DHL Stars Faster Choices for Morning Delivery

DHL introduced faster delivery choices starting at nine in the morning to businesses in Europe. This new offer comes topped off with a money back guarantee.

The new service, titled “DHL Express 9:00” ensures deliveries to European destinations by nine in the morning, and is a good add on to the “DHL Express 10:30” packages to the US as well as the “DHL Express 12:00” to the USA, intra-Latin America and Europe.

DHL officials said the newly introduced morning delivery service is currently available in Latin America, Canada, and the Caribbean. It offers customers afternoon pick-up times as well as visibility and control over the definite time of delivery, real time web tracing, delivery and status notifications on email, coupled with security, safety, and reliability.

Roger Crook, CEO of DHL Express Americas says, “The digital influence on international trade drives quicker decisions, impatience, and subsequently extra emphasis on earlier deadlines. Customers can relax knowing that DHL has in-house customs expertise to expedite such mission critical deliveries, which fly ‘first class’ on our airplanes to keep important projects on tight deadlines.”

Statistics in the Latin Business Chronicle magazine indicate that import and exports from Latin American countries to Europe and the US grew in the double digits. The US stays on as the regions primary trading partnter, with imports to Latin America up by 9% and exports by 18.5%. Imports and exports to Europe also showed an upward trend with growth rates recorded at 9% and 11.6%, respectively.

Odyssey Logistics and Technology expands management dynamics usage

Odyssey Logistics and Technology Corporation (OL&T) recently increased the usage of its Management Dynamic’s transportation management offering in order to provide customers with better routing and rate options for international shipments.

This newly introduced initiative helps OL&T to manage its ocean service contracts centrally, including descriptions of every term with a rules engine to create ‘calculable contracts. It is fully incorporated with all carriers’ governing rules tariffs. This new solution not only evaluates potential routings from available bullet rates, but also to other more complex combinations such as outport arbitraries, alternate port-to-port rates, and inlands.

This move to expand on the use of Management Dynamics now helps users, who have little or no experience at all in pricing, to evaluate the full bottom line rates across a number of multiple service contracts, modes of transport, routings, and service levels.

Management Dynamics’ transportation management solution has also been incorporated into OL&T’s tech backbone, Odyssey Global Logistics PlatformSM. It uses an XML-based API allowing its users to check an ocean rate stored in its transportation management solution without ever having to leave OL&T’s system.

Nathan Pieri, SVP marketing and product management at Management Dynamics, said: “Logistics Providers must use specialized price management tools to improve sales productivity and better differentiate their services for shippers that are looking for detailed comparisons of equipment, routes, and rates. Odyssey Logistics is successfully using Transportation Management to support their international growth objectives and setting an example of how to exploit technology to build a winning edge.”

Deutsche Post DHL Establishes Sponsored ADR Program

In order to facilitate investment from American investors, Deutsche Post DHL is investing in a level one sponsored American depository receipt program, also known as an ADR program. Representing deposited ordinary shares, an ADR allows American investors to acquire a holding in Deutsche Post DHL through registered American securities.

Over the counter trading of Deutsche Post DHL ADR began during the first week of December, under the DPSGY symbol. A single ADR represents a single share of ordinary Deutsche Post DHL. The ordinary shares of the organization will continue to trade as normal on the German stock exchanges as well as the XETRA trading exchange. The trading of the ADR along with the settlements will take place OTC within the clearing system of the US. The ADR’s are traded in US$ and as such, all paid dividends will be paid in US$. In order to administer the program in the United States, Deutsche Post DHL has selected the depository bank New York Mellon.

Chief financial officer of Deutsche Post DHL, Larry Rosen said: “We are seeing significant interest in our stock from US investors with a considerable percentage of our shares already being held in the US market. The establishment of the ADR facility will support us in our efforts to further strengthen our relationship with US based shareholders and enable a broader range of investors to participate in the Group and its future development.”

The trading of the ADR along with the settlements will take place OTC within the clearing system of the US. The ADR’s are traded in US$ and as such, all paid dividends will be paid in US$. In order to administer the program in the United States, Deutsche Post DHL has selected the depository bank New York Mellon.

Kuehne + Nagel bags three-year contract from BMW South Africa

Kuehne and Nagel, a Swiss logistics corporation, bagged a three-year contract from BMW to manage the South African parts distribution center. They will run the center in Midrand, for the period of the contract. This is the distribution center that supplies parts to South Africa and five other neighboring countries.

This decision comes after Kuehne + Nagel secured the contract to handle a portion of the facility in late 2008. After the transition was successfully made, the BMW management team decided to outsource the remainder of the operation to Kuehne + Nagel. They will provide inbound, outbound, and reverse logistics for the operation.

They are contracted to provide shipping and receiving, packaging, inventory control, handle dangerous products, and add much valued services, such as key coding, and cutting. The entire facility will be for BMW parts exclusively, and used for logistics to supply parts to ten other facilities surrounding South Africa.

The facility they will take control of is owned by BMW and dominates approximately 16,500 square meters, and houses around 50 units for stock storage. After the present phase of implementation is completed, Kuehne + Nagel will work with BMW to improve and continue the supply chain already in place. They are hoping to improve the cost efficiency, and productivity, while introducing new tools like the Kuehne + Nagel productions, and pick-by-voice systems.

BMW and Kuehne + Nagel did the contract to cater to the Japanese after market demands that seem to be on the rise in the region.

Nurminen logistics acquires new heated transport container

Finnish-based Nurminen Logistics announced that it took delivery of Europe’s largest heated transport container. This move is most likely to strengthen the company’s range of heavy and special transport equipment.

The container, sitting atop a specially built transportation trailer, is approximately 17 meters long, three meters in width and height. Designed for transporting specially-coated rolls for paper machines, the container’s internal temperature is adjustable, depending on the requirements of each paper roll. The massive container can house even the largest 120-metric ton rolls.

The heater for the container is run on fuel oil, and the electricity it needs is drawn from the lorry, a ferry’s electrical grid or the normal electrical grid. Nurminen says the equipment is operable on its own batteries for up to two days.

The heated transport container can be used with several of Nurminen Logistics’ special transport trailers. It is basically transferred from one trailer to another with the use of hydraulic suspensions of the trailers – therefore, no separate cranes are necessary despite the size of the container. Forkor Oy made the heated transport container in Forssa, Finland

The heated transport container’s first task will be to transport six 71-metric ton rolls of Metso Paper, Inc. from their factory in Jyväskylä, Finland, to the new paper mill of a Metso customer in Germany. For this transportation, a 10-axle modular platform will be the base for the container, with a 4-axle tractor unit.

The company has 35 trailers in use, while the carrying capacity of the largest modular platform is 450 metric tons. Nurminen Logistics also has 14 trucks.

DHL open logistics center in the Phillipines

International Freighting Weekly reports that DHL has opened a new 40,000 square meter logistics center in Parañaque City in the Philippines. The Php40m (US$850,000) multiuser facility, is custom-built to suit the needs of major industries.

The newly opened logistics center will play provider to the spare parts logistics services for the technology and automotive sectors while a bundling area within the facility under development will address the requirements of the FMCG and retail sectors.

Olive Ramos, Country manager for DHL Supply Chain Philippines, said: “Through our investment in this the new facility, we hope to meet the needs of businesses in the Philippines by offering a wide array of world-class infrastructure and help our customers better manage their supply chains. The facility is also ideal for healthcare sector customers since it has an area with compartmentalised rooms designed that provides higher security for high-value products and facilitates ease of installation of temperature-controlled rooms for temperature-sensitive items.”

At the DHL 40th anniversary celebration this year, Frank Appel, CEO Deutsche Post DHL recounted DHL’s secret of success as the world’s leading express and logistics provider, “Our employees and customers have brought DHL to where it is today. Through them, we are determined to sustain our pioneering spirit, which for so many years has enabled us to offer solutions that help our customers reach their goals. By pro-actively and continuously encouraging innovative practical thinking, we are confident that we will overcome the current economic situation and are well-positioned to sustain our global market leadership – for now and for many more decades to come.”

DHL Opens Php40m Logistics Center in the Philippines

International Freighting Weekly reports that DHL has opened a new 40,000 square meter logistics centre in Parañaque City in the Philippines. The Php40m (US$850,000) multi-user facility according to the company, had been custom-built to suit the needs of major industries.

The newly opened logistics centre will play provider to the spare parts logistics services for the technology and automotive sectors while a bundling area within the facility is also expected to be developed in order to address the requirements of the FMCG and retail sectors.

Olive Ramos, Country manager for DHL Supply Chain Philippines, said: “Through our investment in this the new facility, we hope to meet the needs of businesses in the Philippines by offering a wide array of world-class infrastructure and help our customers better manage their supply chains. The facility is also ideal for healthcare sector customers since it has an area with compartmentalised rooms designed that provides higher security for high-value products and facilitates ease of installation of temperature-controlled rooms for temperature-sensitive items.

Recently on DHL’s 40th anniversary this year, Frank Appel, CEO Deutsche Post DHL recounted DHL’s secret of success as the world’s leading express and logistics provider, “Our employees and customers have brought DHL to where it is today. Through them, we are determined to sustain our pioneering spirit, which for so many years has enabled us to offer solutions that help our customers reach their goals. By pro-actively and continuously encouraging innovative practical thinking, we are confident that we will overcome the current economic situation and are well-positioned to sustain our global market leadership – for now and for many more decades to come.”

Toll to sign contract with Australian Department Defence

Toll Group, a provider of integrated logistics services concluded negotiations for the supplying of relocation services to the Australian Department of Defence. While final contractual issues are currently being resolved, the signing of the contract is expected to take place in the near future.

Toll Group Managing Director Paul Little announced that Toll Transitions was awarded the contract with the Department of Defence towards providing Removal Services (RS) and Relocation Administration Services (RAS). Toll Transitions is Toll Group’s specialist in relocations business. Little said the contract comprised of an initial five-year period, which would be followed by four one-year extensions, which of course would be at the discretion of the Department of Defence.

Removal Services (RS) is the movement of personal and household effects of Defence members, while Relocation Administration Services (RAS) deals with the coordination of Defence members’ relocations, which could include flights, temporary accommodation, allowances, reimbursements, etc.

Little added, “The initial five-year period is expected to generate revenues of more than $1 billion, and if the extensions are granted total revenue of around $2 billion would be expected. For the past 10 years Toll has provided Removal Services to the Australian Department of Defence. The inclusion of Relocation Administration Services into the contract is a significant addition and a further testament to the professionalism of the Toll Transitions team. Defence require over 22,000 removals and 23,000 relocations to be managed each year under this contract which is the largest of its type in Australia. The Tender win will entail substantial growth and opportunities for Toll Transitions with over 100 additional staff being recruited and a number of new offices being established around the country.”

FedEx introduces new next flight delivery service

International Freighting Weekly reports that FedEx recently introduced a new expedited next flight delivery service dedicated to customs-cleared, door-to-door international shipments. The new service offers the United Kingdom and Ireland connection close to 220 countries around the year.

Adam Psarianos, Operations Vice President of FedEx Express Northern Europe, said: “FedEx is in the business of delivering solutions to make customers’ lives easier and their businesses more profitable. We always focus on delivering the difference to our customers, and with FedEx International Next Flight we have an important additional service that will meet our customers’ most urgent shipping needs.”

FedEx says the newly launched service would cover critical, rushed shipments, out-of-hours pickups and deliveries, Friday pickups with weekend deliveries, and weekend pickups with Monday deliveries.
Customers using FedEx’s new service would benefit from pick-ups in as short a time span as one hour following a customer request, as well as enhanced tracking and notification, proof of delivery and delay, unlimited total shipment weight, and money-back guarantee for service failure.

Meanwhile, in celebration of the holiday season, FedEx has taken on the delivery packages for shoppers and non-profit organizations. Expanding on their year-round activities throughout November and December, the company will provide volunteer hours and in-kind delivery services around the globe.

Some of its annual activities that will take place this year as well include: transportation of thousands of real Christmas trees to Iraq for distribution at US military bases, special deliveries to organizations, children, and families across the US and Canada and similar support extended to charities and such events.