Other News (archive)

4 December 2013 - TNT Express has bought 61 new vehicles (44 trailers and 17 hangers) from Krone to replace part of its fleet in the Benelux. The new trailers are meant to reduce fuel consumption thanks to new technology.

Five of the new trailers come equipped with side wings designed by Wabco. Located along the bottom of the trailer, these side skirts improve air flow under the truck and reduce aerodynamic drag. Tests have shown they can allow a fuel-consumption reduction of 5%.

The efficiency of side wings is best when the trailer is used on long-haul operations and at full speed. When used on highways, they can deliver fuel-savings of up to 1.5 litres per 100 km. TNT Express will use the five new trailers for long-haul collection and delivery, for instance between Rotterdam and Liege. The company will consider their fuel effectiveness and decide on a possible wider use.

As an additional advantage, trailers fitted with side wings lessen the amount of splashing water during rain, thus improving the visibility of other motor vehicle drivers.

2 December 2013 - TNT Express is supporting the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) of Western Australia’s campaign to raise awareness about the consequences of inattention while driving. Murray Henderson, a driver from TNT Express’ Perth depot, test drove the RAC’s Attention Powered Car on the third leg of a 1100km road trip around southern Western Australia.

The Attention Powered Car is a specially prepared Hyundai i40. Its speed depends on the driver’s level of attention, which is measured by a neuro-technological headset designed by the company Emotiv. The headset monitors brain activity with 14 sensors detecting neural sleep patterns, eye and head movements, blink rate, and other indicators revealing the driver’s level of concentration on the road.

Murray was selected by the RAC due to his outstanding driving record with TNT Express as winner of the company’s 2012 national eco-driving challenge in Australia. “I’ve been driving for most of my professional life so I have seen what one second of inattention can do. That’s why I wanted to be a part of this campaign to raise awareness and potentially save lives,” he said.

According to the RAC, in 2012 inattention was responsible for 12% of all road fatalities in Western Australia.

Watch Murray driving the Attention Powered Car here.

20 November 2013 - TNT Express Benelux is introducing e-RMA (Return Material Authorisation), a web-based tool to help manufacturers optimise their return logistics processes. E-RMA is a web portal that allows end customers to arrange a return shipment easily, for instance when a product needs repair or replacement. The portal gives them easy access to TNT Express’ service logistics services. In particular, it enables to choose where and when a shipment will be picked up. TNT Express' customers can monitor the entire process - f rom the initial RMA request to the delivery of the package - in their own portal. The e-RMA solution enables greater control on inventory management - including repairs and replacements - by tracking products through the entire process. This helps reduce supply chain costs and increase customer satisfaction, by allowing faster repair or replacement services.

Ye Dokter, Service Account Manager EMEA of Logistics Team Asus: "TNT Express' RMA portal ensures fast and streamlined guidance of our return logistics. This is crucial for the service to our customers."               

E-RMA is available in the Benelux only. TNT Express offers customers a range of after market solutions globally within its service logistics product portfolio http://servicelogistics.tnt.com.

More information on e-RMA is available here.

Alistair Cochrane, Managing Director TNT UK & Ireland, with new low-carbon fleet

22 October 2013 - TNT Express Services UK & Ireland is renewing it fleet of collection and delivery vehicles. Featuring a more aerodynamic body design, the 300 new vehicles provide reduced fuel consumption without impacting the volume of goods being carried.

The fleet renewal programme began in late July 2013. Over the last two months the new low-carbon vehicles have been replacing old vehicles on a one to one basis as they come to the end of their operating life. A total of 261 7.5 tonne vehicles have been ordered from DAF, MAN and Iveco, with a further 39 12 tonne vehicles purchased from Iveco. To date, 200 new vehicles have been delivered.

The revision in body design has resulted in a sleeker, more aerodynamic body which reduces drag. The introduction of plastic to the body construction has also reduced the overall weight of the vehicle by 200kg. These improvements in both reduced drag and body weight will result in improved fuel consumption on a like for like basis.

17 October 2013 - TNT Express Japan has coordinated the delivery of two Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 racing cars from Daventry, England to Yokokama, Japan at the request of NISMO (Nissan Motorsport International Co-Ltd.). The cars were prepared by the UK motorsport company JRM under supervision from NISMO.

A subsidiary of Nissan Motor Co Ltd, one of Japan’s leading automobile companies, NISMO designs, develops and sells automobile parts for motorsports and stock cars. The company participates in both Japanese and overseas car races.

The two racing cars were trucked from JRM’s factory in Daventry to Luxembourg Airport via London’s Heathrow Airport. From Luxembourg, they were air freighted to Narita International Airport. After clearing Japanese customs, they were transhipped to a delivery vehicle designed for racing cars. Accompanied by TNT Express staff, the cars were safely delivered to destination.

Delivery of racing cars requires extreme caution against shock. Cases of bumper damage during shipping are not rare. TNT Express Japan successfully completed the delivery on time and without any damage.

15 October 2013 - TNT Express UK & Ireland received the Change Management Award from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in London. The award recognised the approach of TNT Express UK & Ireland’s Human Resources Department in 2012 when it supported the sales function in the structure and redesign of sales roles to respond to market and customer research. This project was initiated to enhance TNT Express’ services to customers by defining new customer segmentation classifications to enable a more tailored response to customer needs.

"This award reflects the successful change we have implemented, which has given a new impetus to the sales teams and provided a robust platform to grow our business. It has already delivered significant results in the first half of 2013, boosting sales performance, improving customer satisfaction and helping to increase employee engagement," says Alistair Cochrane, Managing Director TNT Express UK & Ireland.

The CIPD is the world's largest chartered HR and development professional association with more than 135,000 members.

4 October 2013 - TNT Express received Delphi Automotive’s 2012 “Above & Beyond” award, one of its Pinnacle Family of Awards. The award was presented by Sidney Johnson, Senior Vice President of Global Supply Management at Delphi in September at the Delphi Global Conference and Pinnacle Awards ceremony in Frankfurt, Germany. Celebrating seven years, this award recognises Delphi’s suppliers for special services beyond contractual obligations in the past year.

“Suppliers contribute to Delphi’s growth and success in so many ways – in collaborative efforts to eliminate waste; in cooperative projects to improve productivity; and in innovative methods to improve speed to market,” said Sidney Johnson. “TNT Express has demonstrated a high level of flexibility by supporting our customers and optimising our over-the-road transportation network. TNT Express has worked collaboratively with Delphi Logistics and Delphi Product & Service Solutions (DPSS) Sales, assuring transportation capacity and minimal transit time to fulfil customer orders.”

Delphi Automotive is a leading global supplier of electronics and technologies for automotive, commercial vehicle and other market segments. Operating major technical centers, manufacturing sites and customer support facilities in 32 countries, Delphi delivers real-world innovations that make products smarter and safer as well as more powerful and efficient.

Left: Matthew Pohlman, VP, Integrated Supply Chain - Global Supply Management
Middle: Ignacio Garat, Managing Director TNT Brasil
Right: Sidney Johnson, Senior VP Global Supply Management

10 September 2013 - TNT Express’ Special Services recently performed a particularly time-sensitive delivery for the German temperature sensor technology designer and manufacturer Thermokon, which required a personal delivery to a large cruise ship docked in Cadiz, Spain, from its headquarters in Mittenaar, Germany.

This delivery was a room temperature control device necessary to ensure a comfortable temperature throughout the vessel. Delivery was needed before noon the next day to enable the ship to embark on an extensive voyage across the Atlantic. It would not have been possible for the ship to make its entire voyage without the new sensor.

For Thermokon’s delivery, Special Services personnel at TNT Express Germany’s Siegen branch selected the product Special Express, using the TNT Express European Air Network with final delivery via TNT Express Special Services in Spain. The driver made the delivery to the ship mechanic in person for immediate installation.

“Our Special Services capabilities enabled this fast delivery while the ship was still docked – the ideal situation. But if for some reason we had not been able to deliver at the port, we would have delivered by helicopter at sea," notes Martin Reder, Director of Special Services & Value Added Services, TNT Express Germany. Special Services always offers the possibility of air delivery when necessary.

TNT Express’ Special Services portfolio is positioned to cover these types of complex deliveries with requirements that go beyond its network. Special Services includes a suite of Time Critical, Freight and Value-Added services for domestic and international destinations worldwide. “It’s a significant part of our business, an important add-on to our offer to customers, with tailored solutions for key vertical markets,” says Stuart Stobie, TNT Express Director of Special Services.

16 May 2013 - TNT Express is to transport twin panda brothers from Madrid to Chengdu, six years after bringing their parents from China to Spain. The 2.5 year old Po and De De are among the few pandas born in captivity outside China.

TNT Express’ special services teams have made thorough preparations to ensure a safe and comfortable journey, including customised routes and temperature controlled vehicles. Po and De De will leave Madrid on 16 May around 4:00 pm local time. They will board an air-conditioned truck that will take them to Amsterdam. They will then fly to Chengdu and spend a few hours at the airport before reaching their destination, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Delivery is scheduled for 18 May in the afternoon. A Madrid veterinarian will accompany the bears during the trip.

In September 2007, TNT Express transported Po and De De’s parents Hua Zuiba and Bing Xing from Chengdu to Madrid as part of a giant panda loan programme. The giant panda is listed as endangered in the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN’s) Red List of Threatened Animals. There are about 1600 left in the wild. About 341 giant pandas live in captivity (breeding centers and zoos), 44 live in zoos outside of China.

25 April 2013 - TNT Express delivered emergency x-ray equipment to Cameroon to help save a young gorilla that had been shot in the jungle by poachers. When TNT Express was called for help in the treatment of 10-year-old Shufai, who required vital surgery to his injured arm, the company’s Special Services division swung into action. TNT Express collected the specialist x-ray kit from the zoo in Warwickshire and flew it to Yaounde via Paris. Twycross Zoo turned to TNT Express because of its expertise in international deliveries of out-of-the-ordinary parcels.

The young gorilla, whose mother was killed by hunters, was rescued by conservation group Ape Action Africa. Three British vets, including Sharon Redrobe, Zoological Director at Twycross Zoo, flew to Mefou to operate on Shufai’s damaged arm.

Sharon said: "Pre-surgery x-rays on Shufai showed the damage to his wrist had worsened and soon after starting the operation we had to make the difficult decision to amputate his arm above the elbow. We wouldn’t have been able to establish the extent of the injury without the machine TNT kindly shipped for us.”

Shufai is now healing well from his surgery and he has even been spotted in the forest chest-beating with one arm.

28 January 2013 - TNT Express has started to use road trains between Helsingborg, Sweden, and Puttgarden, Germany, to lower fuel consumption and emissions. Each road train consists of a conventional tractor pulling one trailer and one "box". This is an efficient alternative to the three trucks previously used to travel the 200km distance. Next to cost savings, the result is better allocation of equipment and drivers, who can return home more often. Transit times and service levels remain untouched.

Before January 2013, TNT Express trucks loaded with freight for Norway and Sweden drove all the way from Arnhem (Netherlands) and Hannover (Germany) to Helsingborg, TNT Express' main hub for the Nordic countries. The vehicles and their drivers would take the ferry in Puttgarden before continuing northwards to Helsingborg, a 13 hours journey from Arnhem (one-way). Today, they stop in Puttgarden, swap trailers and boxes with the road trains coming from Helsingborg, and return to their home base by the end of the day.

Road trains are a common sight in Australia, the US and Canada. In Europe, they are being debated. Proponents of road trains say they reduce road congestion and pollution, as fewer vehicles transport the same amount of goods. Critics argue they affect road safety, damage roads and increase the share of road transport in freight movement. However, a study by Sweden's Transport Research Institute (TFK) in 2007 indicated that longer vehicles may actually improve traffic safety because they reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

Today most EU countries have limited the length of vehicle combinations to a maximum of 18.75 m. On the other hand, Scandinavian countries have been traditionally open to using long freight vehicle combinations, the longest of up to 25.25 m. The Netherlands have conducted several successful trials of so-called "Longer and Heavier Vehicles" since 2000.

22 January 2013 –  TNT Express has put four new de-icing trucks into service at its air hub in Liège, bringing its fleet to ten. The four new Vestergaard Elephant Beta vehicles allow TNT Express to de-ice its airplanes nearly fifty percent faster than last winter. TNT Express is now able to de-ice a Boeing 747 aircraft in only two minutes, using six trucks simultaneously. Most de-icing operations are performed on TNT Express' dedicated "de-icing zone", where three aircraft can be treated simultaneously. De-icing crews undergo several days of on-the-job and simulator training.