Postnord called all employees to an emergency meeting on Thursday morning to inform them about the company's future.
"We have been the Danes' postal service for 400 years and therefore it has been a difficult decision to put an end to that part of our history," says Postnord Denmark's CEO Kim Pedersen according to the press release.
"The Danes have become increasingly digital and there are very few letters being sent today. The decline continues so markedly that the letter market is no longer profitable."
Trying to view the situation soberly
In total, 1,500 employees will be laid off. An additional 700 will be offered new positions within the company.
Eigil Johannesen, union chairman for the HK union, says they still do not have a picture of who will be affected by the decision.
I am responsible for all administrative staff. There is a letter terminal in Høje Taastrup and there they will shut off the power completely. If those who work there do not get a new job at Postnord, they will be laid off, he says to TT.
It hurts, but if you're going to view the situation soberly, the decision was probably the wisest, at least if you want to save workplaces in the long run.
Compensation of 600 million
Denmark's transport minister Thomas Danielsen (V) states that the Danish government will compensate Postnord with 600 million kronor in connection with the shutdown of the letter business, reports Ritzau.
From July, Postnord will start removing the 1,500 red mailboxes located throughout Denmark.
Thomas Danielsen emphasizes, however, that Danes will still be able to send and receive letters.
According to TV2, the logistics and distribution company Dao has already stated that they are ready to take over the letter market.
Does not affect Sweden
Postnord in Denmark has reported an operating loss of 620 million Swedish kronor for 2024. This follows a loss of 168 million for this Danish part of the group a year earlier. Large write-downs within the Danish letter business explain a large part of the losses.
The Danish state owns 40 percent of the Postnord group, the Swedish state owns 60 percent. Last year, the company had approximately 4,600 employees in Denmark.
Postnord announces that letter delivery will continue as usual in Sweden.
