PostNL press releases

Women prefer to be given a card or chocolates on Valentines Day

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:35:00 +0100

The Hague – Eight out of ten women find that a little surprise, like a card with loving words or a box of chocolates, is the nicest thing to receive on Valentines Day. This fact emerged from PostNL’s research into Valentine gift giving behaviour. Over half of Dutch men (63%) said that they plan to give their sweetheart (or secret sweetheart) a little something on 14 February. Most of these men (36%) go to a shop to buy a present, but don’t spend that much time selecting this. One in four really go out shopping to find just the right gift. The same percentage prefer speed and convenience, buying the gift online.

96.1% mail delivery quality makes 2011 one of best years

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:30:00 +0100

The Hague - The quality of consumer mail delivery in 2011 has achieved one of its highest in over 20 years scores with 96.1%. By law, PostNL must score at least 95% for the standard overnight delivery services within the Netherlands. This concerns the mail deposited in PostNL’s public postboxes. As a rule, these items must be delivered the next working day.

Beautiful Netherlands stamp sheetlet celebrates historic Dutch country houses

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:15:00 +0100

The Hague – Today PostNL is presenting two stamp sheetlets featuring historic Dutch country houses. 2012 is the Year of the Historic Country House, charming cultural heritage sites that are being celebrated by PostNL with the issue of stamp sheetlets Beautiful Netherlands Mattemburgh and Amstenrade. These heritage residences, surrounded by gardens or parks, were built between the 17th and 19th century by wealthy city dwellers in nearby countryside locations.

Boudewijn de Groot stamp plays greatest hit

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100

The Hague – January 1967 saw the launch of the single Land van Maas en Waal from the LP Voor de Overlevenden by popular Dutch singer-songwriter Boudewijn de Groot. Now, 45 years on, PostNL is issuing a stamp that lets you listen to his greatest hit using a smartphone.

PostNL issues Red Cross stamp on the theme first aid

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0100

The Hague – PostNL today issued Red Cross stamps on the theme of first aid. By purchasing these stamps people will help the Red Cross increase awareness of first aid in the Netherlands. The stamp sheetlet contains a special QR code that smart phone users can scan to download the Netherlands Red Cross’ first aid app for free. The app ensures that you always have the information you need to help a casualty.

PostNL helps SMEs collect invoice payments faster

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100

The Hague – PostNL is helping small and medium sized enterprises collect invoice payments faster by means of a free online tool. More and more SMEs are having difficulty collecting invoice payments, with at least 1 billion euros being lost each year due to uncollectible invoices. Not being able to collect invoice payments is the major cause of one in four insolvencies in the Netherlands. Also, 60% of SMEs have customers who do not pay or who pay too late.

PostNL’s delivery location in Ede, Lunteren, Oosterbeek, Renkum and Wageningen to close

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0100

The Hague - On 16 January 2012, PostNL will be closing its delivery location in Ede, Lunteren, Oosterbeek, Renkum and Wageningen. This closure is part of the previously announced reorganisation at PostNL. The company will be closing all its delivery locations in phases between early 2012 and the autumn of 2013. PostNL has been forced to make drastic changes to its operations in response to changing customer needs and the sharp decrease in postal volumes.

PostNL’s delivery location in Houten to close

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0100

The Hague – On 16 January 2012, PostNL will be closing its delivery location in Houten. This closure is part of the previously announced reorganisation at PostNL. The company will be closing all its delivery locations in phases between early 2012 and the autumn of 2013. PostNL has been forced to make drastic changes to its operations in response to changing customer needs and the sharp decrease in postal volumes.

ESA astronaut André Kuipers uses PostNL to send Emma world’s first postcard from space

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100

The Hague / Noordwijk / Badhoevedorp – ESA astronaut André Kuipers has sent the world’s first ever postcard from space using PostNL’s KaartWereld.nl. André Kuipers sent Emma’s card from the International Space Station (ISS), in orbit 400 kilometres above the Earth, to celebrate her eleventh birthday. On the postcard, which features a photo André took himself from the ISS, he wishes Emma a happy birthday. Emma suffers from Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, or MPS VI, a rare chronic degenerative disease.

PostNL launches first Personal Stamps for Europe and World

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0100

The Hague / Amstelveen - PostNL today introduced its first Personal Stamps for the destinations Europe and World, featuring KLM’s coveted miniature Delftware houses. Ger Jacobs, PostNL’s Commercial Director, today presented these unique stamps to Harm Kreulen, Director of KLM Netherlands, at the “Lane of KLM Houses” at the airline’s headquarters in Amstelveen. PostNL launched its Personal Stamps eight years ago, but until now they could only be used for addresses in the Netherlands.

PostNL intercepts large series of counterfeit stamps sold through websites

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0100

PostNL has intercepted a large series of counterfeit postage stamps offered through public websites for a price well under face value. PostNL could have incurred several million euro in damage. PostNL’s authenticity recognition system identifies the counterfeit stamps after which shipment of the postal item will be stopped. Under Article 216 of the Dutch Criminal Code, anyone who counterfeits postage stamps or uses counterfeit postage stamps can be sent to prison for up to six years.

PostNL reaches final agreement on CLA for mail deliverers

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0100

The Hague – PostNL has reached agreement with trade union BVPP on a new collective labour agreement (CLA) for mail deliverers. The CLA offers higher pay to employees who remain with PostNL as mail deliverers for a longer period. The starting salary follows the trend in the minimum wage. Mail deliverers can now also take unpaid leave.

Unique stamp sheetlet and collection of postcards of PostNL to mark ESA astronaut André Kuipers' PromISSe Mission

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:15:00 +0100

The Hague – To mark ESA astronaut André Kuipers' PromISSe mission, PostNL composed a unique collection of space postcards and stamp sheetlet in cooperation with the European Space Agency. The first postcard was formally handed over to Franco Ongaro, Director of ESTEC, by Guido de Wit, Director E-Commerce PostNL Data and Document Management at the launch event in the Space Expo in Noordwijk on 21 December.

PostNL must reduce pension contributions

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

The Hague – PostNL will commence talks with its pension funds to discuss ways to reduce its pension contributions. There are concerns that pension contributions may rise by hundreds of millions of euros over the coming years as a result of the lower coverage ratios caused primarily by the low interest rate. PostNL feels it would be imprudent to pay the additional hundreds of millions under the present operating conditions.

Third of Dutch people happiest at Christmas

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0100

The Hague - According to research by PostNL, a third of Dutch people are happier during Christmas than at any other time of the year. Now Saint Nicholas has left the country, the Dutch are pulling out the stops in the run-up to Christmas. Decorating homes, hanging up lights around town and getting ready to celebrate the festive season with family and friends: the Netherlands is looking forward to Christmas! PostNL carried out a survey into the Christmas spirit and people’s preparations leading up to the postal operator’s busiest time of the year, which sees 160 to 170 million Christmas cards being sent.

PostNL’s MijnPakket service: A personal overview of all your online purchases (in time for your Christmas shopping too!)

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:00:00 +0100

PostNL is introducing “MijnPakket” (My Parcel), a new service giving online shoppers greater control and choice for orders that will be delivered by PostNL Parcels. MijnPakket gives shoppers an overview of all their online purchases. The new service also stores address and delivery preferences so that online shoppers no longer need to fill in those details for every webshop individually. This makes purchasing online even easier.

Negative price spiral on German mail market to end

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0100

The Hague / Ratingen - The High Administrative Court has confirmed the ruling of the Bundesnetzagentur against Deutsche Post and First Mail yesterday. With immediate effect Deutsche Post must stop its anticompetitive behaviour through its budget subsidiary First Mail. This outcome stops the destructive negative price spiral and is an important step on the path to break even of TNT Post Germany in 2013.

Netwerk VSP to discontinue addressed mail

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:30:00 +0100

Netwerk VSP, part of PostNL, has decided to discontinue its activities on the addressed mail market as of 17 December 2011. The current mail market and the economic circumstances offer insufficient perspective to continue these activities profitably in the longer term.

Q3 2011 results PostNL

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0100

The Hague

The social function of the local shop in the year 2011

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0100

Despite the increasing popularity of Internet shopping, 98% of Dutch people still find it important that there are shops close to where they live. Almost everyone visits a local shop at least once a week. A quarter of those questioned even visit on a daily basis. The fact that the shop is close by was given as the main reason for the number of visits (56%). In the run-up to the opening of the 2600th post office, PostNL has carried out research into the social function of local shops. The research carried out by the postal operator, which has the largest retail network in the Netherlands, has shown that people are still receiving personal service quite literally around the corner from where they live. For almost a quarter of the respondents social contact was the main reason for continuing to visit the shop around the corner.

Cooking like a master chef for the children of Malawi

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:45:00 +0100

Amsterdam - Yesterday in Restaurant De Kas, the first copies of Master Chefs for Home Chefs part 5 were presented to Marco Selva of the World Food Programme (WFP) and to master chefs Ronald Kunis, Ramon Beuk and Jeroen de Zeeuw. Marco Selva said, “It’s really wonderful that all the chefs keep giving a recipe to the cookbook each year. It’s a great success. This is the fifth year now and everyone still works on it for free, which makes us very happy”. Master Chefs for Home Chefs will be in the shops from 16 October, World Food Day. The book is extra special because for each copy sold, a child in Malawi receives 40 meals through WFP’s school meals programme.

Stamps in 2012: featuring the Bosatlas and special country houses

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0100

The Hague – In the first half of 2012, PostNL will be issuing a stamp sheetlet celebrating the most widely used of Dutch school atlases, the Bosatlas. This sheetlet is being issued on the occasion of the publication of the new Bosatlas in 2012, and in recognition of the changes happening in the world, society and education. Since its first appearance in 1877, the Bosatlas has helped determine how generations of Dutch people see the world.

PostNL sells 51% share in Telepost S.p.A. to Manutencoop Facility Management S.p.A.

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0100

PostNL has finalized the agreement to sell its 51% share in Telepost S.p.A. to one of the co-shareholders in the company, Manutencoop Facility Management S.p.A.. Telepost S.p.A. provides a wide range of mailroom activities and related value added office services to its customers in Italy.

World premiere: Golden Earring stamp you can listen to with smartphone

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +0100

Today, at the Historical Museum of The Hague, PostNL presented the first postage stamp with music. This stamp was issued in honour of the 50th anniversary of the legendary Dutch band Golden Earring. When a smartphone with a special app is held up to the music stamp, Golden Earring’s “Radar Love” plays. This stamp is the first in a series of music stamps with real sound highlighting the greatest pop albums ever released in the Netherlands. PostNL is the first in the world with this concept. Band member and co-founder Rinus Gerritsen accepted the first sheetlet from PostNL Commercial Director Ger Jacobs.

PostNL and Randstad / Tempo-Team get to work on forming innovative Job Company

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:00:00 +0100

New PostNL rates from 1 January 2012

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:30:00 +0100

The Hague – PostNL will introduce new stamp rates from 1 January 2012. This change falls within the legal limits for price increases and has been reviewed by the supervisory authority. On 1 January 2012 new rates will take effect for mail items sent within the Netherlands and from the Netherlands to other European countries. The basic domestic rate for letters in the Netherlands will increase by four euro-cents to 50 euro-cents. For mail to European destinations the basic rate for letters will increase to 85 euro-cents, a six euro cents rise. The rate for mail being sent outside Europe will remain at its present 95 euro-cents. The tariff for single item parcels will not change per 1 January 2012. With these new rates, PostNL continues to charge one of the lowest postage rates in Europe (see enclosure).

PostNL awarded global Supersector Leader in Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:45:00 +0100

PostNL was awarded Supersector Leader for Industrial Goods and Services of the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). This was the conclusion from the annual review performed by SAM, a sustainability investment specialist, which assessed the sustainability performance of listed companies on various economic, environmental and social criteria. PostNL will be included in the DJSI Europe and DJSI World, comprising of 342 companies that represent the top 10% of leading sustainability companies.

All Brochures on Internet

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:55:00 +0100

Folders.nl was launched today. This website offers retailers the opportunity to digitally offer their brochure in addition to the physical distribution. This initiative of PostNL and Netwerk VSP provides an overview of virtually all advertising brochures issued in the Netherlands.

New “Going green” stamp series presented to sustainable sailors

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:00:00 +0100

On Thursday 1 September in Enkhuizen, North Holland, PostNL presented the new series of stamps entitled “Going green” to the sailors Florian Dirkse and Arjen van Eijk, who completed a sustainable round-the-world sailing trip lasting two years.