SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL. No. 499 SERVICE MANAGEMENT vol THE POLISH POSTAL MARKET IN THE LIGHT OF LIBERALISATION

Transcription

1 SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL No. 499 SERVICE MANAGEMENT vol ANNA DRAB-KUROWSKA University of Szczecin THE POLISH POSTAL MARKET IN THE LIGHT OF LIBERALISATION Introduction A market of postal services has been developing very intensive for many years. On the one hand it is the result of progressive liberalisation of the postal market. For courier companies it means that Polish Post will not be a privileged entity any more. On the other hand there may be observed the increase of clients requirements with respect to offered services. At present, clients expect a flexible offer of courier services, adapted for their needs. The price is no longer the most important determinant of logistic operator choice. Instead of price clients appreciate quality, which consist of speed, punctuality and safety in the realised courier services. Courier services are a particular group of postal services, running by specialized companies. Ordinary postal network can be a base for fast delivering mail in accordance with a standard of courier services. Barriers for Polish Post and for many of its equivalents in other countries are still: the size of this institution and its small flexibility, in part resulting from possessing monopoly, so a lack of a competition. Since 1995 the market of courier services, especially sending letters weighting over 2000 g as well as express parcels, have been opened to other economic entities after fulfilling certain conditions. The Polish postal service market - analysis The Polish postal service market develops dynamically; for many years the growth, according to particular segments, has been from a few to between ten and twenty percents in a year. Analysis of the number of postal operators in years indicates that here have been over 4,5 times increase in the number of registered alternative operators. The biggest increase in relation to the previous year was noticed in 2006 about 44 operators. In the table 1 there is presented the number of postal operators that were in registered UKE in The structure of ownership of postal operators is differentiated. Among 31 postal operators registered in 2001 a foreign capital was involved in 15 entities running their activity on a base of permission or an application. Analysis of postal operators functioning on the market in 2006 indicates that a foreign capital is in 14 entities. In 12 from them 100% shares (or almost 100%)

2 10 Anna Drab-Kurowska Table 1. The number of operators in UKE register Year Number of registered postal operators Increase in number of operators in UKE register in Percentage growth in relation to the previous year relation to the previous year % % % % % Source: Evaluation of the postal market in Department of Postal Market, UKE Report June possess: German capital (RGW EXPRESS), German-French (Masterlink), Dutch (TNT, GLS, DHL), American (Federal Express Poland, World Courier), Belgian (UPS), Cypriot (Cargoforte), Maltese (Siódemka), Cypriot-Maltese (Integer.pl SA) as well as a capital from Luxemburg (Pro Direct). On the market there are three operators functioning, in which significant number of shares is indirectly possessed by operators from other countries; they are: DHL Deutsche Post AG (Germany), Masterlink La Poste (France), TNT TPG Post (Holland). The table 2 presents significant public operators with participation of foreign capital in Table 2. Alternative operators with a foreign capital on the Polish postal market in 2006 Operator Foreign investor Origin of capital participation 1. Cargoforte Marco Logistic Ltd. Cyprus 100% 2. DHL Express (Poland) DHL Worldwide Express BV Germany 100%. 3. Federal Express Poland Federal Express Europe INC USA 100% 4. General Logistic System Therab B.V. Holland 100%. GLS International Holding BV 5. INTEGER.pl SA Siódemka Holding Ltd. Malta, Cyprus 99% 6. Masterlink Express GEOPOST INTERNATIONAL France, Germany 100% 7. Pro Direct DD Publishing SA Luxemburg 100% 8. RGW EXPRESS Private person Germany 100% 9. Siódemka Lack of data Malta 99,99% 10. TNT TNT SCYPAK HOLDINGS BV Holland 100% 11. World Courier (Poland) World Courier Group INC. USA 100% 12. UPS Poland with MS United Parcel Service Belgium 100% Stolica Belgium NV 13. X-press Couriers SOURCE A/S Denmark 100% 14. Delta Trans Transporte Lack of data Germany 20% Source: own elaboration on a base of data gained from operators as well as UKE. A present partition of the courier market in Poland is created by some main tendencies: a progressive consolidation of the market, a fast increase of sales in some middle companies, bigger and bigger participation of tele-informative technology in creating the product offer as well as increasing participation of outsourcing in a sale. According to sales data from 2006 a partition of

3 The polish postal market 11 the courier market was following: DHL - 35%, UPS 23%, Masterlink 9%, GLS 10%, Opek 6%, TNT 4%, Siódemka 6% and others 7%. Opek 6% Siódemka 6% TNT 4% Others 7% DHL 35% Masterlink 9% GLS 10% UPS 23% Figure 1. Participation of identified alternative operators and Polish Post in a market of express mail in 2006 Source: B. Trochymiak: Polish courier market dominated big companies running activity in a global scale. Newspaper Law 2007, No. 99. The courier services - analysis Courier post offers fast sending of documents, trade (shopping) samples, small and precious devices, car and computer parts. Courier companies also offer special terms of transport, what allows sending food, media of data, medicines, live animals, ect. Courier companies, in order to better realize clients expectations, widen their offer by import services, forwarding services and elements of logistic services. Therefore, the border of partition between firms of courier branch and other entities connected with transport, forwarding and logistics effaces very slowly. A main advantage of courier services except the speed of delivering mail is the possibility of sending anything, of any measurements and by required conditions of transport. The table 3 presents the offers of courier post. Table 3. Offers of courier post definitive time of delivery logistic e-biznes DHL * * * GLS * SCHENKER * UPS * * * X PRESS COURIER DPD * * * Source: own elaboration.

4 12 Anna Drab-Kurowska Directions of development of the courier service market in Poland Development of the courier service market takes place in some precisely defined directions, which in the nearest future will be in the interest area of logistic firms. The most noticed trend is investing in a service development in order to make possible the expansion on the new areas as well as gaining new clients. It should be emphasised that logistic services together with the chain delivery management can be offered only by those firms, which have the most modern technological and computer infrastructure. The conclusion is that at present the infrastructure in a logistics plays decisive role in branch development, because the newest solutions make more efficient this what is the most important effective management of information. Globalisation causes that firms that want to develop on the national market, must be strong also on European and world market. In this way operate the leading firms on the courier market. It is the result of the nature of marketing rules and also this branch character. Good examples are these big courier and logistic firms: DHL, UPS TNT, GLS Poland, and Schenker. There can be observed a tendency to gaining geographic markets by buying, taking over or merging with other firms. These actions are forced by globalization as well as by the necessity of possessing overnational network, what in logistics and transport is necessary. German DHL is unquestionably a market leader. It owns its position to a skilful market strategy, which consist in early entering to a market, taking over good national firms as well as a global marketing policy. The merging of firms is also reflected in a similar process taking place in branding sphere: the national brands are being replaced by global brands. The first taking over on the courier market took place in 2003, when DHL took over Servisco. In December 2004 there was the integration of two firms: Spedpol and Schenker (both with limited liability company). Next consolidation took place in 2005 between UPS and Messenger Service Stolica SA. Moreover, Masterlink was replaced by the overnational DPD brand (GeoPost French group). The Dutch X-press Couriers was created on a base of X-press Bikers bicycle couriers firm. Below there are precisely presented those leading courier firms that had taken over other companies on the Polish postal market in the period of DHL Express The DHL Express brand was first introduced on the Polish market on April 1 st Two companies, Servisco a leader in road express mail as well as DHL International a leader in express airmail, merged their potentials under a common DHL Express sign. This firm is a part of international DHL group that belongs to the Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN), the biggest group offering logistic services in the world. With the beginning of DPWN Star programme in 220 countries all around the world, there was the launch of integration of firms belonging to the group. A change process under the slogan one brand one face for the client takes place also in Poland. General Logistics Systems On March 16 th 2004 Raben Group and General Logistics System (GLS) replaced in Poland Szybka Paczka brand with a new brand - General Logistics Systems. GLS companies and Raben Group undertook actions to ensure development and competition on the market. General Logistics System brand was implemented on the Polish market in order to maximize the usage of possibilities and quality standards, which are given by the European GLS system. Implementation

5 The polish postal market 13 of a new brand with the possibility of better international mail service was aimed at filling up the services rendered by Szybka Paczka before. Schenker In March 2004 the process of integration of two firms was begun: Spedpol and Schenker. A formal process of incorporation Schenker by Spedpol was finished in November As the result of integration on December 1 st 2004 there was a new company created Schenker (limited liability company), being a part of international logistic group Schenker AG. Owners decision international Schenker Group first of all was connected with a vision of creating a big logistic operator, which competences include both international distribution (with all transport branches road, rail, air and marine) and national distribution (mainly in the flow of logistics system). These competences allow fast and efficient service according to the expectations and needs the clients. UPS Poland The transaction of buying Messenger Service Stolica S.A. by UPS was realized on April 29 th The result of taking over and merging of Stolica and UPS was increase of the network of UPS in Poland as well as establishing of UPS offer in a range of national services. At present, Messenger Service Stolica S.A., UPS company possesses one of the biggest systems of night shuttle transport. X-press Couriers X-press Couriers was created in 1996 as the Danish-Polish initiative. Firstly, for the sake of activity characterisation it was named X-Press Bikers. In December 2000 the area of operations was increased on the area of the whole country. In 2000 they were cooperating with about 70 bikers. Their number was decreased systematically with simultaneous increase of car vehicle. Years were critical for the activity of company. A market pressure and a firm development gave a possibility for creating two departments in Szczecin and Kraków. In September 2003 the company changed the name for X-press Couriers, which involved the real character of operations. In December 2004 a range of offered services was increased with the international mail. Masterlink Express (Direct Parcel Distribution) Masterlink Express began its activity in 1991 as a company with 100% Polish capital. In 1998 Masterlink was taken over by the Group of Swedish Post, the leader on Swedish logistic services market. It allowed the dynamic development, service perfection and broadening a range of Masterlink Express services. In July 2002, La Poste Group and Posten AB signed the agreement, in which a GeoPost holding belonging to La Post, bought 50% shares of Masterlink Express. In May 2004 GeoPost s representatives (a holding belongs to La Poste Group) and Posten AB s representatives finished the sale of 50% shares in Masterlink belonging so far to Posten AB. GeoPost became the only owner of Masterlink. In 2006 the decision was made about brand change from Masterlink to DPD. This change was caused first of all by the need of creating international Masterlink image, which allows more effective fight on the market as well as the increase the firm s shares in market segment of international service. Finishing the re-branding process is predicted on the end of Conclusion Market development s potential of courier services is very big. At present, the increase of the courier market is on a level of 14-16%. So, it is a dynamic market, which will develop very

6 14 Anna Drab-Kurowska fast. A quantity of parcels per capita in Poland still is several times lower than a parcels quantity per capita in Germany, The Great Britain or Belgium. Additionally, in Poland there is increasing confidence to catalogue and internet shopping, so there can be expected bigger interest in home delivery types as well as in services of Special Project Logistics. The present condition of express mail market is influenced by many factors: a fast increase of commercial services supported by technological solutions giving a high added value as well as a deep globalisation in result of development of transport and telecommunication systems. Companies all around the world strive to shorten the delivery cycle as well as implement the just in time system into the delivery chain. Firms decrease their capitals very often and take advantage of solutions of fast transport. POLSKI RYNEK POCZTOWY W ŚWIETLE PROCESÓW LIBERALIZACJI Streszczenie W artykule zaprezentowano przyczyny procesów liberalizacji zachodzące na rynku usług pocztowych w Polsce. Omówiono regulacje prawne. Ponadto wskazano na skutki liberalizacji tego rynku, zarówno dla operatora pocztowego, społeczeństwa, jak i całej gospodarki.