One strong nationwide postal network for the Netherlands
The Hague, the Netherlands, 1 October 2019 – PostNL and Sandd are combining their postal networks to create a reliable, accessible and affordable postal service, with greater job security for thousands of postal deliverers. With the Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy having granted conditional approval and with all other conditions met, PostNL will now acquire all of Sandd’s shares and start the integration of the two networks.
Herna Verhagen, PostNL’s CEO, said: “This is a key strategic step towards a robust and stable mail business. We are very aware of the responsibility that comes with our leading position in the postal market, which means that we will continue to carefully weigh the interests of all stakeholders to help us create both financial and social value. The consolidation will bring greater quality and continuity to senders and consumers, and enhance job security for our postal deliverers. We’ll be continuing our existing price policies of the past few years.”
Ronald van de Laar, Managing Director of Sandd Holding, commented: “Looking back on two decades of Sandd, I can only say that I’m extremely proud of and grateful for what we’ve achieved together. That said, the time has now come for a single, robust Dutch postal network that offers consumers, businesses and our workforce the best long-term solution. We have agreed a solid way forward for the integration of our networks and for the future of our people.”
PostNL and Sandd announced they were looking to join forces on 25 February 2019. When the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) ruled on 5 September that it would not grant a licence, PostNL and Sandd invoked Article 47 of Dutch competition law to urge the Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy to decide otherwise. On 27 September she decided to grant permission on the basis of significant public interest, subject to a number of conditions.
Integration
With these two networks combined, both businesses and consumers will have the security of a postal service that meets high quality requirements and remains affordable and accessible across the Netherlands.
The consolidation also provides greater job security for thousands of postal deliverers and will help cushion the decline of the postal market in a socially responsible way. For one thing, Sandd’s postal deliverers will all be offered jobs with PostNL, while PostNL will find alternative positions within the company for other Sandd people, or look for alternative solutions.
PostNL will also continue collaboration with sheltered workplace companies. As a result, the consolidation will not affect employees who face challenges in the labour market. PostNL has drawn up a solid plan to help it complete the integration of both networks in the first six months of 2020. Over the next couple of months, it will consult with Sandd customers to gradually absorb their volumes into the PostNL network, with the bulk of the migration scheduled to take place at the beginning of 2020. Once the integration is completed, Sandd’s brand and stamps will be discontinued.
Sustainable value creation
On 25 February 2019, PostNL published the transaction’s outlines and expected financial consequences. Since this announcement, PostNL made the business case more robust and developed a solid integration plan. The 27 September decision has created clarity on the conditions – access, returns and workforce – set by the Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policyfor the consolidation to go ahead. The key elements of the transaction are:
- Cash consideration of €105m at closing (including redemption of shareholder loans) and assumption of circa €25m in other liabilities by PostNL
- Annual underlying cash operating income (UCOI) contribution* synergies of €50m - €60m, reaching full run-rate in 2022
- Integration-related cash-out of approximately 1x run-rate synergies, equally split over 2019 and 2020; one-off costs (non-cash) related to accelerated depreciation in 2019 and 2020
- Delay in implementation of current cost savings plans will impact result by €(30)m - €(50)m (cumulative) in period 2019 – 2022 (25 February 2019: €(50)m - €(70)m)
- Expected negative UCOI impact in 2019 is expected to be between €(15) million and €(25) million
- Positive contribution to UCOI in 2020
Funding and dividend
About PostNL
We are PostNL, here for everyone, bringing it all together for 225 years. With an extensive network of nearly 5,800 PostNL points, 11,000 letterboxes, and over 900 automated, also open to various carriers, along with millions of users of the PostNL app, we're always close by. We aim to be everyone's favourite deliverer by making it as easy as possible to send and receive parcels and mail. With nearly 34,000 colleagues working with us, we are part of society. We offer a range of services, including mail and parcel delivery, logistic e-commerce solutions, and cross-border solutions. On an average weekday in the Benelux, we deliver 1.1 million parcels and 6.9 million letters. We are commitment to customer satisfaction, providing opportunities for our employees, and generating value for our stakeholders through growth, digitalisation, and sustainability.
We optimise and support our physical networks through the use of smart digital solutions and introduce new propositions that add value for our customers. And aim for sustainable employment relationships by being a good employer to all people working with and for us. We focus on sustainability, making many journeys on foot and by bicycle, increasingly using cleaner fuels and electric vehicles, and offering innovative city logistics. PostNL N.V. is a publicly traded company with a turnover of €3.2 billion in 2023, 62% of which e-commerce related.