Tag Archives: stamps

Shipping Restrictions in Finland

Posted on by
Reply

Do you have a friend or relative who has a birthday coming up, or are you doing research on sending parcels to Finland in preparation for Easter? Either way, RAND Logistics can give you invaluable advice regarding the shipping restrictions and prohibitions of when importing goods into Finland. For express parcels to anywhere in Finland from Helsinki to Tampere, and anywhere else in the world, choose RAND Logistics!

[rand] urn blog

When sending meat and meat products, prior authorization must be obtained from the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture for the recipient. Parcels can be addressed to a street address or to a post office box, but a telephone number must be provided when the parcel is addressed to a post office box.

It is prohibited to send live plants and animals to Finland as well as any form of human remains, including ashes. An invoice is required on the outside of the parcel with the PS Form 2976-E with the customs declaration for all commercial shipments, regardless of the value.

RAND Logistics offer all our customers the most competitive deals and prices on shipping across the world. Whether your parcel needs delivering as soon as possible, you have a heavy parcel, or you are just looking for a secure delivery service, RAND Logistics can help.

Royal Mail Put Kids TV Characters on Stamps To Celebrate 50 Years of Children’s TV

Posted on by
Reply

You might have noticed some familiar faces on your stamps recently, especially if you remember the days of watching kids TV. Since the start of 2014, children’s TV characters have begun to appear on Royal Mail postage stamps as a means of celebrating 60 years of children’s TV.

There are some notable figures to watch out for, including a selection of newcomers such as Peppa Pig, Bob the Builder and Shaun the Sheep. Some of us might even get a bit nostalgic seeing the older characters Postman Pat, Mr Ben and Ivor the Engine.

Andrew Hammond from Royal Mail Stamps told the BBC that they simply couldn’t ignore the landmark. “It feels appropriate to celebrate all of these unforgettable characters on a set of very special stamps” he said.

If you plan on sending a letter or parcel abroad, you might be able to make the most of these unique set of stamps, especially if they’re going to a distant friend or a younger recipient.

We offer an unrivalled parcel delivery service here at RAND, so make sure you get a quote from us today to see how we can save you money when shipping parcels abroad.

Green Week Final Day

Posted on by
Reply

We wrap up our Green Week with a look at the world’s greenest country; Iceland, as well as a couple of last tips to keeping tabs on recycling your post.

Around ten years ago, Iceland was dependant on coal for 70% of its emissions. Nowadays Iceland is only dependant on coal for 18% of emissions and is aiming for a lower percentage with each succeeding year.

Iceland also aims to be completely independent of coal and oil by 2050, and has been helped significantly by encouragement and involvement from residents. It just goes to show that a little help can go a long way!

Go Digital

[rand]e-mail blogFor smaller letters and personal messages, email is always recommended. It costs nothing and is virtually instant. However a lot of people do prefer to receive hand written messages as it shows how much time and effort you have taken out of your day to talk to the recipient. Plus if you have a gift to give you can’t (not yet anyway) send it over the internet!

Why not use RAND Logistics to send a parcel to Iceland, or anywhere else in the world? With first class service at competitive rates and recorded tracking details available, RAND Logistics is unrivalled in quality postal services.

St Patrick’s Day

Posted on by
Reply

March 17th 2014 is the anniversary of the death of the Irish Saint, St Patrick and is also known as St Patrick’s Day. It is traditional to wear something green on St Patrick’s Day, particularly for those of Irish Descent, and some people even take it a step further to dress in traditional Irish Clothing, or by wearing a shamrock; a three leaved plant similar in appearance to clover.

[rand]irish day cupcakes blog

The colour green has been associated with Ireland since the 1640’s when the green harp flag was first used by the Irish Catholic Confederation. What is known of St Patrick has been derived from the Declaration which shows St Patrick’s struggle after he was kidnapped by raiders and spent six years working as a shepherd in Gaelic Ireland. He ‘found god’ working there, and upon returning home, managed to convert thousands of pagan Irish to Christianity.

Whether you are of Irish descent or you have a close friend or relative who is celebrating St Patrick’s Day, why not send them a gift in the post? RAND Logistics have excellent rates on parcels to Ireland and further afield if your Irish relatives live internationally. For safety and security in delivering your packages, choose RAND Logistics.

Sending Baked Goods – Choices, Choices

Posted on by
Reply

We wrap up a happy week of delivering baked goods and perishables with a few last minute tips in making sure that your confectioneries reach the recipient in top condition.

Easier to Ship

Certain types of baked goods are easier to ship than others. Layer cakes and fragile goods like meringues are not recommended when sending things by post, although with meringues if you absolutely have to send them, sometimes freezing them works better and keeping them packed in cold storage, because this decreases of their chances of breaking in transit.

Moist breads, cookies and fudges and caramels are good for shipping as they are flexible and heavier and are less likely to break or ruin if they are thrown about a bit when being posted. Still place a ‘fragile’ sticker on all baked goods to prevent any cookies or muffins being ground into dust though!

Be Careful of Mixing Flavours

Strong flavours tend to overpower others especially if they are kept in the same space for extended periods of time. If you are thinking of sending gingerbread cookies or cookies with other strong flavours with more mild flavours, try to package them in separate boxes as the milder flavours can be overpowered by the stronger ones.

For more information on the level of services we can provide throughout the UK and worldwide, please contact RAND Logistics. With a well established network sending parcels throughout the world, from Italy to New Zealand and anywhere in between, RAND Logistics is the only courier to choose.

Sending Baked Goods – Keeping Gifts Fresh

Posted on by
Reply

Everybody loves getting gifts in the post and it is even more heartfelt when these gifts are handmade and edible! Cookies and muffins are great if you are recovering from an illness, or you simply feel homesick for some traditional family cooking. Make sure your baked goods reach their intended destination in good condition with our top hints and tips.

Double Wrapped, Double Fresh!

You can never pack your baked goods too well. By ensuring that all Tupperware containers are sealed with cello tape and then placed inside a larger container, you are reducing the chances of the goods being exposed to air, plus you are reducing their chances of breaking from being thrown around. Place the smaller container in a larger container and fill with packing peanuts or bubble wrap to ensure that the container does not move around in transit.

Chocolate_chip_cookies_with_sprinkles,_2007

Retaining the Moisture

Pack soft cookies or muffins with a slice of bread or a slice of apple, as these help the goods to retain their moisture. If you are packing up cookies, try not to pack moist cookies with hard ones, as the moist cookies will soften the crisp ones. If you have to pack them together, make sure each cookie is well wrapped individually.

For fast delivery and excellent service worldwide from Spain to Pakistan and further afield, choose RAND Logistics.

Tips on Sending Baked Goods – Wrapping

Posted on by
Reply

What better way to show you care for someone than a nicely wrapped fresh package of baked goods waiting at their door? At RAND Logistics we try to provide first class service along with top quality tips and hints for those sending packages throughout the UK and internationally, from Austria to the Ukraine and everywhere in between. Make sure to look into any postal restrictions before sending any packages abroad.

Double the Gift

Why not wrap breads, brownies or fudge bars in a decorative pan or baking dish to make it a doubled present? For added protection put the whole thing in an airtight container during shipping. Plus providing a baking dish or a decorative pan may encourage your recipient to try their hand at a few baking recipes in turn.

Separate Wrappings


For all types of cookies, both crisp and moist, it is better to wrap them individually in cling film or waxed paper to preserve freshness. Pack wrapped cookies in tight rows in order to prevent the cookies from moving about and breaking during transit.

Whether you are sending a package to a friend or relative, or starting up your own business, RAND Logistics can provide first class postal services at competitive rates. Use the free quotation form to get an instant quotation on your parcel now!

Happy Pancake Day

Posted on by
Reply

It is Pancake Day today! Many people get together to make their own pancakes or they buy them from available stores, but if you fancy baking some pancakes for a foreign friend or relative, here are some tips to getting them shipped fresh and ready to eat.

pancake-day

Preparation
Make sure to prepare all foods immediately before packing and mailing to ensure maximum freshness, however let all foods cool completely before boxing them up and shipping, as hotter foods can cause condensation on the inside of the container used to post them.

Speedy Shipping
To ensure freshness, choose the fastest shipping method available. You can even request urgent shipping from various companies.

Waxed Paper
Cookies and various other baked goods with sticky glazes and iced decorations can be protected by putting sheets of waxed paper in between each layer. Also avoid sending muffins and cookies with moist fillings or frostings as they can become sticky or soft at room temperature.

Make sure to check your local post office restrictions to see what types of goods can be posted internationally. At RAND Logistics we can ensure top quality postage at competitive rates. Contact us for more information.

Sending Baked Goods Through the Postal Service

Posted on by
Reply

With Pancake Day coming up tomorrow, we here at RAND Logistics are looking forward to testing out new pancake recipes in preparation for the big day. However you may know a friend or relative who isn’t so great at baking, and might need a little help.

Baked goods and various perishables are post-able, but it depends on where you want to send them. Check your local postage guidelines to see what types of baked goods and perishable foods are allowed to be sent cross country and internationally. Here at RAND, we have put together a number of top tips that will help keep your baked goods in the best possible condition so that they reach their recipient relatively unharmed.

Choose the Right Container
Hard air locked containers are the best way to sent baked goods. Particularly for long distance parcels, air locked containers are recommended, as plastic will keep it fresh and prevent the goods from becoming stale.

Fragile
Mark the box fragile to ensure that the postal office takes better care of it. ‘This side up’ also works well for decorated cupcakes and frosted doughnuts.

We’ll continue with more tips to delivering baked goods tomorrow, but for excellent service and first class delivery on all packages and parcels from Bahrain to Bulgaria and further afield, choose RAND Logistics.

Prohibited Items of Interest in Germany

Posted on by
Reply

It’s our last day of looking at the more bizarre prohibited items in countries across the world. It’s always helpful to know what’s prohibited in the country you are posting to as you don’t want to risk losing an item you’ve sent as a gift or that you’ve cherished for its value in the past. Today we’re looking at some of the prohibited items of interest in Germany.

Playing cards are a common gift and are probably one of the most recognised forms of gaming in the entire world. Germany has playing cards on there list of prohibited postal items unless they are complete decks that are properly wrapped. Germany prohibits loose playing cards as they are often used to carry drugs through postal networks.

Other unique items on Germany’s prohibition list include pulverised cocoa beans and the alcoholic drink Absinthe. Pulverised cocoa beans are a reasonably common food ingredient and Absinthe could potentially be sent as a gift.

It’s vital that you take a look at our list of prohibited items in Germany to ensure that you don’t lose anything you cherish when posting to Germany. Playing cards are often regarded as valuable collectibles which is why it’s important you only send properly wrapped and complete decks to Germany.