“Forward ever, backward never: onwards with Breaking Through”
POSTAL NEWS
No.34 -2018

Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector


Postal round up Day One Tuesday. April 24, 2018.
Overseas markets create 20% boom for SMEs, says Australia Post. April 24 , 2018.
AN Post Reports “Substantial Turnaround” And Return To Profitability. April 19, 2018.  
UPS Connects Retailers And 43 Million Consumers Via The UPS My Choice Deals Site. April 18, 2018
Trump orders review of Postal Service’s business model.
April 12,  2018.
   
Postal round up Day One Tuesday
April 24 2018
“This is your victory,” DGSP Terry Pullinger told CWU Postal Conference 2018 as he opened proceedings in Bournemouth this morning.
Fresh from the ground-breaking achievement of the Four Pillars and Pay National Agreement, delegates were in an upbeat and positive mood as they began their deliberations today.
And Terry’s curtain-raiser highlighted the remarkable transformation over the past couple of years, by reminding the audience of the “hard-line” position initially adopted by senior Royal Mail management back in 2016.
The business had proposed the abolition of a whole range of longstanding attendence and shift allowances, a sharp reduction in sick pay, the abolition of area delivery reps and a long list of other detrimental changes to terms and conditions.
“They thought it was the right time to take this union on – and we knew this would be the fight of our lives,” he said.
But, thanks to the “great spirit of unity, strength and determination,” that reps and members had shown throughout the Four Pillars campaign, the workers had prevailed, our DGSP continued.
And he paid tribute to the way that the whole union had come together and had “merged” traditional workplace organisational trade unionism with new media and digital communication.
“No-one’s doing it like we’re doing it,” he asserted, adding: “We are the greatest fighting union in this country.”
Looking forward, Terry urged delegates to “keep this spirit going,” telling them that the Four Pillars National Agreement provides the basis to “make this business grow as a great public service.
“And we’re in a position, like never before, to shape that positive future.”

As conference got down to business, training for our front line reps was a key theme of the early motions.
North East divisional rep Bob Maguire moved a proposition aiming to maximise the ability of our new reps to access the IR training that they need as quickly as possible after their appointments.
The motion, which was formally adopted by conference, seeks to expand the numbers of experienced CWU reps who can carry out and provide this training ground at a local level.

Occupational training was another subject which delegates addressed today, giving their full support to Manchester & District’s motion on the Apprenticeship Levy.
Moving the proposition, Claire Drummond highlighted the importance of ensuring that proper apprenticeships are set up across as many Royal Mail business units as possible, while London Postal Engineering delegate Cyril Onyejekwe also added his experienced opinion to the debate.

With the Four Pillars agreement set to herald a new culture in the workplace, other motions on training highlighted the end for raised awareness of stress and equality issues.
Portsmouth District Branch secretary Ruth Harris won the support of conference for a joint retraining review for managers and reps in these vital areas, while another motion calling for reps to be trained on how to assist members diagnosed with terminal illnesses also received sympathy from the hall.
The latter motion was not formally adopted, however, but Carl Maden, speaking for the executive, did give an assurance that an information factsheet would be issued to reps on this matter.

Still on the subject of the new workplace culture, Guest speakers Sophie Bell and Jonathan Stathan gave an interesting presentation to conference about Royal Mail mediation.
Both Sophie and Jonathan are CWU members and Royal Mail employees who are on full-time secondment as mediators, assisting efforts to resolve workplace issues before they turn into disputes.

Another pressing issue arising out of the new national agreement is the need to ensure our Property and Facilities workers are fully and equally included in the new pension arrangements.
London divisional rep Mark Palfrey moved a successful motion setting a September deadline to “secure an agreement that allows for these individuals to be treated the same as all other workers employed on Royal Mail Group.”
Mark insisted: “We have to send a strong signal to the business on this.”
Steve Hiscox, from Bristol & District Amal, and York & District Amal’s Tony Pedel moved similar propositions on weekend pay rates and Christmas bonuses respectively.

Source :  https://www.cwu.org/news

Overseas markets create 20% boom for SMEs, says Australia Post

April 24, 2018
Business is booming for Australian small businesses selling overseas, with exporters reporting almost 20% more turnover than their domestic-centric counterparts according to Australia Post’s new Small Business Exporting insights paper.
The findings reveal that reaching into international markets can benefit small businesses, with this group twice as likely to be planning for rapid expansion or to start a new business within the next 12 months.
Only 27% of all small businesses are currently selling to overseas customers, including just 11% sending parcels. The paper highlights the opportunities to be found in traditional and emerging international markets.
Rebecca Burrow, general manager for segment development and marketing for business and government at Australia Post, said, “It is estimated that there are more than 3.5 billion people across the globe who fit the middle-class profile, and this number is expected to grow by 160 million every year until 2021.
"In China especially, these consumers are highly receptive to Australian goods – so it is worthwhile for Australia’s small businesses to seek a slice of this international pie.
“China continues to open up to trade and is rapidly increasing its level of imports. Indonesia, one of the 10 fast-growing ASEAN countries, is right on our doorstep and will soon be the fourth biggest economy in the world. By 2030, four of the five biggest economies in the world will be in our region in Asia.
“It is encouraging to see that small businesses that aspire to sell overseas are starting to recognize the value to be found in non-English-speaking markets. In fact, this group is five times more likely to consider selling into China than anyone else.”
Data from the paper also found that 46% of exports from Australian small businesses go to the USA, 42% goes to New Zealand, and 38% to the UK. The most popular purchase is women’s apparel at 24%, with computer software and computer equipment placing second with 19%.
Burrows added, “Small businesses doing well abroad use digital marketplaces and focus on niches to maximize cost-effectiveness, and to do that they are also more likely to use professional services — like translators — to connect to their target market and get better bang for their buck. The research found that successful small businesses are actually twice as likely to use marketplaces to reach online customers.
“Australia Post has recognized the importance of these marketplaces and has some exciting partnerships that can help, such as with the TMall marketplace with Alibaba and a new partnership with Lazada – making it easier to reach hundreds of millions of customers.”



Source : http://www.postalandparceltechnologyinternational.com


AN Post Reports “Substantial Turnaround” And Return To Profitability

Apr 19, 2018
Ireland’s An Post has released its 2017 results following their approval by the Cabinet this week – and the company says they represent a “substantial turnaround” with a return to profitability and growth.
In a statement sent to Post&Parcel this morning (19 April), An Post said that the mid-year price increase to a €1 stamp, and “massively increased” parcel volumes offset the declined in traditional mail volume and brought revenues back to back to 2008 levels.
“With a loss of €12.4m in 2016,” said An Post, “New Era and PWC had forecast losses of €61m for An Post in 2017 if radical action were not taken. The mid-year price increases (20% average increase) combined with a reduction in costs and increased parcel revenues delivered a profit of €8.4m in 2017. Including gains from the sale of Cardiff Lane and a refinancing dividend from Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC of €9m, An Post had a profit before taxation of €49.6m in 2017.”
Following a strategy review with McKinsey & Co, An Post split into its two major businesses, the Mails & Parcels Service and the Post Office Network, which the company said is supporting its performance.
An Post has also relaunched and redesigned parcels service. According to An Post, the extension of the delivery service to Saturdays and late-night cut-offs has allowed the company to “regain significant share of the burgeoning parcels market and achieve 30% year-on year volume growth”.
Commenting on 2017 results, An Post CEO David McRedmond said: “An Post has achieved a substantial turnaround of its business to move back into growth and profit. With the restructuring into two core businesses, the reinvigoration of management, the collaboration with the staff and Unions, especially the CWU, and the backing of Government, the future is bright. An Post is the enabler of e-commerce, and will play an increasingly important role partnering the digital economy.”

Source: https://postandparcel.info


UPS Connects Retailers And 43 Million Consumers Via The UPS My Choice Deals Site

April 18, 2018
Today UPS announced the launch of its UPS My Choice Deals site offering retailers an exclusive platform to reach more than 43 million UPS My Choice members with special deals and discounts.
UPSMyChoiceDeals.com can be quickly and easily accessed by consumers via their UPS My Choice login.  UPS My Choice service offers more choice and control over package deliveries, and The UPS My Choice Deals site, which is the first non-shipping perk for UPS My Choice members, offers access to more than 500 special offers ranging from shopping discounts to cash back on eligible purchases.

“Online shoppers love to find a great deal and retailers want to provide distinctive offers. The UPS My Choice Deals site helps connect retailers and shoppers by providing a platform for great deals through a convenient member-exclusive marketplace,” said Jerome Roberts, UPS’s vice president of global product innovation. “Retailers benefit from access to the UPS My Choice membership base, including loyal, savvy online shoppers and coveted new customers. It can be a great tool to drive engagement and sales.

”Since its introduction in 2011, UPS My Choice service has quickly gained traction with shippers and consumers because it allows members to customize their deliveries to fit their specific needs. Consumers can receive estimated arrival and progress alerts, sign for a package in advance, set vacation holds or change a delivery address to their workplace, a neighbor’s home or a nearby UPS Access Point™ location. Members can also provide instructions for their UPS driver on where to leave their packages such as the back porch or side of the garage. To date, UPS My Choice service has been used to deliver more than 1 billion packages.

“UPS is committed to continuously improving the experience and benefits we provide to our UPS My Choice members,” said Stu Marcus, UPS vice president of customer technology marketing. “UPS My Choice Deals represents the first of what we expect to be more loyalty-focused innovations on the UPS My Choice platform, as we reward our members and add value to their experience when they do business with UPS.”

To sign up for UPS My Choice service and the new UPS My Choice Deals site, visit  ups.com/mychoice. Guests not logged in can use the deals site, but won’t have access to some deals or any cash-back offers. For retailers, the site offers affiliate marketing, a popular pay-for-performance form of digital advertising that carries minimal risk for buyer or seller. Companies interested in participating should contact their UPS sales representative or visit upsmychoicedeals.com and click on “suggest” in the upper right hand corner.

According to the UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper™ study, 45% of online shoppers say they enjoy hunting for and finding great deals. The e-tailer’s challenge is how to best engage with shoppers to fulfill their desires. The UPS study also revealed that 55% of online shoppers say a general incentive from a retailer is influential and 50% report an offer on a specific item is influential in their purchase decision.

Source:  https://www.ipc.be


Trump orders review of Postal Service’s business model
April 12. 2018
President Trump, who has assailed Amazon.com and falsely accused the online retail giant of cheating the U.S. Postal Service by taking advantage of bulk delivery rates, on Thursday night ordered a sweeping overhaul of the Postal Service’s business model.
Trump issued an executive order forming an administration task force, to be chaired by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and directed it to evaluate the Postal Service’s finances and operations. The order also directs the task force to issue a report outlining proposed changes within 120 days.
The order states that the Postal Service has incurred $65 billion of cumulative losses since the Great Recession ended in 2009 and that it must make changes so that it operates under “a sustainable business model.”
Trump’s order stipulates that “the steep decline in First-Class Mail volume, coupled with legal mandates that compel the USPS to incur substantial and inflexible costs, have resulted in a structural deficit where revenues are no longer sufficient to fund the pension liabilities and retiree health obligations owed to current employees.”
The order does not single out Amazon by name, but Trump has often railed against Amazon — in public and, more frequently, in private conversations with his advisers and friends — complaining about Jeffrey P. Bezos, the company’s billionaire founder and chief executive.
Trump’s advisers say his outbursts about Amazon often are triggered by what the president perceives as negative coverage of him by The Washington Post, which Bezos owns personally. The Post operates independently of Amazon, though Trump has falsely accused the newspaper of being a “lobbyist” for Amazon.
Trump has also griped to business friends, saying Amazon has a virtual monopoly on the retail industry and is hurting the bricks-and-mortar businesses, as well as the shopping malls that house them. Trump does not use a computer and does not shop online, advisers say.
Bezos has so far stayed out of the sniping match, declining to comment on Trump’s frustrations, though Post executives have explained the paper’s independence from Amazon and condemned the president for his false accusations.
Aides have repeatedly pointed out to Trump that the online retailer is not to blame for the Postal Service’s financial woes, but Trump has not assented. It was unclear why he abruptly ordered the review of the Postal Service, but he has gotten several briefings on the service in the past six months, aides say.
Thursday’s order marks the first official action by the Trump administration to potentially change the business structure of the Postal Service. Late last month, after Trump lashed out on Twitter about Amazon, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters told reporters, “We have no actions at this time.”

Source : https://www.washingtonpost.com

POSTAL NEWS
No.35 -2018

Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector



Swiss Post begins building a new regional parcel center in Cadenazzo. April 26, 2018.

DPD Creates New Jobs To Handle Growth In Weekend Deliveries. April 26, 2018.

FedEx to link Guangzhou and Memphis hubs.
    April 23 , 2018.

Spread the Word about CUPW’s Preschool Centre Child Care Project in Fredericton. April 20, 2018.

CTT Portugal takes top spot at IPC Drivers’ Challenge. April 19, 2018.
   

Swiss Post begins building a new regional parcel center in Cadenazzo

April 26 2018
The first of the three new regional parcel centers will be completed on the site of the existing distribution base in Cadenazzo (canton of Ticino) by the end of 2019.
The ground-breaking ceremony took place today to mark the beginning of the construction work. With the regional parcel center in Cadenazzo, Swiss Post is investing in the region and is making a clear commitment to Ticino as a location. In future, parcels will be processed directly in the region, so that transport distances can be reduced and parcels processed more quickly.
Swiss Post is building the first of three new regional parcel centers on the site of the existing distribution base in Cadenazzo, with construction to be completed by the end of 2019. The general contractor and investor is Stisa SA, which also owns the property. Swiss Post will occupy the building as a tenant in future. The project in Cadenazzo involves the construction of an industrial building with docking stations for lorries and delivery vans, as well as a parcel sorting plant which will be situated immediately next to the existing distribution base. The facility will have a sorting capacity of 8,000 parcels per hour. The new parcel center will therefore replace the existing distribution base.
“The new parcel center is a clear commitment to Ticino as a location, and will safeguard jobs and create added value in the region”, explains Susanne Ruoff, CEO of Swiss Post. “The investment, which is in the millions, makes sense not just from a logistics point of view. With online retailing on the rise, it is also important for ecological reasons that parcels for Ticino remain in Ticino instead of being transported to and from Härkingen. This will reduce transport time and part of the parcel logistics will be moved into the region,” affirms the CEO

Shorter distances – faster processing
Online retail is booming, and parcel volumes are constantly increasing. Last year, Swiss Post processed around 130 million parcels throughout Switzerland. This represents growth of 6.2 percent year-on-year. Swiss Post expects parcel volumes will continue to increase over the coming years. Moreover, customers now want to receive their parcels more and more quickly. This has led to a rapid rise in the number of priority parcels over the last few years. For this reason, Swiss Post is investing around 150 million francs in the construction of three new regional parcel centers in Cadenazzo, Untervaz (canton of Graubünden) und Vétroz (canton of Valais).
The construction of these regional parcel centers is an important step towards being able to handle the rising parcel volumes and to meet customer needs, even after 2020. Swiss Post expects additional parcel centers to follow in other regions over the next few years.
The new regional parcel centers will at the same time reduce the pressure on the three existing parcel centers in Daillens (canton of Vaud), Härkingen (canton of Solothurn) and Frauenfeld (canton of Thurgau). This is because consignments will be sorted and delivered in their respective regions, rather than transiting via the current parcel centers. This will also reduce transport distances.

Source: http://www.posteurop.org


DPD Creates New Jobs To Handle Growth In Weekend Deliveries.

April 26, 2018
DPD has announced over 700 new jobs in response to a rapid growth in Saturday and Sunday deliveries.
In a statement sent to Post&Parcel today (26 April), the company said that it had created the new employed role of part-time, dedicated weekend delivery driver, following a 40% increase in weekend parcel volumes in the last year.
DPD said that the expansion is due to the “general growth in e-tail traffic and more retailers promoting the option of weekend deliveries, with fashion and electronic devices two of the fastest growing sectors”.
The company said that it expected the number of dedicated weekend drivers to continue growing and it is planning for over 1,000 such drivers in 12 months time. In addition, DPD confirmed that 100 new warehouse jobs had been created in the firm’s regional depot network, to support the increased traffic.
Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO commented, “We’ve been amazed by the demand for our weekend service and we’re obviously delighted to be able to create more new jobs, as a result. We were the first major delivery company to offer a nationwide seven-day service, which gave us a real advantage, but this ongoing growth is yet another example of the march of UK e-tail.
“The increased demand for weekend deliveries is coming direct from the consumer. Online shoppers increasingly expect to get their goods the next day, regardless of when they make the purchase. We also find that many customers now specifically request a weekend delivery for goods like fashion and electronic devices where they want to be sure they are going to be at home to receive it. Retailers trust us to deliver these types of goods safely and professionally, and we’re investing in that part of our business to meet the demand and improve the service still further.
“Our proposition is really well suited to weekend deliveries. We don’t turn up out of the blue and interrupt your weekend. We deliver within a sensible time window and customers know in advance exactly when we are coming. They also have complete control over their delivery, with a wide range of options to choose from if they aren’t going to be at home.”
As previously reported, DPD recently announced a £150m investment to build Europe’s largest automated parcel hub in Hinckley, Leicestershire, creating a further 750 jobs. The new hub will be located close to junction 1 of the M69, two miles from the firm’s Hub 4 and International Gateway in Sketchley, which both opened in 2015. Hub 5 will be capable of handling 71,000 parcels an hour, increasing DPD’s total overnight parcel sorting capacity by 60%. Building work is likely to commence in October of this year and the facility should be operational by October 2020.



Source : https://postandparcel.info

FedEx to link Guangzhou and Memphis hubs


April 23 , 2018
FedEx Express has launched a new route connecting its Asia Pacific hub in Guangzhou with its global Memphis hub.
Initially, an MD-11 freighter is being used for the five-times-per-week route, but it will be replaced with a B777 freighter in May, to meet increasing shipping demand.
In April, the flight departing from Guangzhou stops in Osaka and Anchorage, but with the change of freighter in May, the Alaskan stop will be dropped on four of the five flights — the Saturday flight stops in Honolulu and Anchorage.
"As our business continues to develop across the Asia Pacific region, we constantly adjust our network and routings to better meet dynamic market needs,” said Karen Reddington, president, Asia Pacific, FedEx Express.
“Adding volume and a faster, more direct connection to our Memphis World Hub will give Asia Pacific businesses a stronger competitive advantage in connecting to customers in North America and beyond.“
The express operator said that Asia Pacific region is predicted to grow at a rate of 6.5% in 2018, 2% faster than the projected global growth rate, according to the World Economic Forum.
Meanwhile, Boeing forecasts that air cargo flowing from Asia to North America is expected to increase by 4.7% per year over the next 20 years.
In addition, 2017 saw Guangdong's total import and export value of goods grew by 8% year-on-year, while the total import and export value with the US grew by 10.4% year-on-year.
FedEx Express launched two new routes last year – one connecting Liège, Belgium and Memphis, with stops in Seattle, Anchorageand Shanghai and another linking Shanghai and Oakland.
Early this year, FedEx Express officially opened its FedEx Shanghai International Express and Cargo Hub, the second international hub in China.
Currently, FedEx operates more than 250 flights per week in China, with more than 160 of these flights going through the FedEx Asia hub.



Source : http://www.aircargonews.net/news

Spread the Word about CUPW’s Preschool Centre Child Care Project in Fredericton

April 20 2018
Take five and watch “In Good Hands” to learn about the child care project you and members of your local have access to in Fredericton!
CUPW believes child care is a collective responsibility and an important equity issue. It’s not fair to expect parents to have to deal with finding and paying for high-quality early childhood care and education on their own.
When families have high-quality child care that meets their needs, they can go to work with peace of mind knowing they are providing their children with a good start. Women in particular need good, dependable child care so that they can enter into and remain in the workforce, and participate fully in family life and in their union.
Knowing that you’re part of a union that cares about family life is really important because as much as you try to separate work life and family life – they overlap.
-- Christie, Parent
The CUPW Child Care Fund has been supporting our members in Fredericton to access high quality child care at The Preschool Centre since 2007. CUPW members will be given priority on the centres waiting list and a small fee subsidy to help with the cost.
To learn more about your child care project and how to apply contact your local executive or go to the CUPW National website http://cupw.ca/child-care to download a copy of the child care brochure related to your project.

Source : http://www.cupw.ca


CTT Portugal takes top spot at IPC Drivers’ Challenge

April 19th, 2018
This year’s host, CTT Portugal, made full use of the home advantage to claim first place at the 2018 IPC Drivers’ Challenge.
From April 17-18, the best postal drivers from across Europe competed against one another in a series of tasks designed to promote sustainable driving while also testing agility, speed and consistency.
This year’s event took place at the Autódromo do Estoril in sunny Portugal, famous for its affinity with the late Ayrton Senna and as the home of F1’s Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996.
Participants from 11 teams took part in five challenges across two days, including a theory test, daily vehicle check and safety inspection, agility test, eco-driving challenge, and a new component for this year’s event – the electric driving efficiency and delivery test.
“As electric vehicles are gaining more and more ground in the postal sector, we deemed it necessary to integrate it in the competition," explained Luis Paulo, director sustainability and environment, CTT Portugal Post. "For some drivers, it presented a new experience, to execute an entire delivery route in an electric vehicle, while others had already some experience and could advise their colleagues on how to perform better. This learning element in another key advantage of the IPC Drivers’ Challenge. Teams get the chance to discover new aspects of their jobs, and take this experience home to put into real-life practice.”

In spite of temperatures of more than 23ºC, the CTT team kept a cool head, posting the best times in the agility and eco-driving challenges to come out on top. They were closely followed by bpost’s MSO Transport team – runner-up at the last event in Spa in 2016 – with the 2016 winners, Posti Group, coming third.
Commenting on the CTT partnership, Holger Winklbauer, CEO at IPC, said, “CTT has been excellent to work with. The company participated last year and very modestly took note of bpost’s efforts at Spa-Francorchamps and was able to replicate the quality of event and perhaps even improve on things thanks to the wonderful weather. Now we have a new host and a new round to think about when considering future destinations.”

Show time
Now in its fifth installment, the IPC Drivers’ Challenge encourages postal organizations around the world to come together every 18 months and learn, apply and promote the best techniques and technologies in sustainable driving.
This year’s posts included An Post, Ireland; Correos, Spain; CTT, Portugal; Le Groupe La Poste, France; Posten Norge, Norway; Posti Group, Finland; PostNord, Sweden; and two teams each from bpost, Belgium, and PostNL, Netherlands.
Each team puts forward two postal employees, a navigator and a driver, who switch places for various challenges. All participants are also paired with an experienced mentor with the necessary language skills to assist non-English-speaking teams.
Day one kicks off with a briefing followed by four hours of practice sessions. The teams then end the day with a multiple-choice theory exam based on sustainability facts and figures and eco-driving techniques taught throughout the day. The results of the theory test account for 10% of the team’s overall score.
For the main event, the teams were split into two groups, with group B undertaking the eco-drive and agility test, and group A performing the electric delivery test and daily driver/safety checks. The tasks were then switched between the groups halfway through the day.
For the eco-drive, teams had to complete two laps of the track before switching drivers and completing another two laps. The team then heads out onto the local residential streets, again switching drivers halfway. Teams are deducted points for factors such as heavy acceleration and braking, which are monitored using a Frotcom telematics module attached to the delivery vans. Teams also lose points for any missed deliveries.
For the agility test, participants had five minutes to complete a slalom containing nine different hurdles. Some of the more challenging tasks included a reverse slalom and performing a 360° turn within a confined space. Drivers were assessed on the narrowest of margins and were docked points for additional time, seeking assistance and hitting the obstacles. Together, the two challenges contributed to 60% of the overall score.
Elsewhere, the three-part driver and safety check accounted for 10% of the overall score and involved undertaking a tire change in under seven minutes; performing daily driver checks such as monitoring tire pressure and oil; and completing a European Accident Statement.
The newest component of the Drivers’ Challenge, the electric driving efficiency and delivery test, follows the same routine as the eco-drive, with four laps of the track and the drivers switching halfway. The team then headed out onto the local residential streets to perform a number of dummy deliveries. The scoring is based on the kilowatt-hour consumption measured by the onboard computer and the distance traveled. The number of correct deliveries is also taken into account. The electric driving test accounts for the final 20% of the total score.
Commenting on the new electric vehicle test, Paul McMahon and Anthony Wall at An Post, said, “For us, the challenge with driving the diesel vans is mastering the gear stick being on the opposite side to what we’re used to. The electric vans pose a different problem as it’s all about how economically you can use them. You have to think ahead to avoid any unnecessary braking or power drainage.”

More than just a race
The IPC Drivers’ Challenge is an important event in the postal and logistics calendar and is highly anticipated by industry professionals, who enjoy the opportunity to interact and network with fellow peers. For delivery drivers, the event is seen as a chance to demonstrate their skills and celebrate, share and learn the latest techniques in sustainable driving. However, the event also serves as a vehicle to showcase the latest sustainable technologies and promote the sustainable efforts and benefits made by IPC’s member organizations.
“As well as being something that’s nice to do, the event has quickly become an important way to engage in discussions around environmental sustainability and profitability,” explained Winklbauer. “The Drivers’ Challenge is part of IPC’s overall EMMS environmental program, and we are able to say that this program has saved our participating posts more than €400m (US$493m) on fuel in the past eight years and more than €1bn (US$1.2bn) in electricity over the same period. This includes posts in Brazil and South Africa.“The Drivers’ Challenge is important as it’s an engagement tool and represents the tip of the iceberg of a pyramid of activities, starting in the depot, before spreading regionally among employees and eventually going national, sometimes even international. It offers engagement and recognition for the postal workers, but it’s also about profitability for the posts, who at the end of the day look to save money. Being part of the IPC members group is one way to achieve these goals.”



Source : http://www.postalandparceltechnologyinternational.com