der wins mail order
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• Ryder Distribution has just clinched a massive deal with mail-order giant Freemans covering Yorkshire and the Midlands. And Federal Express, which runs a dedicated London operation for Freemans, says that talks are under way to "develop the relationship further".
This will not be welcomed by Parcelforce; the revamped Royal Mail Parcels division has a long-standing multi-millionpound contract with Freemans, and while it stresses: "We are still doing the same amount of work for Freemans," Parcelforce agrees that it has been asked to tender for a small part of Freemans' business.
Freemans plans a £3m centre in Peterborough, even though the Post Office already runs a sorting hub in the area dedicated to Freemans work. Rumours that a Freemans depot would put up to 100 Post Office jobs at risk are described by Parcelforce as "speculation".
But Parcelforce has told CM: "Because of the 1988 postal strike we are moving
away from our depenclancy on the Post Office which traditionally delivers the bulk of our mail. We currently have an average delivery time of 2.4 days, but we are hoping to improve this to 1.6 days."
Ryder has been working for Freemans in the North West since 1989. It is dedicating five tractors, nine semis and 22 vans to the Yorkshire and Midlands operations, to be based in Sheffield and Birmingham. Ryder expects to deliver more than 2.5 million Freemans parcels in the first year.