delivery
performance through the first two weeks of August that showed ongoing
improvements from the third quarter ended June 30 across all First-Class,
Marketing and Periodical mail categories.
Fourth-quarter service performance for July 1 through August 12 included:
First-Class Mail: Delivered 88.8 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS
service standard, an improvement of 1.3 percentage points from the third quarter.
Marketing Mail: Delivered 92.6 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS
service standard, an improvement of 1.6 percentage points from the third quarter.
Periodicals: Delivered 82.4 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service
standard, an improvement of 3.1 percentage points from the third quarter.

The Postal Service’s recent service delivery improvements have been, in part, the result of
a strategic shift to more ground deliveries, decreasing the agency’s reliance on the limited
cargo capacities of third-party air carriers, and improved network efficiencies. Delivering for America, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for financial sustainability and
service excellence, seeks to meet or exceed its goal of 95 percent on-time service
performance for all mail and shipping product delivery based on standards as all elements
of the plan are implemented. The Postal Service is preparing for the higher delivery demands of the 2021 holiday peak
season through increased hiring of delivery and plant personnel, the leasing of millions of
additional square feet of sortation facilities, and the installation of new processing
equipment to accommodate higher volumes and customers’ evolving mail and package
delivery needs. Since April, the Postal Service has installed 46 of 112 new package sorting
machines, reflecting the Delivering for America plan’s $40 billion of infrastructure
investments over ten years. This past week, machine installations occurred in Cincinnati (OH), Shreveport (LA),
Spokane (WA), and Toledo (OH). Other recent installations occurred in Anchorage (AK),
Eagan (MN), Philadelphia (PA), Traverse City (MI), Huntsville (AL), Houston (TX), Mid-
Carolina (NC), Memphis (TN), Denver (CO), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), and
Teterboro (NJ). Installations are continuing across the country as the Postal Service plans to have new
equipment running at 112 facilities by the 2021 peak holiday season. Additionally, the
Postal Service is making a concerted effort nationwide to hire new employees ahead of the
2021 peak holiday season. Service performance is defined by the Postal Service from the acceptance of a mail piece
into our system through delivery, measured against published service standards. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on
the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations. Source : https://postandparcel.info/140095/news/e-commerce

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3. NZ Post update on services during Alert Level 4 August 18, 2021 NZ Post and its people will again proudly step into the role of essential service
provider for New Zealanders as the country moves into Alert Level 4.
“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. “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. “Our teams will be wearing masks when in public places, and we are ramping up hygiene
practices, including washing of hands, physical distancing in our processing sites, and
other safety measures.” “If you’ve got a query, please visit our website where commonly asked questions are
being updated regularly with answers and information. Our call centre is in the process of
setting up Alert Level 4 arrangements and we expect there may be some disruption today
as they make this change, 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 this Alert Level change might be on
the quantity of items we receive to deliver, but we are currently working with our online
senders 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 promise customers we will provide regular
updates if this is the case. “We want to reassure customers that we are applying what we learnt last time we were in
Lockdown 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
4. Golden anniversary plaudits for Royal Mail veteran August 17, 2021 Colleagues and friends have congratulated distribution driver Pete Millard, who has
reached the milestone of 50 years’ service with the company.

5 Pete, who works at Home Counties North Mail Centre in Hemel Hempstead, started work
as a Post Office telegram boy way back in 1971. “I came into the job straight after I finished school,” he tells CWU News, adding: “There
were about eight of us who all started at the same time and we worked out of St Albans
where I lived.” Pete later transferred to postal deliveries and continued at St Albans until the unit was
merged into the HCN site in 2011. “I’ve worked on the small van fleet, worked early shifts, lates and nights and I currently
drive a 7.5 tonner,” he continues. “I’ve always enjoyed the job, especially the people I’ve worked with – and in my opinion,
I think it’s better now than it was back then and our union’s as strong as ever.” CWU area distribution rep Kelli Joyce says: “I’ve had the privilege to know and work
with Pete for the last 10 years at HCN. He’s an all-round good lad. Always on hand to
help new recruits – to show them the way. “And he’s solid CWU union man, always very supportive of every dispute we’ve had and
a loyal, valued member.” And HCN late shift distribution rep Waleed Butt echoed Kelli’s comments, adding:
“Congratulations to Pete. He’s a great guy and we all hope he carries on for a lot longer.” Pete says that he has no plans to retire yet, insisting: “I still enjoy the job and the people I
work with – and I’m carrying on.” Congratulations to Pete from CWU News too – and best of luck for the future! Source : https://www.cwu.org/news


5. Posti's climate targets are in line with the latest climate
science - all transport emission-free by 2030 August 16, 2021 Posti Group has set ambitious, science-based climate targets that include value chain
emissions in addition to its own emissions. The Science Based Targets initiative has
now approved Posti's goals. The approval means that the targets are based on scientific research and will help
Posti contribute to the Paris Climate Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to
1.5 ° degrees.
Posti is now one of ten Finnish companies whose targets are in line with SBTi's most
ambitious 1.5° emission reduction level, and which are committed to the Business
Ambition for 1.5° initiative. According to the approved targets, Posti will reduce its absolute total emissions (scope 1,
2 & 3) by 50% from the 2020 level by 2030. The target includes Posti’s previous target
to push its own emissions to zero and as a new target to have 100% fossil-free road
transportations, also including the value chain, by 2030. Thus, Posti will have zero
emissions in 2030 in terms of all its own emissions and all transportation. "The latest climate study shows that emissions need to be reduced faster than previously
thought, and the coming decade is critical to success. As a large company, we
must carry our responsibilities and want to show the direction in our industry. Reducing
emissions requires long-term and dedicated work, which we have been doing at Posti for a
long time. Our current targets which have now been approved in line with the latest
climate science are very ambitious and we continue to reduce our emissions to zero with
an extremely tight schedule," says Noomi Jägerhorn, Posti's Director of Sustainability.
Posti's emission reduction targets
By 2030, Posti will reduce its total emissions (scope 1, 2 & 3) by 50% from the 2020
level

This includes pushing all own emissions (scope 1 & 2) to zero and having fossil-free
road transport (excluding sea and air transport), including subcontracting
In the long run, Posti has been committed, through the Climate Pledge, to be net-zero
by 2040 Science Based Targets (SBT) is a collaboration between the Carbon Disclosure Project
(CDP), the UN Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World
Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Science based climate targets are based on scientific
calculation methods to ensure that the targets of companies are in line with the goals of the
Paris Agreement. Science Based Targets provides investors and other stakeholders with a useful tool for
monitoring the comparable emission targets of companies.

1. Bees on the roof August 20, 2021 Earlier this year, bee hives were installed on the roof of Swiss Post’s Zurich-Mülligen
mail centre. There are now eight apiaries in situ, with a beekeeper keeping an eye on
them.
Each of the eight bee colonies is able to produce around 8 kg of spring honey and 5 kg of
summer honey.
The honey harvest depends on the food available in the area as well as the weather. This
year the weather conditions weren’t in the bees’ favour, and the honey will be left for the
bees. So, should other postal operators follow Swiss Post’s lead? The answer is... perhaps. Royal Mail might need to be cautious about setting up beehives around London, as recent
growth in urban beekeeping means there is insufficient nectar and pollen to support
current beehive numbers in UK cities. Other postal operators might simply want to consult with local experts to evaluate how
beehives on postal rooftops might impact on local pollinator biodiversity.

Should postal operators instead look at greening their postal rooftops? If there’s room after all those solar panels are installed of course. Or should we just forget about the bees and focus on the birds? That’s what La Poste has
done, keeping chickens on the roof of a postal facility in Paris. There are plenty of options for postal operators to consider. Raspberries, perhaps? Flowers
for the bees, and berries for the workers. Well, whatever berries the birds don’t eat... Source : http://www.thepostalhub.com/blog2. Royal Mail embarks on emission-cutting tyre trial for electric
vans August 19, 2021 The six to nine-month trial will see innovative tyres fitted to selected electric vans to
test their emission-reducing and efficiency-enhancing capabilities.
This week, Royal Mail will embark on a six to nine-month trial of new tyres on a number
of electric vehicles (EVs). The tyres are specially designed to help reduce particulate
matter emissions and improve the range, efficiency and longevity of vehicles.

The trial is a joint venture between Royal Mail, Transport for London (TfL) and ENSO, as
part of the London FreightLab innovation challenge. This challenge aims to tackle
pollution, congestion and road danger in London. The tyres, from manufacturer ENSO, claim to produce fewer microparticles in comparison
to normal tyres, and increase vehicle range. Tests carried out by ENSO have also shown
that its tyres can increase EV range by up to 11%, compared to standard tyres. Fifteen electric vans at the West London Delivery Office, near Wembley, will be fitted
with the new tyres during the trial.
Throughout the six to nine-month period, the tyres will be monitored and weighed every
six weeks to measure their wear rate and to estimate reduction in particulate matter
emissions. The checks will also ensure that the tyres fitted are wearing properly and that
there are no health, safety or vehicle wear and tear issues. If the trial is successful, its results may inform future purchasing decisions across Royal
Mail’s fleet.
About The Tyres
To further enhance the benefits of switching to electric vehicles, innovations in tyre design
could help reduce particulate matter emissions from tyre wear and tear. EVs are generally

3 heavier than internal combustion vehicles and, according to some reports, this extra weight
increases wear and tear, thus contributing to particle pollution. ENSO’s range-extending and pollution-reducing tyres recently broke a world hypermiling
record, achieving the longest distance ever driven by a Renault Zoe on a single charge
(475 miles); outperforming an identical vehicle fitted with OEM tyres (which itself
covered 424 miles, an increase in range of over 50 miles). This trial may help Royal Mail explore additional ways to reduce its operational footprint.
A Responsible Company
This initiative forms part of Royal Mail’s ongoing commitment to reduce emissions
associated with its operations. With the UK's largest "Feet on the Street" network of 85,000 postmen and women across
the UK, Royal Mail already has the lowest reported CO2e emissions per parcel amongst
major UK delivery companies. The new tyre trial, alongside various recently announced low or zero emission
initiatives[3], are designed to help the Company inform its long-term environmental
strategy, and to meet its goals of delivering a cleaner future.
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 trial and potential wide scale introduction of more efficient and
environmentally friendly tyres enables us to help achieve this, while allowing us to
continue to deliver letters and parcels safely, efficiently and responsibly.”
Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, founder and CEO at ENSO said: “ENSO’s innovative EV
tyres are designed to be EV-range-extending and PM-pollution-reducing, and through
TfL’s FreightLab trial with Royal Mail, we aim to demonstrate their contribution towards
reducing air pollution in London.”

4 “ENSO’s mission is to disrupt the £200billion global tyre industry and deliver the most
efficient, durable and sustainable tyres for EVs. By developing better EV tyres, we can
reduce pollution and carbon emissions in line with the UK, and indeed global
commitments, to reach Net-Zero.” “Ultra-low energy consumption per mile means that our EV tyres not only save cost and
electricity but also improve vehicle operations while extending EV-range, moving the tyre
industry truly into the electric age.”
Rikesh Shah, TfL's Head of Commercial Innovation, said: 'We're really excited that
our London FreightLab Innovation Challenge has helped to produce this partnership
between Royal Mail and ENSO, which is helping us to explore how to make tyres more
sustainable, durable and efficient.” “London FreightLab is a completely new way of looking at freight for TfL and it is
fantastic to see innovative products such as EV-tyres in action on the capital's streets,
helping to extend the life of tyres on electric vehicles, which are a vital part of reducing air
pollution in London.” Source : https://www.royalmailgroup.com/en/press-centre/press-releases/royal-mail
3. Backpay and COLA update August 18, 2021
Most eligible city letter carriers will receive retroactive pay pursuant to the 2019-2023
National Agreement on their August 20 paychecks. Backpay for some former city carrier
assistants that were converted to career status between November 23, 2019 and April 9,
2021 must be calculated manually, resulting in a delay in payment. This issue was
discovered during a recent quality check of the process. We are discussing the issue with
representatives from USPS Headquarters. As soon as additional information is available, it
will be posted here on the NALC website. Backpay is calculated for all paid hours between November 23, 2019 (the date of the first
general wage increase in the Agreement) and April 9, 2021 (the day before new pay rates
were implemented as explained here). The following pay increases will be included in the
retroactive pay from the effective date indicated for each: For career city carriers:
1.1% General Wage Increase effective November 23, 2019
$166 Cost of Living Adjustment effective February 29, 2020
$188 Cost of Living Adjustment effective August 29, 2020
1.1% General Wage Increase effective November 21, 2020
$416 Cost of Living Adjustment effective February 27, 2021

5 *Cost of living increases referenced above are paid proportionally to city carriers in Table
2 in accordance with Article 9.3.E of the National Agreement. For City Carrier Assistants:
1.1% General Wage Increase and additional 1.0% increase effective November 23,
2019
1.1% General Wage Increase and additional 1.0% increase effective November 21,
2020 *City carrier assistants receive the additional 1.0% increases referenced above in lieu of
cost of living adjustments pursuant to Article 9.7 of the National Agreement. Retired and separated employees that worked during the backpay period will be paid by
check mailed to their last work location. Retroactive pay adjustments for now retired letter
carriers may result in adjustments to annuities. The Office of Personnel Management will
make any necessary annuity adjustments.
Fourth COLA is $1,934
The fourth regular Cost of Living Adjustment under the 2019-2023 National Agreement
will be $1,934 annually for letter carriers in Table 1 and at Step O of Table 2. Cost of
living increases are paid proportionally to city carriers in Table 2 in accordance with
Article 9.3.E of the National Agreement. This adjustment will be effective August 28 and
reflected in paychecks dated September 17. City carrier assistants will receive additional 1.0% increases effective November 20, 2021
and November 19, 2022 in lieu of cost of living adjustments pursuant to Article 9.7 of the
National Agreement. Source : https://www.nalc.org/news/nalc-updates
4. SingPost pledges to switch entire delivery fleet to electric by
2026 August 17, 2021 Singapore Post (SingPost) has begun trialling fully electric three-wheeler scooters
and vans with a view to replacing its entire delivery fleet by 2026.
SingPost intends to progressively replace all 700 motorcycles and three-wheeler scooters,
as well as 140 vans, to electric motor equivalents as their leases expire over the next five
years. This would make SingPost the first postal service in the Asia-Pacific region to commit to a
100% electric delivery fleet.

6 Tan Kiat How, minister of state for the Ministry of Communications and Information and
Ministry of National Development, said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the
shift toward e-commerce, and the postal sector would need to evolve its business model
and service offerings to cope with the surge in parcel volumes. In this regard, I welcome
SingPost’s electric vehicles trial and its ambition toward a fully electric delivery fleet, in
support of Singapore Green Plan 2030. This shows SingPost’s commitment to
environmental sustainability, and as well as its continued investment to better meet the
evolving postal needs of our people and businesses.” SingPost has begun pilots for the RAP IONA three-wheeler as an option to replace the
company’s existing motorcycles. They will be wrapped in a distinctive green livery, a
marked departure from the deep blue hue of SingPost’s other vehicles. The scooters emit
roughly 75% less greenhouse gases compared with their internal combustion engine
equivalents. Each vehicle boasts a 120km driving range per full charge with a 50kg carrying load and
maximum cargo volume of 500 liters. SingPost also recently announced that Vincent Phang Heng Wee will be appointed as
group CEO and as executive, non-independent director of the SingPost board, with effect
from September 1, 2021. Phang takes over from Paul Coutts, who leaves the company at
the end of August. Welcoming the pilot, Phang said, “As Singapore’s leading last-mile and postal service
provider, our delivery vehicles traverse the length and breadth of the nation every day.
There is tremendous potential for us to do better for the planet. By converting our delivery
fleet to a fully electric one, we will be delivering a greener Singapore for everyone.” Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/vehicles-fleet

 
5. FedEx launches its Delivery Manager in Vietnam August 17, 2021 FedEx Express has announced the launch of its Delivery Manager system in Vietnam
to support the country’s e-commerce boom. FedEx Delivery Manager is said to allow e-merchants to provide their customers with
customisable FedEx Express deliveries, as well as enabling small and medium sized
businesses to reschedule the delivery time and change the location of deliveries at no extra
cost. “The pandemic is accelerating e-commerce in Vietnam as more people move to online
purchases. We are excited to launch FedEx Delivery Manager to help e-commerce
businesses manage this boom in e-commerce shipments. It can provide end-consumers with more control and flexibility on their delivery options,
playing an important role in customer satisfaction and overall online shopping
experience,” said Hardy Diec, Managing Director Operations, FedEx Express Indochina.
“With this solution, we hope e-commerce retailers and SMEs will experience increased
loyalty and cost savings through reduced instances of returns. At the same time, it allows
us to improve efficiency by increasing successful first-time deliveries.” FedEx Delivery Manager is offered free of charge and recipients expecting inbound
deliveries to their residence will receive a FedEx notification via email, according to the
company. Recipients can choose to change the delivery instructions via FedEx.com and
can access it on a smartphone. The Delivery Manager offers four options:
Deliver to another address
Deliver to my address on a future date
Deliver to a pickup point
Deliver as planned FedEx stated that the Delivery Manager is now available in 29 markets across Asia
Pacific, Middle East and Africa. According to the Google, Temasek and Bain & Company
2020 SEA report, Vietnam will be the second-largest e-commerce market in Southeast
Asia after Indonesia, with an expected growth rate of 16%.