UK express parcel carrier City Link has announced a new joint venture with British independentpostal operator Secured Mail effective from February to enhance its mail operations.
City Link stressed that ‘post has always been an important part’ of its business. With SecuredMail, which has a downstream access delivery agreement with Royal Mail, the parcels firm aims todevelop innovative and cost-effective mail solutions for all customers’ postal needs.
The two companies will mutually profit from their respective strengths, with City Link’sregionalised account management teams and dedicated customer care team as well as its UK-widenetwork and Secured Mail’s state-of-the-art sorting system for letters and packets.
Tony Bannister, Head of Post at City Link, commented: “Until now, downstream access within postservices has tended to benefit the very large businesses due to volume discounts. We believe thatthis partnership will bring these benefits to all types of customers and so will be of particularinterest to those in the SME market.
“City Link already works with our customers to pick up their larger packets and parcels fordelivery within the UK and abroad and so, as we are already at their premises, it makes completesense for us to collect their post too. By providing this one-stop-shop approach, customers willbenefit from time and effort efficiencies as well as using a cost-effective service; clearlysomething that we believe will be of significant interest to them.” He stressed that the changewill be seamless.
Mark Bigley, founder and CEO of Secured Mail, added: “We are pleased to be collaborating withCity Link, as we both strive to deliver even greater benefits to our customers. By utilising thebest bits of each company, we will be able to focus on innovation in the postal industry,delivering excellent services to all businesses, including SMEs, across the UK.”
City Link generates over £300 million in annual turnover handling 350,000 parcels daily. It hasa network of more than 65 corporately owned depots across the UK and operates a fleet of 2,500delivery vehicles. Its services include UK Next Day delivery, Sameday, International as well asmail delivery.
Secured Mail, with revenues of £48 million in 2011, expanded in January 2012 with theacquisition of DHL Global Mail’s UK downstream access business, taking over a central mail depotand several client contracts. Based in Warrington, north-west England, Secured Mail’s clientsinclude Amazon, Domino’s Pizza and British Gas owner Centrica.
