Tuesday 26 November 2013

Sending a Parcel to New Zealand | Exporting Advice for SMEs

There are many reasons why UK residents may want to send a parcel to New Zealand. Since it is estimated that 70% of the Kiwi population has family links in the UK, it is not surprising that many British people send parcels to the Pacific nation for personal reasons. But as well as sending gifts to friends and loved ones, UK SMEs could also benefit from shipping to New Zealand for commercial purposes.

Due to historical links, cultural similarities, a shared language and comparable finance and legal systems, it can be relatively easy for British firms to grow through exporting to New Zealand. In addition to this though, New Zealand is an attractive market in its own right. If you haven't considered New Zealand as part of your export strategy, maybe the following information will make you think twice:

1. Demand for British Goods

Trade between the UK and New Zealand is strong: Britain counts itself among New Zealand's top five trade partners, and demand for British goods is high. Clothing, gift-ware and food and drink from the UK is especially popular in New Zealand.

2. New Zealand's Economy

New Zealand is a relatively small market, making it an ideal target for SMEs that are new to exporting. It's also closer to, and has important trade agreements with, many other important markets in the South Pacific and East Asia, including Australia, China and Japan.  If your export strategy is successful, New Zealand is a great location from which to develop it further.

3. What about the distance?

With over 11,000 miles as the crow flies between London and Wellington, it's understandably a daunting prospect for many SMEs to consider shipping to New Zealand. Fortunately, parcel delivery resellers such as Transglobal Express provide a valuable service to UK business, allowing them to book shipping services from major international carriers at a fraction of the price. Exporting to New Zealand can therefore be much cheaper than you expect. You can get a quick quote and compare prices via our website.

4. For More Information

The website of UK Trade & Investment provides lots of  invaluable information about exporting to, and doing business in, New Zealand. You can access a variety of reports and even arrange to speak to an export expert for your chosen market.

5. And finally...

New Zealand is a nice place!  It was recently deemed the least corrupt country in which to do business and (OK, so it's not directly related to export but...) the Maori name for New Zealand is often translated as "land of abiding day" - who wouldn't want to export there?

Friday 22 November 2013

"Too little appreciation" of parcel delivery services, says CEO of DPD

DPD in Germany recently announced its prices will rise by an average of 3.5% for business customers at the beginning of the new year. Similar to most businesses, carriers tend to report price increases in a way they hope might go unnoticed: quietly, apologetically and with an explanation of why exactly the price is going up. But although DPD has named wage and freight costs as the reason for the increase, they have not done so in a manner that anyone would describe as apologetic!
Arnold-Schroven-2_gallerypreviewbig.jpg
DPD CEO Arnold Schroven says there
is insufficient appreciation of parcel
delivery services.

Upon announcing the change, DPD CEO Arnold Schroven remarked that "the entire industry has a shared interest in counteracting the "something for nothing" mentality in parcel shipping" claiming that "there is often too little appreciation of the services we provide."

 DPD has expanded rapidly and introduced a variety of new services over the last decade including same-day delivery in Germany and specialised delivery options for both business and private customers.

In a statement about the price increase, the carrier claimed that stagnating prices in shipping had been accompanied by continually rising costs, and that it was time for the customers to absorb some of these prices as well as the carriers: "If there is an increase in road tolls these additional costs will have to be passed on to our customers too," said Shroven.

It's likely that most industries would claim their expertise and services are unappreciated, and many carriers will be supportive of Shroven's statements, but his comments could also be seen as quite insensitive. It's true that expectations of parcel delivery are high, and rightly so, but is it also true that we don't recognise the important work that carriers do? In our experience, most people  appreciate the services of major carriers such as DPD, DHLUPS and FedEx, but find that booking with them directly is too expensive as it is. That's why they book through a reseller such as Transglobal Express. You can beat the price increases by booking through us, and utilising the services and impressive networks of major carriers at a much lower price. Click here to get a quote and compare discounted prices today. And why not let us know what you think by commenting below? Is Shroven right to say that the customer is sometimes wrong? Or should DPD be helping business customers by continuing to absorb the increased freight costs?


Thursday 21 November 2013

DHL, UPS and TNT release third quarter results

The biggest door-to-door couriers have recently published their financial results for the third quarter. Highlights include: Deutsche Post DHL saw a 2.5% year-on-year fall in revenue but a 5.8% rise in profit and basic earnings per share; UPS increased revenue by 3.4% and package volume by 4.6% and TNT Express continues to see falls in its revenues and operating profit but gives positive reports of the progress of its Deliver!  improvement strategy.
UPS saw an impressive 3.4% increase in revenue and 4.6%
increase in package volume in the third quarter of 2013
DHL's strongest divisions were Mail and Express, which saw respective rises in operating profit of 6.1% and a massive 13.9%. Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL said the successful performance overall was owing to the company's "highly qualified, dedicated workforce.. excellent market position in global growth markets and ... unique global network."

UPS' strong Q3 performance was owing largely to the US domestic market, which saw significant increases in both revenue and profit. The International parcel delivery division saw revenue increase by 2.5% to $3 billion and daily package volume increase by 6.5%. Profits for the division nevertheless fell by $32 million year-on-year, which UPS said was due to a $75 million negative impact from currency and fuel.

TNT reported that the Americas and Europe Other performed well in the third quarter while Europe Main and Pacific regions experienced problems due to yield pressure and decline in weight per consignment. Overall, revenues fell by 6.6% to EUR 1.6 billion and adjusted operating income plunged 15.6% year-on-year. Commenting on the developments of the quarter, CEO Tex Gunning said "While some segments are showing better performance, overall trading conditions remain demanding and visibility limited. Our ultimate goal is to make TNT Express robust for the long term. We are therefore developing further initiatives to reinforce our market and operational positions.




Wednesday 20 November 2013

The Christmas rush begins! | Save money and time on your Christmas Shipping by following our Tips

A quick click of the Christmas Countdown Clock saved to my favourites reveals that there are only 34 days till Christmas! There's always a point in the run up to the big day when your mindset changes very quickly from secretly thinking that anyone who has bought their presents already is a super-organised control freak to outwardly panicking that you have done absolutely no shopping yet! Now is that time! And it's not just me. Our Customer Services staff have been anticipating the Christmas rush for a while - and the marked increase in orders in the last couple of weeks show that this has finally arrived.


Christmas Gifts 2
If you're shipping goods abroad this Christmas. Why not enlist the help of Transglobal Express to take away the stress, and to save you money? We offer international parcel delivery services to almost every destination worldwide, at up to 70% the price of top-name carriers such as DHL, UPS and TNT. As well as being faster, more reliable and more trackable than the post office, it could even be cheaper. 


We've got lots of Christmas tips on our website, including advice on packaging, transit and Christmas opening times for all of our carriers. Click here for more info or call us on 0845 145 1212 and we'll be happy to help you get your Christmas presents to your loved ones on time and in perfect condition!

In the meantime, we've provided our best tips here: 

We hate to be a Scrooge...

 ...and we love a Boots mini perfume set as much as anyone else, but perfumes, aerosols and aftershaves are not permitted on courier services due to them being a flammable hazard. Please don't send them! Give your Granddad socks instead of a Lynx deodorant set, and send your friend in the USA a good book rather than a bottle of Lady Gaga's new fragrance - she'll thank you for it in the long run!

Christmas Wrapping...

...can be as outlandish, fanciful and adorned with ribbons and bows as you like, but please don't forget that there's always a chance that customs officers reserve the right to open it to carry out an inspection. Our Top Tip? Make sure you give a decent description of what's in your gift on your Customs Invoice to minimise the likelihood of this happening. And please place your gifts inside a plain cardboard box so that your Shipping Labels can remain securely attached. 

Christmas Transit Times

Door to door courier services offer the fastest transit times available, and, unlike Royal Mail, these should not be too affected by the Christmas rush. Have a look at our Transit Times calculator to see how long your package will take to be delivered, and add an extra couple of days just to be on the safe side. Happy Shipping! 

Thursday 14 November 2013

"Exporting is GREAT" campaign kicks of UK Export Week

Are you thinking of growing your business by exporting abroad? This week is Export Week in the UK, and there are lots of opportunities for SMEs to learn more about exporting and access support. Marking the beginning of the seven day campaign, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) launched "Exporting is GREAT" on Monday, an initiative forming part of the larger "Business is GREAT" campaign that will promote the benefits and possibilities of international export to over 700,000 firms across the country. Its main aim is to promote the support currently available to SMEs.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said of the campaign: “British small and medium sized businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. Many are doing incredible things and selling their services and products abroad. But too many do not realise their global potential." The campaign is intended to help SMEs tap into this potential with a variety of tools. On the campaign website, SMEs can arrange to speak to an export advisor, read inspirational testimonials from successful export ventures and sign up for regular export-related newsletters. The campaign is expected to generate 3,000 appointments between UKTI and aspiring exporters and to drive £1.2 billion in additional export revenue.

Speaking at the launch of "Exporting is GREAT", Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green said “The UK’s future prosperity will not come from relying on domestic markets alone. Businesses excel with UKTI’s support and we want to make sure that UK firms are not just trading abroad but thriving there and competing with the best the rest of the world has to offer.” 















Wednesday 13 November 2013

DHL launches new Logistics Academy

Demonstrating a commitment to building capacity in the logistics sector, DHL Global Forwarding has recently launched a training program for the automotive industry aimed at the company's manufacturers, suppliers and customers. The Corporate Automotive Logistics Academy (CALA) was launched on 24th October 2013 and will roll out a modular training programme worldwide from next year.


 Each module on the programme entails a day of classes and workshops, complemented by additional opportunities for learning online, via a Virtual Learning Environment. There are currently two modules available, with an additional six planned for development in 2014. Current trends and strategies in automotive logistics is the subject of the first course.

Christiane Beimel, of  DHL Global Forwarding said that the programme is "an important component in the development of our Automotive Competence Centres."  Commenting on the nature of the new courses, she explained, "the systematic approach of the academy as well as the high practical relevance in combination with science is unique."

The programme was developed in partnership with BVL campus, the educational branch of German logistics association BVL. Thomas Whilmmer, Chairman of BVL's Executive Board said he was "firmly convinced that CALA .. will develop into an innovation platform for automotive logistics."

Monday 4 November 2013

Etihad Cargo reports Q3 growth of 41%

Continuing its recorded growth throughout 2013, Etihad Cargo, the freight division of UAE's national airline Etihad Airways, has recorded a significant surge in volume for the third quarter. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier moved 132,448 tonnes of freight from July-September - a year-on-year increase of 41% compared to 2012.

Freighter side shot
An Etihad freighter craft
Revenue did not lag far behind volume in terms of performance: the carrier saw year-on-year sales increase by 39% to $244 million. Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Cargo James Hogan commented that the growth "occurred in a climate of increasing capacity and ongoing price competition. It also compensated for the reduced travel during the holy month of Ramadan". 

Taking the year-to-date volume and revenue figures as a whole, cargo handled is up 30% and revenue up 26% compared to 2012. Etihad's success is one illustration of how, in what is globally a challenging time for air freight, the Middle Eastern region is one of the few markets experiencing growth. 

Friday 1 November 2013

TNT Express expands its low-carbon fleet in UK and Ireland

Good news for environmentally conscious UK shippers: TNT Express announced last week that its new fleet of collection and delivery vehicles across the UK and Ireland is much greener and more efficient! If you  regularly book UK parcel deliveries, it's likely that your parcels may have already been delivered in one of TNT's new vehicles, which have been undergoing a fleet renewal programme since late July 2013.

Alistair Cochrane, MD of TNT UK & Ireland, with the new low-carbon fleet
TNT has been replacing old vehicles as they reach the end of their operating life. 300 new delivery vans have been ordered, with 200 vehicles having been delivered to date. The  new delivery vans benefit from a more aerodynamic body design and reduced fuel consumption while still being able to carry the same volume of parcels. The new boy design reduces drag, and with the overall weight of each vehicle has been reduced by 200kg by the introduction of plastic to the body construction. 

Transglobal Express offer TNT delivery services at a fraction of the cost of booking with the carrier directly. Click here to get a quote and book your door-to-door courier service today!




FedEx is the first freight carrier to introduce Electric Vehicles in Latin America

FedEx Express, the express delivery branch of US-based FedEx Corp, has announced plans to add six electrically-powered delivery vehicles to its fleet in Brazil, making it the first freight carrier to introduce electric vehicles in Latin America. The vehicles - which will be delivering on the streets of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro from January 2014 - will be able to cover approximately 75 miles on a single charge.

The electrically-powered FedEx Kangoo Maxi ZE -
to be introduced in Brazil in  January 2014.
The introduction of the electric vehicles (EVs) is intended to contribute to FedEx Express' efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. So far, the company has introduced EVs into urban areas in six other countries: USA, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, China. From 2005-12 the introduction of these vehicles into the FedEx fleet has saved approvimately 528,000 gallons of fuel, and with the introduction of the vehicles in Hong Kong also imminent, FedEx have revised its initial energy efficiency goal from 20 to 30 percent improvement by 2020. 

Regional President of FedEx Express, Latin America commentedL "This is a milestone for the Latin American region, and we are excited to provide this type of vehicle to Brazil as part of our efforts to find cleaner, more efficient transportation solutions. We hope to be a catalyst in motivating other companies in the region to develop sustainability programs, as environmental responsibility is such an important part of doing business."

Source: FedEx

Special delivery! Nissan GT3 racing cars shipped to Japan by TNT Express

No stranger to special deliveries, Netherlands-based courier company TNT Express recently shipped two Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 racing vehicles from Daventry, UK to Yokokama, Japan. The cars, pictured below, were trucked from Daventry in Northamptonshire to Heathrow Airport and flown to Luxembourg Airport. From Luxembourg, the high-spec vehicles were air freighted to Narita International Airport fifty miles east of Tokyo before being delivered to their final destination in delivery vehicles specially designed for racing cars. 


TNT reported that one of the major challenges of the delivery was the necessity of extreme caution against shock: cases of bumper damage are not rare, they said, so in order to deliver the vehicles in pristine condition it was necessary to use specialised vehicles. 

The vehicles were prepared by leading UK motorsport company JRM and delivered at the request of NISMO, a subsidiary of Nissan, one of Japan's leading automobile companies. 

DHL kicks of Global "United Trophy Tour" with Manchester United FC

This Wednesday in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, twenty-times Premier League champions Manchester United FC commenced a global five month trophy tour. As the team's official logistics partner, German logistics giant DHL is responsible for the safe delivery of the trophy across the globe until February 2014. The coveted league trophy, pictured below with United's Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck and Robin Van Persie, will be transported to over 30 destination over 25 countries including Ecuador, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Russia and the UAE. As well as transporting the trophy, DHL will also be delivering artifacts from the Old Trafford Museum to United fans worldwide.  
Zoom


Group Managing Director for Manchester United, Richard Arnold commented: 'The 20th league title was a huge milestone in the history of the Club and the United Trophy Tour, delivered to the world by DHL, presents a fantastic opportunity to celebrate this achievement on a global scale."

John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express Europe said that the tour: 'provides us with an opportunity to showcase DHL's partnership with Manchester United to our customers and staff in each location and to celebrate the common factors that drive success in both sport and business. This tour builds on the success of the DHL Champ19ns Trophy Tour in the 2011/12 season, something DHL was incredibly proud to be part of.

DHL has long prided itself on its support of sport and of football in rugby in particular. As well as being the official logistics partner of MUFC, it recently announced it would have the same logistics responsibility for the Rugby World Cup 2015.