UK Mail, the mail services division of the Business Post Group, has sensationally scooped the Downstream Access Supplier of the Year Award, the most coveted and hotly contested accolade in the mail industry today. Sponsored by Royal Mail, the award was one of eight up for grabs at the prestigious 2006 Mail Awards held in London, and UK Mail’s victory confirms the company’s status as undisputed leader in downstream access.
An impressive 300 senior mail industry executives attended the awards ceremony, hosted by acclaimed BBC Business broadcaster Declan Curry, on 31 October. This was undoubtedly UK Mail’s night. Winning the award and beating off formidable competition in the process, was the ultimate achievement. And it was one made all the more momentous given that the judging process was both independent and anonymous. This meant that an impartial decision was reached by the distinguished panel of judges, all of whom are recognised experts in the mail industry.
The award identified the downstream access supplier demonstrating the highest level of quality at the operational interface with Royal Mail. And the panel of judges, consisting of the Director of Triangle Management Services, the Chief Executive of Postwatch and the Chairman of the Mail Users Association, arrived at their unanimous decision based on a series of stringent criteria. These included reliability, operational effectiveness and health and safety, amongst others. UK Mail came well ahead of its competitors in all areas, confirming its commitment to quality, integrity and operational performance. UK Mail’s Managing Director, Steve Patrick, was on hand to collect the award which officially cements the business’s reputation as the leading alternative to Royal Mail.
A number of prestigious UK Mail clients also attended the ceremony. Highly valued customer, Standard Life, said of the achievement:
“UK Mail’s official recognition as downstream access supplier of the year has provided us with yet further confirmation of the business’s excellence. We are delighted to be working with them on an ongoing basis.”
Leading energy supplier and UK Mail’s first ever customer, Powergen, was also quick to offer its congratulations. Powergen’s Graham Hunt commented:
“We would like to offer our congratulations to UK Mail on their success. Based on the excellent service levels we have received from UK Mail there is no doubt in our minds that this win was well deserved.”
Since entering the mail market in May 2004 as the first private operator, UK Mail has reported success after success in its heady two and a half year life time. The business has positively thrived in the deregulated mail market sector and boasts a prestigious portfolio of clients alongside a phenomenal growth rate. UK Mail recently reported processing its one billionth item, whilst October saw the business reach record operational performance levels. UK Mail has also been rapidly expanding its unsorted mail services in the last nine months with new sort centres, using the very latest in letter sorting equipment, opening at strategic sites in Runcorn, Edinburgh, Leeds, Birmingham, Greenford and Croydon. The Croydon sort centre can lay claim to having the most cutting edge and sophisticated sort machine in the UK. The Intellistar mixed mail sorter, capable of handling large letters and flats up to 2kg in weight, is the first of its kind in the country and the largest piece of sortation equipment in the world. UK Mail is clearly leading the industry in technology as well as downstream access and the business has no plans to stop there.
UK Mail’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Tony Gibson, has vowed to retain the title of Downstream Access Supplier of the Year, at next year’s awards ceremony. And if UK Mail’s current performance is anything to go by it looks highly likely that this will happen.