Friday 29 June 2012

TNT Express to courier French lingerie by Huit

The French lingerie company, Huit, has signed an exclusive two-year contract with TNT Express.


The courier service provider is going to ensure the domestic and international shipping of Huit's luxury lingerie and swimwear products which will be delivered to over 30 countries. 

Huit is a lingerie supplier for high-end retail clients in Europe, Canada and Australia. The company first hired TNT Express' courier services in 2008. From now on, TNT Express is going to be Huit's exclusive provider of express parcel services.

Source: Analytiqa.com

Thursday 28 June 2012

UPS urges for inclusion of Track and Trace Proposal

UPS, one of the global leaders in express parcel and logistics services, has called on the US government to provide a 50-state solution for the “Track and Trace Proposal” for the supply chain safety of medicines.

In a statement issued on 26th July 2012, UPS said that part of the Track and Trace Proposal would be the introduction of a national system in order “to ensure safe passage of drugs and medical products across the U.S.”. According to the carrier, current regulations would not allow this.

The proposal is supported by the Pharmaceutical Distribution Security Alliance (PDSA) and has not been included in the final bill so far.

Source: UPS

Wednesday 27 June 2012

New Zealand Post ends business contract with DHL after eight years

Logo c/o NZP
Eight years after the New Zealand Post (NZP) and DHL embarked a joint venture, both carriers have agreed to end their contractual relationship.

NZP was formed back in 2004 and began joined DHL as a business partner one year later. It currently offers
express delivery services in New Zealand, but also sends parcels internationally via the DHL Express network.

The courier service recently agreed to purchase a two new subsidiaries which are currently owned by DHL. Once the transaction is completed, Express Couriers Limited (ECL) and the Australian Parcel Direct Group Pty Limited (PDG) are going to be wholly owned by NZP.

“Express delivery is a core element of our current and future strategy. (…) Having full alignment between New Zealand Post and Express Couriers Limited will allow us to better match our product offerings to customers’ needs, and as we have previously indicated, explore the benefits of further aligning our postal and courier networks. We can only achieve this if we have full ownership of ECL”, explained NZP Group CEO Brian Roche.

In future, NZP customers can still benefit from DHL Express connectedness as NZP’s international parcel services will continue to utilise DHL’s global network whilst all parcels to New Zealand and Australia will be shipped by ECL and CPPL.

Source: NZ Post 

Monday 25 June 2012

Air cargo strikes to hit Heathrow Airport

Passengers flying from Heathrow Airport should brace themselves for a series of air cargo strikes carried out over the next couple of months.


Image c/o ALAMY/The Telegraph

According to Swissport, two three-day strikes by Unite cargo staff members have been confirmed so far. The first will start on 27th June at 6.30am and last until 6.29am on 30th June. Industrial actions were taken after the Swiss air cargo company refused discussions about a pay claim.
Swissport said that “Siwssport Cargo Services at Heathrow Airport [were] aware of the proposed industrial action my members of Unite. Both Swissport and the trade union are continuing discussions intended to avert the industrial action.”
A second strike is scheduled for 6.30am 4th July until 6.29am on 7th July.

Source: UKPA / The Press Association 

Freight train crash in Oklahoma leaves three people missing

On Sunday morning, two freight trains crashed head-on into each other before exploding on directly on the rail tracks, close the small town of Goodwell in Oklahoma (USA).

Image c/o Daily Mail
Three Union Pacific employees have been missing since the disastrous event and are believed to be dead. The only known survivor – also a Union Pacific employee – said that he was able to escape the fatale collision by jumping of one of the trains before the crash.

Approximately 50 volunteer fire fighters from five towns near Goodwell (OK) have been trying to put out the blazes of the exploded ten freight rail-cars and three locomotives since early Sunday morning. It is believed that two people were operating each train – a conductor and an engineer. However, the local police does not believe that the three missing employees survived.
“We believe we’ll find their remains in the wreckage if there’s anything left to find”, said Tropper Betsy Randolph, Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On Sunday evening, investigators of the National Transportation Safety Board arrived in Guymon airport (OK) to investigate the freight train disaster.

Source: Reuters.com

Thursday 21 June 2012

UPS proposes public cash offer to TNT Express N.V.

The acquisition of TNT Express N.V. by the global logistics company UPS has reached a new stage with UPS recommending a public cash offer with a price of EUR 9.50 per share (EUR 5.16 billion in total)


tnt express aquisition, ups and tnt express, tnt express courier, tnt courier service
Image c/o TNT Express

The offer is going to apply to all issued and outstanding ordinary shares including TNT Express American depositary shares. Both companies stated that the decision would be fully supported by the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of TNT Express.

UPS whose offer had been officially accepted on 19th March 2012 hopes that the acquisition will help to create a global leader in logistics with an annual revenue exceeding the EUR 45 billion mark. By utilising TNT Express’ highly interlinked European express and road freight network, UPS plans to expand its courier services in Europe. Meanwhile, TNT customers may benefit from UPS success in delivering parcels to the USA as well as to Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.

A request for the EU regulatory appeal was filed on 15th June; talks between TNT Express shareholders will continue on 6th August whilst the offer period will commence on 22nd June 2012.

For further details about the offer, please visit the UPS Website.


Source: UPS / TNT Express


Wednesday 20 June 2012

UPS COO encourages Canadians to reach out to new global trade partners

ups canada, parcel to canada, shipping to canada, parcel delivery canada, courier service to canada
Image c/o Microsoft
David Abney, Chief Operating Officer of the global courier services provider UPS, recently called on Canadian business and government leaders “to think anew” in an effort to boost the economic growth and trade volume of Canadian markets:

„Canadians... are ready and eager to compete in a global economy with your eyes fixed far beyond your traditional partners in the States. […] It’s good to be north of the border again where the business environment is upbeat”.

Amongst various topics, Abney also addressed the emergence of a new consumer class such as the middle class in “up-and-coming parts of the world”. He stressed the importance of new economic rules which ought to be adapted to the changing consumer behaviour and expectations.

“If you want to grow your business in the future, you’ll need to reach out and attract these new customers”, said Abney.

According to the UPS COO, this new way of thinking and adapting to future economies would hugely benefit Canadian business owners. In fact, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently published figures depicting the unstoppable growth of newly emerging business which will be nearly four times greater this year compared with that of other, more advanced economies. 

In order to secure the future of Canada’s economy, the government is currently reaching out to South and Central America as well as to Europe for six new trade agreements. By utilising Transpacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the Canadian government plans to update its trade rules and interactions with South and Central America. Moreover, free trade agreements would also be negotiated with Japan, the EU, South Korea, Singapore and India at the moment.

If you are looking for a strong, reliable partner to import or export goods to / from Canada, visit Transglobal Premium.co.uk.




Sources: UPS, Transglobal Express

Monday 18 June 2012

Lufthansa Cargo's air freight volume plummets

The German Lufthansa Cargo is losing air freight volume faster than its competitors.  
Last May, the volume was down by 12.3 percent compared to the same time last year. A continuing trend that also left its mark on overall performance. In fact, Lufthansa Cargo carried 713,000 tonnes this year; 10.2 percent less than in 2011.

lufthansa cargo, lufthansa air freight, lufthansa freight
Image c/o mediabase.lufthansa.com
In order to stay profitable, the air cargo company has decided to cut it capacities and resist the challenges of the current market. According to Air Cargo Week, the decreasing volume is a result of the night-flying ban which was imposed on Lufthansa Cargo’s hub at Frankfurt am Main airport last year.

There may be an increase in volume in the second half of this year but nothing is certain.





Wednesday 13 June 2012

FedEx Express Taiwan shipments now subject to late cut-off times

Starting this month, FedEx Express customers shipping goods from Taiwan to Europe or Africa can now benefit from extended delivery cut-off times. This affects consignments sent via the FedEx parcel services, FedEx International Priority (IP) and FedEx International Economy (IE).

‪中文(繁體)‬: 台灣的聯邦快遞代理收件處銘牌
‪ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The courier company hopes that its customers will “enjoy more time to prepare [their] shipments.” Michael Chu, FedEx Taiwan managing director, confirmed that 
“despite a challenging economic environment in Europe, Taiwan remains a strong trading partner with the EU and trade between the two markets in 2011 climbed more than 10% year-on-year.”
Last year US$2.9 million worth of goods alone were shipped from Taiwan to Africa and Europe positions itself amongst the Taiwan’s top 5 largest business partners.

Source: FedEx Express Taiwan, Post & Parcel

ATSG supplies DHL air freight service with two new Boeing 767

Two new Boeing 767 aircraft have been added to DHL’s US air freight service.

The Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), who already own 14 of the DHL domestic air craft fleet, have provided two additional 767-200 and 767-300 freighters as part of a short-term agreement. The deal was closed after another aircraft supplier decided to remove a considerable number of freighters from the DHL fleet.
Joe Hete, president and CEO of ATSG, stressed that “[ATSG] as DHL’s principal source of freighter airlift in North America, we will make every effort to support DHL’s future freighter aircraft requirements as they may develop in the future.”
The air freight services provider, DHL, and ATSG are said to be in discussions about a long-term agreement.

English: N785AX, a Boeing 767-200 in the DHL l...
(Image c/o Wikipedia)

Sources: ATSG, Post & Parcel

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Excess Baggage Shipping – UK Services and Packaging Tips

Summer is here and many of us are making last minute arrangements to book time off. If you do not want to pay horrendously high luggage surcharges at the airport, excess baggage shipping can be a great alternative to save you money.

DHL Express Luggage Shipping

Whether you are travelling within the UK, or are going overseas, you can ship your luggage ahead using DHL Express’ excess luggage service.

Packaging and Maximum Weight

  • Please remember to solely use hard protective cases when shipping excess luggage.
  • In order for your luggage to be shipped via services such as DHL Express, the suitcases will be allowed a total weight of 70kg.
  • It is not necessary to wrap individual suitcases in packaging paper. Yet, it is important to ensure that your labels are attached to the top of each suitcase.

Tracking and Liability

Independent freight forwarders such as Transglobal Express offer online tracking via which you can follow up on the latest status of your shipment. You will be asked to enter your reference / tracking number in the required field and click “track a shipment”.

For further information and instant, free quotes for your excess baggage shipment, please visit TransglobalExpress.co.uk.




New UPS facility opens in Canada’s Greater Moncton region

UPS has opened its doors to the Greater Moncton neighbourhood. A new multi-million dollar facility in the city of Dieppe will create 250 new jobs.
“The Greater Moncton community has been very supportive of us throughout the years. As part of our legacy, we will continue to show our support and give back to the people and businesses that have been so good to us”, said Shelley Gares, Director of Operations, Atlantic Canada.
UPS have had a presence in Greater Moncton for over 18 years, employing over 400 people and operating 19 franchised locations in Atlantic Canada. Yet, parcel delivery services only began on 23rd April 2012. Gares stated that she was keen on “providing the same quality of service and safety standards to the region that we are known for across the globe”.

ups greater moncton, ups atlantic canada, ups canada, dieppe,
Shelley Gares (UPS Atlantic Canada) and Mayor Yvon Lapierre
The new facility is said to represent only the first stage of UPS’ expansion plans for Greater Moncton. Further developments will commence throughout this year. UPS courier services already kicked off in Halifax and Nova Scotia in May 2012. Beyond that, six cities will be added to the UPS network.

Further information about the project can be found on the UPS.com/Neighbourhood.

Source: UPS
Picture c/o newswire.ca

Monday 11 June 2012

FedEx Freight shipping rates to increase in July 2012

Last week, FedEx Freight confirmed plans about an increase in its shipping rates by 6.9 percent.

The new rate change is going to take effect on 9th July 2012 and will affect freight shipments within and to Canada. The same applies to the contiguous USA. Beyond that, freight shipped to Mexico from the USA will also be charged by 6.9 percent more. However, this will only affect transport from the U.S to the Mexico border.

Taking effect on 9th July any freight shipments falling under the FXF 100, FXF 500 and series related rates will experience higher charges. Despite the rate increases, FedEx Freight promised that it was not going to change its fuel surcharges.

Visit the FedEx website for more information about the new FedEx Freight base rates and tariff rules.

Source: FedEx

Thursday 7 June 2012

New air cargo security pact between Europe and USA announced

The Association of European Airlines (AAE) recently confirmed plans for an EU-US air cargo security pact. The new agreement is supposed to simplify the transatlantic transport of air cargo shipments.

Before the agreement, both, the EU and USA, obtained two individual sets of guidelines, which caused problems amongst many European airlines shipping air cargo to the USA as Margreet Lommerts, Manager for Security and Cargo at AEA, explained:
“From today, the US Transport Security Administration (TSA) and the European Commission will recognise each other’s air cargo security measures as equal to their own. This will eliminate duplication, cut equipment costs and reduce the administrative burden for our member airlines.”
During the last few months, the USA as well as numerous EU-member states had already agreed to the new air cargo rule set over the last few months. In future, a joint European agreement is supposed to replace these individual arrangements. 

Source: AEA

Wednesday 6 June 2012

FedEx and Vital Voices team up to help empower women in Latin America

FedEx Express and Hillary Clinton's NGO, Vital Voices Global Partnership, have formed the alliance, "FedEx & Vital Voices Building the Future: Educating Women, Harnessing Potential", in order to support businesswomen in Latin America. 

vital voices, mexico, fedex express
Logo c/o vitalvoices.org
The alliance aims at empowering female business owners and entrepreneurs. Vital Voices and FedEx Express will offer business education and training including workshops where women can acquire and expand on their technical and soft skills. Beyond that, seminars will cover essential business topics such as export, business English, HR practises, marketing and technology.

Juan N. Cento, president for FedEx Express, Latin American and Caribbean Division, emphasised the importance of the private sector as well as the importance of supplying female business leaders with educational resources.
"[W]e believe that providing these women with access to education and resources they need to compete in the global marketplace is key to the long-tem prosperity of the region."
The results of a recently published survey about occupation and employment in Mexico, showed a rise in the number of female business executives and owners by 38.9% in 2011. Moreover, the 2020 Secarios Research Report expects Brazil's female workforce including businesswomen with their own staff to grow from 24% to 42% by 2020.
"This alliance will expand access to education and needs-based training for members of the Latin America and the Caribbean Businesswomen's Network, enhancing their ability to lead their companies and communities forward", said Alyse Nelson, president and chief executive officer of Vital Voices.
FedEx Express as well as Vital Voices will provide women with access to their capacity-building initiatives throughout the Latin American region. 

Source: FedEx Express

Friday 1 June 2012

Air freight on the rise in the Middle East and Africa

Recent stats published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed some small, but significant improvements in the air freight industry.

Whilst Asia Pacific is still struggling with a decline of 7.3 percent, the Middle East positions itself amongst the growing markets with a increase in demand for air freight by approximately 14.5 percent. According to Analytica, the reason for Asia Pacific’s decrease can be found in the weakening export in China.

Although Western nations continue to face difficult times in current air freight markets, the Middle East and Africa appear to be on the “bright side” of business life. In fact, African carriers can pride themselves with a 6.1 percent increase in demand and an impressive 9 percent increase in capacity.

For more information on freight traffic market shares of regional carriers please refer to the following graph:



Sources: Analytica, Transglobal Express (graph)