Cheap Parcel Service & Quality? – Getting The Balance Right

When choosing a parcel service, most of us are guided by price. As with many things cheap parcel services can offer great or little quality. The key is to recognise warning signs and check for certain criteria before making the booking. 

Step 1 – Check for transit liability & terms and conditions

• High quality parcel service providers will offer customers a standard liability up to 50 GBP. They may also offer enhanced transit liability, which will cover you against any extra loss or damage. That way you can ensure that you will receive compensation in case anything happens to your shipment.

Step 2 – Which carriers will transport my consignment?

• As the customer you can and should expect to be given full transparency over your parcel delivery. This also includes information about the carriers who will ship your parcels. A  good courier service will have the details about each courier service provider available on their website. 

Step 3 – Can I expect any surcharges?

• Again, information about surcharges should be easily accessible from the website and clearly displayed during the booking process. For example if your collections or delivery address was located in a remote area.

• It may happen that you have to pay for surcharges due to having tried to ship restricted items, or if you have provided incorrect details about the size, weight or length of your shipment. You may be debited for these surcharges at a later stage. For this reason, it is always a good idea to measure your consignment twice in its final packaging as well as to check back with your courier service and customs office, should you send a parcel abroad.

Step 4 – What about collection times?

• Standard parcel services do not guarantee collections as the driver may have a large amount of parcels to collect on the day of your collection. Depending on the carrier, you will be given three hour windows or specific collection periods. 

• You can contact your courier service’s customer service team and ask them to follow up on the failed collection, should the driver fail to collect your parcel within those hours. Be aware that compensation will not be given in these situations.

Step 5 – What about delivery times?

• When requesting your quote, you will be shown an overview of estimated transit times. This can vary depending on customs, bank holidays, outstanding charges etc. However, a good courier will endeavour to deliver your consignment as quickly as possible. 

Step 6 – How do I book a cheap parcel service?

• Independent courier service providers such as the Transglobal Express Ltd. offer discounted rates of up to 67 percent with leading carriers including DHL, UPS, TNT, FedEx and DPD. Their cheap parcel services underlie high quality standards and offer you a great deal of flexibility with regards to speed of delivery and your budget. 

• You can book online and request a free quote at TransglobalPremium.co.uk – no registration necessary until you decide to  book!

Image c/o 123rf.com

Kuehne + Nagel extends air freight services for perishable goods

Logo c/o iscea.celeonet.fr

Kuehne + Nagel, one of the world’s leading logistics solutions and air freight service providers, today announced the extension of its perishables logistics network via its acquisition of Perishable International Transportation (PIT). 

“Following the general expansion of our perishables logistics business in Australia, Europe and South America, the acquisition of Perishable International Transportation allows us to grow these activities in North America”, said Tim Scharwarth, Executive Vice President Air Logistics, Kuehne + Nagel International AG.

PIT has handled and transported fresh and frozen perishable goods via since 1991. It is currently located at Vancouver International Airport allowing it to take advantage of later cut-off and shorter transit times, which are particularly important for the transport of fruits and vegetables.

Schawarth hopes that the purchase will benefit its air freight services, particularly in the Canadian market.

Source: Kuehne + Nagel

DPD introduces “Total Zero” - free carbon neutral shipping

From now on, DPD customers will have their parcels shipped carbon neutral via Total Zero. The new carbon neutral commitment will initially be available to private and business customers in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, BeLux and Switzerland. 

“We are proud and exited to officially launch Total Zero in these six markets. DPD have been preparing for this moment for some time now and I am sure that our customers will be delighted to know that we are now delivering carbon neutral parcels at no extra charge”, said John Acton, MD of DPD & Executive Vice-President of GeoPost S.A.

The new DPD courier service commitment benefits from a triple mechanism which measures and reduces the emitted carbon and subsequently offsets it. GeoPost’s partner, the French offset company, CDC Climat, will help with the carbon offsetting by supporting international projects such as reforestations in Columbia. 

Action is convinced that DPD’s environment friendly courier services and CO2 offsetting initiatives will mark “an exciting new chapter in our company’s history and we hope that carbon neutral shipping at zero cost will one day become the standard across the industry.”

DPD anticipate to make Total Zero available in additional destinations across Europe in 2013.



Sources: DPD & YouTube

FedEx Express to add 19 Boeing 767s to its air freight fleet

Image c/o aviationnews.eu

FedEx Express, one of the world largest air freight services providers, is planning on adding 19 B767-300 aircraft, sold by The Boeing Company, to its fleet. This way the company aims to increase its efficiency levels and technology.

“FedEx Express is positioning itself for more profitable growth by modernizing its aircraft fleet and better aligning its U.S. domestic air network to match current and anticipated shipment volumes”, said David J Bronczek, president and chief executive officer, FedEx Express.

Two out of four Boeing 777s will be converted to 767s in 2016, the rest in the following year. The air freight services company currently operates 19 long-range Boing 777s freighters but may increase the fleet to a total of 24 aircraft.

President and CEO Ray Conner explained the decision to purchase further 767s as follows: “FedEx Express is the world’s largest express transportation company. This order of additional 767 Freighters by FedEx reinforces the value of the airplane’s capabilities in the market today and tomorrow.” 

Apart from improvements in shipment volumes, FedEx Express also hopes that its latest purchase will help to reduce its operating cost by 20 percent whilst increasing its fuel efficiency by at least 30 percent.

Source: FedEx Express

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

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 26^th 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

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 

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 27^th June at 6.30am and last until 6.29am on 30^th 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 4^th July until 6.29am on 7^th 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

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). 

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 19^th 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 15^th June; talks between TNT Express shareholders will continue on 6^th August whilst the offer period will commence on 22^nd June 2012.

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

Source: UPS / TNT Express