Monday 30 September 2013

DHL subsidiary opens largest parcel sorting hub in Czech Republic

Professional Party Logistics (PPL), a subsidiary of DHL Freight, has opened a new parcel sorting in hub the Czech Republic . The facility, the product of a 24.7 million Euro investment, is the largest of its kind in the country and is expected to make parcel delivery in the Eastern European country faster and more flexible than ever.

By opening the new central hub, DHL Freight and PPL aim to offer their customers an even faster and more flexible and reliable service than ever. Together with the broad range of products and services the new facility is supposed to significantly strengthen the company’s leading position on the parcel market.The new hub has increased sorting capacity drastically: it is capable of handling up to 18,000 parcels per hour, compared to the former hub’s 4000 an hour capacity. The new facility also comprises 190 loading and unloading ramps for trucks and vans and houses a rolling conveyor of almost 3km in length which can travel up to 3 meters a second.


Stefano Arganese, CEO of DHL Freight in Eastern Europe said "The need for a bigger and better parcel hub was driven by a continuous growth of B2B and B2C parcel shipments in recent years. The new capacity and the cutting edge sorting technology allow us to cope with the growing volume of shipments and strengthen our position as a market leader for fast shipments in the Czech Republic".


Thursday 26 September 2013

The role of freight forwarders in international shipping

Freight forwarders oversee the transport of your goods, acting on your behalf to build you the best shipping solution. International freight forwarders typically specialise in a particular type of shipping such as sea freight, air freight or road transportation. Increasingly, however, companies are developing a variety of specialisms in order to meet a greater range of customer need and compete in a competitive market.

At Transglobal Express, we are the only major freight forwarder in the UK to combine air and sea freight expertise with an in depth knowledge of door-to-door courier services. This means we can build you a bespoke shipping solution, whatever your needs, and suited to your budget and time frame.

Air freight is typically an option for high-value and time-sensitive shipments, whereas sea freight can be a lot cheaper for bulky items, provided your supply chain can accommodate a longer shipping time. Basic air and sea freight services are airport to airport or port to port respectively, but we can also arrange collection from your warehouse and get spot rates for delivery from destination port to your final destination, building you an end to end shipping solution. 

Using a freight forwarder means you can take advantage of their contacts and shipping experience: booking with a forwarder almost always guarantees you lower costs than arranging deliveries yourself, since the agent's buying power assures them better prices, which they pass on to you. But it's not all about price, many freight forwarders, including Transglobal, offer support and assistance with creating your shipping documentation and  tracking your consignments and also provide packaging advice and services, such as a palletising service. 

Get started! Visit our website to get a quote for air freight, sea freight or a door-to-door courier service.
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Wednesday 25 September 2013

Massive surge in crab deliveries for Guangzhou's mid-Autumn festival

Chinese carrier China Southern Airlines is expected to deliver 2.7 tonnes of crab every single day of September to meet the massive demand for curried crab dishes for the Guangzhou's mid Autumn festival - thats approximately 1000 crabs a day!  The crustaceans are being imported from across Asia, with Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia supplying the majority.

China Southern Airlines has set strict time limits for all stages of the delivery operation, with a time limit of 80 minutes set between when the crabs reach the airport and when they are expected to arrive at Guangzhou harbour. 

Deliveries of perishable foods such as the meat of these tasty crustaceans often requires a specialist temperature-sensitive as well as time-sensitive service. For shipments to China of ambient goods, or other non-foodstuffs, which do not require the maintenance of a particular temperature, shippers can save a great deal of money by booking with a reseller such as Transglobal Express, who offer the services of quality global carriers such as UPS, FedEx and DHL at up to 70% off the standard prices. Click here to get a quote.

FedEx to take part in APEC CEO summit next month

FedEx executives will join business and government leaders in Bali, Indonesia  for the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) CEO summit on 5th-7th October. The high-profile event plays a major role in creating networks and increasing openness and integration among global trading partners and last year included keynote speeches from the leaders of China, Russia, Australia and Vietnam.

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The theme of this year's conference is “Towards Resilience and Growth:  Reshaping Priorities for Global Economy,” and  Michael L. Ducker, Chief Operating Officer and President of International, FedEx Express, will participate in the summit dialogue session entitled ‘The State of the Global Trading System: Where To Next?' He commented: "FedEx has long been a strong supporter of facilitating global trade by lowering barriers to help markets grow and of making it easier for our customers to ship internationally. The APEC CEO Summit continues to be the leading forum for new ideas in trade facilitation among the world’s fastest growing economies, and FedEx is looking forward to progress in streamlining trade procedures worldwide.”  

Tuesday 24 September 2013

DHL publishes latest research into fashion production and retail

A recent report into trends in fashion retail carried out by Lisa Harrington (President of the Iharrington group LLC),   in collaboration with German logistics firm DHL urges retailers to transform their supply chains in response to the increasing demands and greater sophistication of customers. 

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The new report, entitled, “Fashion Unleashed: supply chain innovation is everything” was composed following interviews and roundtable discussions with global brands.  It relates how the big fashion retailers and manufacturers are rethinking their supply chain management in response to changing and unpredictable consumer buying behaviour. 

According to the report, changes enabled by the Internet and mobile communications have made volatility and complexity an industry norm, so speed, flexibility and responsiveness in the supply chain are imperative. 
Pressures currently facing fashion production and distribution include: fragmented sales channels, escalated service demands, shortened product lifecycles, ratcheted up cost and margin pressures, changing demographics, rapid growth in emerging markets, and the rise of the global middle class. 

The report outlines how the industry can meet the challenges represented by all of these changes, explaining how best to service markets around the world with a supply chain that is agile, flexible and efficient

Friday 20 September 2013

News round-up | Courier and freight news from around the world!

Special deliveries




Social Responsibility 


Global Cargo and Aircraft Ground Handling

Air freight


Industry Trends


Pharmaceutical industry undergoing supply chain transformation, says UPS survey

UPS's sixth annual "Pain in the (Supply) Chain" survey has revealed that the pharmaceutical supply chain is undergoing significant change amid growing concern about product protection and security and the global regulatory environment.

The survey identifies trends in the pharmaceutical sector by gathering data about the practice and strategic plans of global healthcare executives. Of the 441 executives surveyed in North and South America, Asia and Western Europe, 84% will invest in new technologies over the next five years, 78% will enter new global markets and 70% will transform their supply chain by going direct to providers, retailers and even end-patients.

Product security was cited as a greater concern than cost management for the first time since the survey's inception in 2008 - increasing counterfeit sophistication and poor supply chain disability were the most common reasons for this.

Bill Hook, Vice President of global strategy at UPS Healthcare Logistics said, "healthcare companies are balancing a number of priorities related to capturing business growth opportunities in new markets, protecting increasingly sophisticated and high-value products and navigating a complex regulatory environment worldwide. As the industry shifts to meet new customer and market demands, executives are investing in transformative supply chain strategies and strategic partnerships that will help them achieve long-term business goals."

Thursday 19 September 2013

FedEx first quarter growth led by International Economy service

FedEx Corp reported a year-on-year improvement for the first quarter yesterday. Consolidated results showed a 2% increase in total revenue from $10.8 to $11 billion and a 7% rise in operating income from $742 million to $795 million. FedEx CEO Frederick Smith said overall growth in demand was the main cause of the company's recent success.


FedEx Express, the parcel delivery division and by far the largest part of the business, saw a slight 0.3% decrease in revenue from $6.63 to $6.61. This was attributed to lower fuel surcharge revenue and one fewer operating day. Nevertheless, operating income for the division was up 14%year-on-year from $207 to $236 million.  

While US domestic volume and revenue was flat, export volume grew 4% - with most of this coming from the lower end delivery services: FedEx International Economy grew 15% while FedEx International Priority saw a slight decline. 

Speaking of the results, CFO Alan Graf Jr. commented,“We remain confident in our full year earnings outlook despite tepid global economic growth. FedEx Express continued to execute on its profit improvement initiatives during our first quarter. We remain focused and are committed to FedEx Express achieving its $1.6 billion operating profit improvement target by the end of fiscal 2016.”

FedEx Ground, the division for day definite delivery across North America, reported an 11% increase in revenue from $2.46 to $2.73 billion, while the FedEx Freight Segment saw a relatively modest revenue increase of 2% from $1.4 to $21.42 billion. 



Wednesday 18 September 2013

IATA urges more cooperation between Eastern Europe and Aviation leaders

Addressing delegates at the IATA Aviation Day Eastern Europe conference which opened in Bucharest last week, IATA's CEO Tony Tyler urged greater cooperation between Eastern European governments and aviation industry stakeholders: “Aviation connectivity can play a key role in the economic success of Eastern Europe. But in order to achieve these benefits, the region will need to tackle some long-standing problems which hamper competitiveness and innovation,” he said.


Tyler named the environment, passenger rights and infrastructure as three areas where governments should embrace innovation. Firstly, for the industry to achieve carbon neutral growth by 2020, cooperation from governments would be required, he said. On the issue of passenger rights, Tyler focussed mainly on competition and the need for governments to take responsibility for protecting consumers by ensuring service standards are maintained and regulated. Finally, when addressing the topic of infrastructure, Tyler highlighted that the most pressing issue was the Single European Sky and emphasised that the lack of political will to push states to unify European airpace is costing the continent EUR5 billion annually.

Source: IATA

Friday 13 September 2013

Transit times to Australia | How long will my parcel take to be delivered?

Not many nations are further from the UK than Australia (London is over 10,000 miles from Sidney as the crow flies!) but with a quality door-to-door courier service, your parcel can still reach its Australian destination in record time. The largest global courier companies such as UPS and DHL offer excellent transit times to Australia and with parcel delivery resellers such as Transglobal Express you can ensure you get quality services from big name carriers for a fraction of the price.

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Transglobal Express offer a variety of discounted services from leading couriers including UPS, DHL, TNT and FedEx. You can compare the prices of each and pick the best one to suite your timescale and budget.   All major carriers offer Transit Times Calculator tools; if you know your collection and delivery address, you simply enter these into a quick form and you will see how long your parcel will take to be delivered depending on the service you select. With the UPS Expedited service, you can book a delivery to Australia this Friday morning, have it picked up this afternoon and delivered to Australia by Monday! If your parcel is less time-sensitive, there are more economical services you can select. You can compare a variety of services by getting a quote with Transglobal Express today!




Thursday 12 September 2013

UPS, FedEx and DHL make InformationWeek 500 list for technological innovation

The three of the largest global carriers: UPS, FedEx Corp and DHL Express have each been named on the InformationWeek 500 list this month. The list acknowledges businesses operating in the US for their technological innovation. Last year, UPS came 8th on the list, with FedEx in 35th and German company DHL coming in at 184th place. Although


FedEx has made the list every year since 1995. This year, FedEx was recognized for developing enhancements to its tracking functionality that provides an improved customer experience. The company is ranked number 108 on the list.

"For 25 years, the InformationWeek 500 has honored the most innovative users of business technology," said InformationWeek VP and Editor In Chief Rob Preston.  "Among this year's top companies, we're seeing a tremendous amount of innovation around data analytics, mobile computing and Web commerce in particular. InformationWeek 500 companies not only are embracing new technologies and technology approaches, but also new IT-powered business models, to drive revenue and profitability. Their results speak for themselves."

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of business technology with its annual 500 listing, and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments, and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies.

Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500/.

2012 UPS 8 , FedEx 35 , DHL 184
2013 UPS 45, FedEX 108, DHL 173

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Is it that time of year already? | Planning your Christmas deliveries

There are still over 100 days until Christmas (not that we're counting...), but many of us are already starting to plan for the festive period. With shops displaying Christmas decorations earlier than ever, and reports that some supermarket branches already have a Christmas aisle, it's difficult not to notice that the retail sector is commencing its Christmas push.

If you love Christmas, being super-organised, or both, then you'll most likely have already started some Christmas preparation, or at least given it some thought! But what if your Christmas plans involve shipping gifts to family elsewhere in the UK, or even overseas? You want to ensure that your relatives or friends receive their gifts before Christmas day, but preferably not too far in advance! You'll also want to have the peace of mind of knowing that your gifts are received in the exact condition that you sent them, and - if you love tinsel ribbon and bows as much as us - your Christmas wrapping will also be a consideration. Most importantly you'll want to keep the cost of posting your Christmas presents as low as possible, so you can spend less on shipping and more on the present to be shipped! In the hope of helping you address some of these issues, we've put together some ideas to help you plan your Christmas shipping.

When should I post my Christmas parcels?

To be absolutely certain of pre-Christmas delivery, the obvious answer is: the earlier the better! But you also don't want your overseas friends, relatives or customers to receive their gifts too early, so you need to find a happy medium. We'd recommend sending gifts to UK addresses by the 1st December. Unlike the Post Office, door-to-door couriers such as UPS and DHL don't tend to advertise cut-off dates for guaranteed Christmas delivery but since courier services tend to offer much reduced transit times, you should be fine if you stick to these dates. For deliveries further afield, you'd need to allow for more time. Our top tip? Visit our transit times page, enter your collection and delivery postcode into the appropriate transit times calculator and add two weeks to be extra safe!

How can I protect my Christmas gifts in transit?

As ever, careful packaging is the best way to ensure your parcels arrive in pristine condition: make sure you use a sturdy box, and don't over or under fill it; protect your gift by at least 5cm of cushioning all around, and if you have any further queries or if you are packaging an unusual gift and would like some advice, contact our customer services team who will be more than happy to assist you! 

How should I wrap my Christmas parcels? 

Careful packaging means your gifts should be placed within a cardboard box, and this outer packaging should not be covered in Christmas wrapping paper as this could mean your shipping label could be detached from your parcel. The good news is you can still wrap your presents as extravagantly as you like inside the shipping carton, just don't forget: cushioning is key!

How can I save money on Christmas post?

As well as offering shorter transit times and a convenient door-to-door service: shipping your Christmas gifts by courier could also be cheaper, especially for higher weights. Get a quote for Christmas parcel delivery here, or call us on 0845 145 1212.

Tuesday 10 September 2013

50 FedEx volunteers take part in coastal clean up

Along with DHL's upcoming global volunteer day, FedEx Express is also demonstrating its commitment to social responsibility with "FedEx Cares Week".  The initiative comprises a week of volunteering between September 7th and 15th,  in which employees of the company in 11 Asia Pacific markets are encouraged to give back to their communities.

Michael Chu, managing director of FedEx Express Taiwan (left) and more than 50 F

One of the first activities of the initiative saw 50 FedEx volunteers helping out at a coastal clean up project in Taiwan last Saturday 7th September. Along with with the Jane Goodall Institute - the international wildlife and conservation organisation - the volunteers removed over 120 kg of rubbish from the Chao-Jing park in Keelung. The park is home to many wild species but has been blighted of late by debris including cigarettes, cans and plastic bags. As well as improving the living conditions to the wildlife on the coastal region, it is also hoped that the clean up will raise awareness about coastal conservation. 

Managing Director of FedEx Express Taiwan Michael Chu commented: "the FedEx network includes not only wings in the sky, but also wheels on the ground and keels in the water. That's why why we are committed to minimizing our environmental footprint through various environmental sustainability efforts."

It is anticipated that over 1,000 volunteers will commit over 4,000 hours in 36 different activities throughout the week. 


Monday 9 September 2013

DHL sponsors Bonn's 2013 Beethoven Fest

Getting parcels and freight from A to B is not necessarily the type of business you might associate with classical music and culture, but DHL have defied such expectations by once again announcing their sponsorship of classical music festival Beethoven Fest. The festival takes place in Bonn, where Deutsche Post DHL is headquarted, and runs from the beginning of September to beginning of October. 

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As well as the ticket-only larger concerts that make up the bulk of the festival programme, DHL is also supporting a free fringe programme to be held in its Post Tower Lounge. 

Christof Ehrhart, Head of Corporate Communications and Corporate Responsibility, commented of DHL's continued support of the festival, whose theme this year is 'metamorphses': "In our ever more complex world, we concentrate on continuity while continuously undergoing a process of 'metamorphosis' created by innovations. Both of these elements are reflected in our support of the Beethovenfest: in our continuity as a main sponsor and in the innovative side program in the Post Tower Lounge. The Beethovenfest is a cultural highlight on the calendar of events in Bonn and is well known far beyond the local region. We are proud to be a part of this festival."  

Thursday 5 September 2013

FedEx receives first Boeing 767 of its new freighter fleet

FedEx Express, the express delivery branch of US-based shipping giant FedEx Corp, received the first aircraft of its modernised freight fleet yesterday.


The Boeing 767-300, which can carry approximately 58 tonnes, is up to 30% more fuel efficient than previous models. As well as improving FedEx's environmental performance, the increased fuel efficiency will save the company 20% in operating costs per unit.

Brad McCulle, vice President of North America Sales at Boeing, commented: "We are excited to see the 767 freighter join the FedEx fleet... With its tremendous efficiency among medium wide-body cargo airplanes, [it] will complement FedEx's fleet and support fast, reliable deliveries to customers around the world."

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Royal Mail warns Christmas season could be affected by CWU strike

The UK's Communications Workers Union has announced that it will hold a ballot for a full national postal strike if ongoing talks with the universal postal service are not concluded by the 20th September. The union is currently working to get a better deal than the "below-inflation" Royal Mail pay offer as well as protesting the proposed changes to the employee pension schemes and the effect of privatisation on postal workers' terms&conditions and job security.


If a solution is not reached in time, then 125,000 Royal Mail workers will be eligible to vote in a ballot on industrial action, the result of which should be released around 3rd October. If approved, the Union is required to give at least 7 days notice before going on strike, meaning the earliest possible strike date is around 10th October.

Along with the threat of a national strike, Royal Mail is also contending with multiple localised disputes, most recently in Plymouth. Royal Mail are reported to be "very disappointed" that a timeline has been issued for a national ballot and have warned that the proposed industrial action could threaten operations in the run up to the festive season. A statement issued by the organisation declared: “Any industrial action, or the possibility of disruption, is damaging to our customers, and our business, especially in the run up to our busiest time, Christmas.”

In the meantime, door-to-door couriers are also gearing up to the Christmas period.

Source: Post & Parcel

Tuesday 3 September 2013

DHL pilots crowdsourcing app for deliveries in Stockholm

DHL announced yesterday that it is to pilot an innovative crowdsourcing platform for parcel deliveries in Stockholm. While crowdsourcing has been an increasingly popular practice for some time, this is the first example of such an initiative by one of the giants of the express parcel delivery industry, and, if successful,  it could have huge implications for the sector. 


The new platform, named "My Ways",  is enabled by a specially developed mobile app which connects shippers seeking flexible delivery with individuals willing to transport parcels along their daily routes for a small fee. Peter Hesslin, CEO of DHL Freight in Sweden explained: "MyWays is not only a service for those requesting flexible deliveries; it is also a service for those who would consider delivering a package and earning a little extra money. This is what makes the platform so unique. As soon as the package arrives at one of DHL's collection locations, the recipient and the deliverer confirm the fee and delivery details, all within the mobile app."

The app has been developed by DHL's innovation unit Solutions and Innovation, which researches current  and future trends in the industry. The pilot is due to run until the end of the year and DHL are yet to make any announcements relating to potential further roll-out if it proves successful. 

Source: DHL

Monday 2 September 2013

DPD to offer same day delivery in Germany

Following its recent acquisition of a 20% share in the Munich-based tiramizoo city courier portal, which offers delivery within time frames as little as 90 minutes in 15 German cities, courier company DPD has stated it plans to offer its German customers same day delivery by the end of 2013. 


Chief Operating Officer of DPD GeoPost Boris Winkelmann commented, "by participating in tiramizoo we are taking a leading role among parcel services on a key market of the future. At the moment same-day deliveries are still a niche market, but we regard its growth potential in future years as enormous. Offering delivery on the same day is already highly attractive for service-oriented shippers and consumers, and this is why we aim to make a same-day service available to our customers by the end of this year."

As well as end of year targets, DPD are also planning to offer one hour delivery windows by 2014, which Winkelmann asserts "will set a new benchmark on the German parcels market".