Other News (archive)

16 December 2011 – TNT Express reinforces its presence in central-western France with the opening of a new depot in Poitiers. Several medical, aeronautics, textile and agricultural firms are located in the area. TNT has been active in Poitiers and the Vienne County for ten years, serving more than 160 companies, such as outdoor clothing maker Aigle International. Built in eight months, the new 1400 sq meter depot is twice the size of the previous one. It is also located closer to TNT’s largest regional customers. The depot's size and automated sorting equipment will enable TNT to process 30 percent more parcels per day. The Poitiers depot will mostly handle domestic consignments. It is connected through a road network to TNT’s 120 other sorting and distribution facilities in France.

TNT opens new facility in Moscow

15 December 2011 – TNT Express has opened a new storage, sorting and delivery facility in Moscow. Located at Troitse-Lykovo, within the Moscow ring, 30 minutes away from Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports, the 11,000 sq m facility will enable TNT to make faster deliveries and pick-ups for companies in the Moscow area. Compared with TNT’s previous Moscow depot, it allows to handle more domestic and international consignments in less time. The depot is connected to TNT’s international air network by five weekly flights to the TNT hub in Liege, Belgium. It also enjoys good road connections, with easy access to the Novorizhskoye highway. Other enhancements include loading docks with automated loading and unloading equipment and an extensive security system.

TNT opens regional security command centre in Singapore

6 December 2011 – TNT Express opened its regional security command centre in Singapore on 5 December. This facility will monitor trucks and goods moving on TNT's Asia Road Network, which connects Singapore to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and China. Operational 24/7, the centre has direct communication with customs and police authorities in these countries. TNT uses GPS technology and vehicle CCTV cameras to track its trucks and improve key operations like loading and unloading.

Apprenticeships boost for TNT UK

2 December 2011 – UK Business Secretary Vince Cable visited TNT Express’ depot in Bodmin, Cornwall, on 1 December. He announced that TNT would be among the 250 companies eligible to benefit from £18.7m government funding for advanced apprenticeships. Thanks to the funding TNT will offer apprenticeships at its Bodmin site, as well as other depots around the UK. Malcolm Pickup, head of people performance and developmentat TNT, said: "Our higher level apprenticeships will offer school leavers the opportunity to earn while they learn using workplace learning effectively and provide an alternative to the traditional university-based approach. On completion of successful pilots it is planned to provide these opportunities throughout the UK." TNT Express employs nearly 10,000 people in the UK, one of its largest markets in Europe.

TNT Express renews contract with Ikea in Saudi Arabia

31 October 2011 – TNT Express has extended its partnership with home furnishings company Ikea in Saudi Arabia. Under the contract, TNT u

ndertakes the delivery and assembly of furniture and kitchens for Ikea’s customers in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The service provided by TNT includes: in-store customer service staff to handle delivery requests, warehouses to stage flat pack furniture, more than 35 dedicated vehicles, a trained assembly and delivery team. TNT Express has also managed the distribution and delivery of IKEA’s catalogues in Saudi Arabia for twelve years.

TNT Express renews Czech AEO certification

Certification

25 October 2011 – TNT Express Czech Republic has been re-certified by the Czech customs authorities as Authorised Economic Operator (AEO). The AEO status is granted to companies that meet EU standards of supply chain security. Being AEO certified brings several benefits to transport companies, such as priority customs clearance and fewer inspections at EU member states’ borders. This allows for a faster movement of customers’ goods across Europe.

TNT Express extends Saarland depot

19 October 2011 – TNT Express has expanded its Saarland depot, located at St. Ingbert, about 10 km from Saarbrücken, Germany. The extension took place between April and October. It resulted in the addition of five loading docks, a 25 per cent increase in dock space and a 16 per cent increase in office space.
The development was needed to increase efficiency, speed up loading operations and offer more space to employees. Sixty two staff and five trainees work there. TNT Express employs a total of 4,000 people in Germany, where it provides both national and international deliveries. The company’s German unit (www.tnt.de) has depots or offices in 31 locations and operates a fleet of 1,800 vehicles on average.

TNT Express wins BioKryo contract

17 October 2011 - TNT Express has been awarded a contract from the German biotechnology company BioKryo to handle the international transport of high value biological samples to the company’s storage facility in Sulzbach.

A branch of the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT), BioKryo specialises in the long-time storage of bio samples, such as stem cells and tissues, using cutting edge cryotechnology (very low-temperature conservation). BioKryo keeps samples in a secure environment for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

To transport the samples safely, TNT will use its “Clinical Express” suite of services for the healthcare industry, including temperature-controlled packaging and dry shipper containers that keep the bio samples frozen during transportation.

TNT Express to recognise top European drivers

5 October 2011 - TNT Express' best drivers from 13 countries will compete tomorrow at La Ferté-Gaucher race track in France during the European finals of the "Drive Me Challenge".

Yet speed isn’t what matters most. The competition will test drivers in their ability to combine customer service, safety and fuel efficiency. Participants will drive Peugeot Boxer L2H2 vans around a course that recreates real world tasks, such as collecting and delivering multiple parcels under tight deadlines.

Geoff Gittings, from TNT Express Services UK & Ireland, is returning for a third year.
He said: "We are not being asked to do anything different to what we do day in, day out whether you’re a driver, forklift truck operator or a loading bay officer. There might be added pressure because we are being judged, but there really is nothing to lose."

Over the last four years, the "Drive Me Challenge" has made TNT drivers more aware of their role in cutting fuel costs and pleasing customers.

Geoff, who progressed to the Drive Me Challenge Final after winning the UK Operational Excellence Competition last month, explained: "The Drive Me challenge makes you aware of things you might not notice during your normal everyday duties and it enables me to concentrate on the weaker parts of my driving."

Good driving practices make a huge difference. The winner of the 2010 European edition, a Dutchman, used 53% less fuel than the lowest ranked contender.

TNT Express opens new head office

TNT Centre

29 September 2011 - TNT Express today officially opens its new head office in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. Designed by architects Paul de Ruiter and Odette Ex, the "TNT Centre" is the first office building in the Netherlands to comply with future EU regulations (2020) on energy-neutral buildings. It actually produces more power than it consumes. The six-storey building was developed between 2007 and 2011 by a consortium of Triodos Bank, OVG Real Estate and TNT, using sustainable lighting, ventilation and construction techniques. TNT Express’ head office is located just 10 minutes from Amsterdam’s international Schiphol airport. It is also close to the company’s main European road and air hubs in the Netherlands and Belgium.

TNT Express offers new domestic service in Spain

27 September 2011 - TNT Express has launched a new next-day delivery service in Spain called "Express Plus." The service guarantees delivery anywhere in the country by end of next business day. It fills a niche between TNT’s range of next day, time-definite delivery services such as "9:00 Express", "10:00 Express" and "12:00 Express", and the slower "Express" service (guaranteed delivery within 24-48 hours). The "Express Plus" service will particularly appeal to customers in the healthcare and high-tech aftermarket sectors. It comes with a money-back guarantee of transportation service and automatic notification of delivery. TNT Express operates 1,400 line-hauls and local delivery routes across Spain.

TNT Express renews contract with online retailer Cdiscount

13 September 2011 - TNT Express has renewed its contract with Cdiscount, France’s largest online retailer, as exclusive express delivery partner until 2013. The agreement coincides with the launch of Cdiscount’s new service called “Autoroute Express” (“Express Highway”). Digital orders are delivered within 24 hours of the order being placed, either at the customer’s home or at the closest Relais Colis® (a network of relay points where individuals can collect their parcel). For orders made before 11 am, deliveries will arrive the next day before 1.00 pm. Cdiscount offers 100,000 products in categories including music, games, books, DVDs, electronics, household appliances, clothing, wine, luggage and toys. Its website cdiscount.com has 800,000 visitors a day and 10 million customers. The French online retailer handles an average of 30,000 orders a day and up to 75,000 around the December holiday season.

TNT Express appoints Gerry Power as head of Indian unit

Management

12 September 2011 - TNT Express has appointed Gerry Power as its Managing Director for India. Based in TNT India’s head office in Bangalore, Gerry will report to TNT Asia Pacific Managing Director Michael Drake. Gerry began his career with TNT Express in 1985 and has risen through the ranks over his 26 year career with the company. Prior to his current appointment, Gerry was the Managing Director of TNT Malaysia (and Brunei), Vietnam and Indochina. He was also the Operations Director for TNT in Asia. Gerry has held several senior management positions in UK, Amsterdam, Europe and Asia, giving him a broad experience across the business.

TNT Express exceeds female board quota

Management

8 September 2011 - TNT Express is the only listed company on the Amsterdam stock exchange to meet the 30 per cent female boardroom quota adopted by the Netherlands, which will become legally binding from January 2012. Women currently account for 38 per cent of executive and supervisory board members of TNT Express, compared to an average of 9.2 per cent in average for Dutch listed companies. This is one of the conclusions of the "Dutch Female Board Index 2011", which was published today by Mijntje Lückerath-Rovers, a professor of corporate governance at Nyenrode Business University. According to the survey, more than half of the Dutch listed companies (55 per cent) still do not have any female board member.

TNT Express starts electric shuttle service

TNT Centre

21 July 2011 - The head office of TNT Express has introduced an electric van shuttle service powered by the energy produced by its own building. TNT’s new Fiat Scudo will transport customers and employees between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and the company’s head office in Hoofddorp, a distance of 6 miles (10 km). The van will make about 8 round trips a day. The electric Fiat Scudo can transport 7 passengers on distances up to 81 miles (130 km), with a top speed of 100 km/h. The first customers who used the service said they appreciated the van’s comfort and the ability to make a quiet phone call. TNT drivers said the Scudo was very pleasant to drive. The charging station is located in the company’s underground parking lot.

TNT Express Saudi Arabia receives SA8000 certification

Corporate Responsibility

5 July 2011 - TNT Express Saudi Arabia has achieved certification to the SA8000 standard, an international benchmark for the ethical management of human resources. IQNet conducted the assessment. Auditors visited TNT’s offices and warehouses in Jeddah and Dhahra. They interviewed employees and reviewed TNT’s human resources procedures of the past three years.

The SA8000 standard aims to improve working conditions (e.g. health and safety, freedom of association, fair pay practices) around the world. TNT Express is the first company in Saudi Arabia to have achieved the certification.

TNT Express Russia named Best Logistics Express Operator

23 June 2011 - TNT Express has been named Russia's "Best Logistics Express Operator" at the 2011 edition of the "Logistics Operator of Russia", a nationwide evaluation of logistics services providers. TNT was also named one of the "top 15 leaders" of the Russian logistics services market. The recognitions were presented in Moscow on 9 June.

The "Logistics Operator of Russia" evaluation is supported by the Russian Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Since its creation in 2002, it has helped identify bottlenecks and solutions in the Russian logistics industry. About 100 international and national companies, including integrators, freight forwarders, trucking companies, take part in the annual rating. Assessment criteria include: business stability, transparency, quality of logistics services, relevance to the market, quality of infrastructure, brand awareness and business reputation. TNT Express has offered international and domestic delivery services to, from and within Russia since 1989. The company employs about 800 people in the country and operates 13 main depots in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok, Kaliningrad, Samara, Nizhniy Novgorod, Irkutsk, Kazan, Khabarovsk, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar and Novosibirsk.

TNT Express launches free tracker app for smartphones

7 June 2011 - TNT Express has recently launched its mobile tracking app for iPhones, Android and Windows Mobile. TNT Express customers around the world can now track their international consignments at all times, via a simple click on their smartphones. TNT Express is considering adding more features to its mobile service, including price quotes, and the option to arrange and re-arrange deliveries.
The app can be downloaded for free here.

TNT Express listing receives wide international media coverage

Media

27 May 2011 - The listing of TNT Express on NYSE Euronext Amsterdam received wide coverage in international and national media, including the Financial Times, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Les Echos, het Financieele Dagblad and TV broadcaster RTL Z.
The Financial Times says that “TNT Express is now free to grow. The company already runs the largest private mail network in China – which generates one-fifth of it revenues – and its Brazilian business has plenty of room for improvement.”
The French newspaper Les Echos says that TNT Express “has made an eponymous start on the Amsterdam stock exchange (+9.7 percent compared with the reference price).”
Handelsblatt in Germany says that "TNT is aiming to extend its leading position in the European road and air transportation market (market share: 18 percent)."
In addition, the Dutch newspapers de Telegraaf, NRC Next, de Volkskrant, Trouw, het Financieele Dagblad, NRC Handelsblad published portraits of CEO Marie-Christine Lombard, CFO Bernard Bot and TNT Express drivers at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.

TNT Express France and Adrexo Colis sign commercial partnership

Partnership Alliance

26 May 2011 - TNT Express France and Adrexo Colis have formed a commercial partnership to strengthen their respective domestic B2C parcel delivery businesses. As of June 2011, TNT Express France will market Adrexo Colis’ home parcel delivery services with 48/72 hour guarantee. This offering is primarily aimed at merchant websites. It will complement TNT’s existing B2C express delivery services within 24 hours. On the operational side, Adrexo Colis will rely on TNT Express France to deliver consignments in areas not covered by its own network.

TNT introduces new shipping service to and from Laos

12 April 2011 - TNT Express is making its internationally popular Economy Express service available to and from Laos. Economy Express provides businesses with a day-definite, customs-cleared, door-to-door delivery service for shipments weighing up to 500 kg (non palletized). Delivery is guaranteed within 2-5 working days, depending on the origin and destination. The Lao economy is projected to grow by 7.5 percent in 2011 (source: IMF, October 2010). This expansion is driven by infrastructure investments, mining, hydro power exports to Thailand and garment production. Thailand, China and Vietnam are the country’s main trading partners. Typical shipments to Laos include machinery, mobile phones and telecom equipment like fibre optic cables, used to develop the country’s infrastructure. TNT has been active in Laos since 2004.

TNT Express delivers with electric vehicle in the centre of The Hague

5 April 2011 - TNT Express Benelux operates an electric vehicle of the type COMS for transporting consignments within the heart of The Hague since March 30. The use of the COMS vehicle is part of a test which was launched by TNT Express Benelux and the Louwman Group. The COMS is allowed to use the bike lanes in the Netherlands, making its deployment more versatile. It has a payload of 100kg, achieves a maximum speed of 45 km / h and has a reach of about 50 kilometers. The Louwman Group is one of the largest and most respected automotive groups in the Netherlands and is also active in Sweden and Denmark.

TNT Express voted best life science logistics service provider

1 April 2011 - TNT was voted by customers as the “Best Life Science Logistics Service Provider” during the BioPharma Asia Convention 2011 (16-19 March), the largest exhibition in Asia for the biopharma industry. The award recognises companies that deliver excellent service to life sciences professionals. TNT Express provides specific distribution and storage services to support drug discovery, drug and medical devices development, as well as clinical trials, both in Asia and abroad. TNT’s “Life Sciences Express Hub” in Singapore is the nerve centre of TNT’s regional healthcare and cold chain management activities. The hub connects to Asian and European destinations by a combination of air and road. For instance, TNT operates one of its own B747-400s between Singapore and Liege and runs a scheduled road network from Singapore to China. Using TNT’s healthcare solutions, a customer that ships products to thirteen Asia Pacific countries has been able to cut delivery times by a factor of 8.

TNT Express Germany celebrates 20 years of cooperation with Motorola

Partnership Alliance

31 March 2011 - TNT Express Germany and Motorola are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their cooperation. The express service provider transports 80 percent of the technology company's export shipments in the radio transceiver section. Over the years, TNT Express Germany continuously developed new services tailored to Motorola's needs. "Special requirements are part of our business. TNT Express has always found a successful solution. That is one of the reasons for our many years of loyalty to TNT", said Richard Friedlander, Motorola's Logistics Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Most consignments are picked up at or delivered to the Distribution Center for Europe, Middle East and Africa in Alsdorf and the European Radio Support Center in Berlin. Motorola relocated its repair centre for radio transceivers from Taunusstein to Berlin in 2003. The Distribution Center moved to Alsdorf in 2008. What didn't change was the service provider.

TNT Express Germany receives special award for customer focus

29 March 2011 - TNT Express won a special award at "Germany's most customer-oriented service provider" ranking 2011 organised by key financial newspaper Handelsblatt, St. Gallen University's Institute of Insurance Economics and rating agency ServiceRating. Rewarding TNT Express Germany in the category 'commercialisation,' the jury recognised the company for offering its customers the best added value for money in Germany. "This distinction proves our strong customer focus and confirms that we are recognised by the market as a transportation service provider with a high level of service quality,” said Thomas Kraus, Managing Director TNT Express Germany. TNT Express took receipt of the award during a ceremony near Munich last week.

Droplet shaped trailers increase fuel efficiency with up to 12 percent

18 March 2011 – TNT Express has ordered another five fuel-saving Cheetah Fastbacks trailers from Cartwright Group, in addition to the two bought in 2010. Tests by TNT Express over the recent months showed that the aerodynamic design of the Fastbacks helps cut fuel costs by up to 12 percent. The new trailers will mainly be used between Arnhem and Switzerland as well as on the route Vienna-Milan-Northampton.

TNT Express adds electric vehicles to China fleet

17 March 2011 – TNT Express is adding four electric vehicles to its fleet in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou. The vans were designed and manufactured locally by Zotye Auto. They come equipped with a quick charge technology that allows to refill the electric battery in less than two hours. Each van can run up to 120 kilometres on a full charge and has a maximum load of 300 kg. China plans to put more than a million electric vehicles onto the road each year. Hangzhou is one of the 25 Chinese cities chosen to pilot energy-saving vehicles. TNT Express introduced five electric vehicles into its Shanghai fleet in September 2010.

New TNT air hub in Dubai

8 March 2011 - TNT Express has inaugurated its new air cargo handling facility at Dubai International Airport during a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports. The new 2,500m2 hub will allow TNT to process additional volumes of cargo with the benefit of close on site cooperation with both Dubai Police and Customs authorities. The opening is part of TNT’s expansion in the Middle East, centred from its regional headquarters in Dubai, UAE. “TNT’s volumes on our freight network between Europe and the UAE have grown by over 30 per cent in 2010 and the timing of expanding the hub was to allow us to further support and accelerate volume growth,” said Bryan Moulds, Regional Managing Director for TNT Middle East said. “This is a complementary step in enhancing our connectivity in the Middle East, alongside investment in enhanced handling facilities in Dubai, Jebel Ali and our Middle East Road Network.”

TNT Express opens flagship Australian depot