Almost two years after termination of the contract with the previous concessionaire, the government is once again considering the possibility of putting out to tender administration of the national postal service.
Elperiodico.com.gt reports that "...Since last year the state postal service has been working at half capacity.Only 13 of the 252 agencies of the Dirección General de Correos y Telégrafos (DGCT) are authorized, but these only deliver packages from abroad and it is not possible to send mail from Guatemala; In the capital, 12 postmen and two vehicles distribute legal documents, certificates and letters."
The parcel forwarding companies JetBox, Box Correos and Aeropost reported increases of between 12% and 35% in the number of packages shipped in the last three years.
The boom in Internet shopping has led leading delivery companies to open new delivery points and invest in technology in order to improve the service for end-users.
The government has announced that it will be preparing the groundwork for convening an international tender for concession of operation of the postal service.
Days after the closure of El Correo de Guatemala was announced, the government is finalizing details for the company to deliver the goods stored at its warehouses and provide continuity to the service, while a new tender is being prepared.
Businessmen are complaining about erroneous charges being levied by Customs on exempted companies, courier shipments or cargo that does not even reach the borders.
The incorrect application of the new rules on the charge of $18 which applies in Salvadoran customs offices for the use of X-rays starting from 1 January 2016, is causing problems and provoked a reaction by seven private sector unions that form the Intergremial Commission for Trade Facilitation (Cifacil).
The multinational Abraaj Group has acquired the majority stake in the courier and logistics company Urbano which has operations in El Salvador, Peru and Ecuador.
From a press release by The Abraaj Group:
Established in 1996, URBANO is the market leader for document delivery services in Peru, Ecuador and El Salvador
The company DHL has announced that starting January 2015 that the average increase in prices in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama will be 4.9%.
From a statement issued by DHL:
DHL Express, provider of the world's leading international express services, today announced an overall increase in average rates globally, effective from January 1, 2015. The average increase in prices in Guatemala will be 4.9% (also applicable to Costa Rica and Panama).
The Directorate General of Posts has announced a program that would allow SMEs to export goods via mail, providing permission to export via a simplified system.
The initiative of the entity is primarily directed to micro, small and medium-sized exporters.
Increasing competition has forced five major companies sharing the market to diversify their services beyond simple forwarding of packages.
From online shopping and home delivery to options to pay utility bills; these are part of the services for which several companies are in the industry are counting on to maintain competitiveness against their peers in the market of courier services in Costa Rica.
Total online purchases made in 2012, which exceeded 500,000 transactions, were up 7% on those registered in 2011.
Courier companies were surprised by the figures, which exceeded their expectations. "The market is healthy and growing each year," said Jorge Gomez, General Manager of TransExpress.
Guatemala's Social Security Institute is putting out to tender courierservices for the delivery of drugs to patient’s residences.
The purpose of the tender is to contract out a Drug Delivery Courier Service to residences of patients belonging to the programs ‘Médico de Cabecera’ and ‘Visita Domiciliaria’ of the CAMIP-IGSS.
The Salvadoran Foreign Ministry is putting out to tender courier services for handling official and diplomatic correspondence by air, for 2013.
The company requires the services of a private courier to transport by air, diplomatic and official documentation, valuable and not valuable revenue stamps, samples (cargo), technological equipment.
The company founded on Colombian capital, Servientrega, announced its entry into the Costa Rican market in 2013, as part of its expansion plans.
Luz Mary Guerrero, president of the company said to the Colombian newspaper Portfolio that entry into Costa Rica is part of its expansion plans which include opening offices in Canada and Spain.
Nacion.com quoted Luz Mary Guerrero who said, "We are doing this first with the shipping operations, which is the area where we are strongest, for example at the level of the Andean region ... We are well advanced in these countries, the truth is that Servientrega’s business model is well consolidated and we are doing well. "
Internet shopping, which had declined after the decision of the Ministry of Finance to charge tariffs on these operations, has regained momentum and grew again by 10%.
An article in Nacion.com reports that "A little less than a year ago, confusion reigned over internet purchases.
In 2006 the state run company Correos de Costa Rica was dying, but an aggressive policy of diversification of services has made it the main competitor in the courier market today.
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