Record Breaking Event in Every Sense at Freight Forwarding Annual Awards

UK – The BIFA Freight Services Awards 2012 will long be remembered after a record-breaking 520 guests, including finalists, sponsors and industry figures from the shipping and forwarding community gathered at the Brewery in London on the 17th January 2013 to celebrate the very best achievements of the industry. Appropriately after the most successful year ever for British sport BIFA chose former Olympian and world champion Derek Redmond to host and announce the winners at the trade association’s Annual Lunch and Awards Ceremony.

One would need to search hard for a more personable speaker than Derek Redmond and in a speech which detailed the highs and lows of his own career he drew parallels between Olympic competition and the anticipation of winning any other award and, ably supported as usual by BIFA President Sir Peter Bottomley MP and Director General Peter Quantrill, managed to convey a flavour of the events of the past twelve months which have instilled such a positive attitude in many of those present. Peter Quantrill commented:

“Each of the categories had four finalists yet there can only be one winner. Being a finalist marks the fact that a company is in the top four companies in the category’s sector and is to be congratulated. In 2012, there was a gold rush from British Olympians and Paralympians in London that will long live in our memories. I congratulate the nine BIFA members which have followed in the footsteps of those athletes by winning our 2012 awards. Along with all the finalists, they should be pleased with a job well done.”

The awards sponsors, winners and finalists were as follows (Runners up shown in brackets):

The Environment Award  Sponsors: Red Recruit Winners: Uniserve Group

The judges said that the Uniserve Group shone through as the winner by presenting their revolutionary 'green' transportation and storage solution of a garment on hanger 'frame' resulting in smarter use of space and, being re-cyclable and re-usable, significantly reducing environmental impact.

(Damco UK, Seafast Logistics, World Transport Agency)

The Project Forwarding Award Sponsors: Peter Lole & Co:Winners: Asco Freight Management

Asco Freight Management impressed the judges by providing an exceptional service for a truly time-critical project in Greenland. The training of local personnel and skills gained, has benefitted the logistics industry in that country by leaving a legacy for the future.

(Atlantic Pacific Global Logistics, Denholm Global Logistics, Sound Moves UK)

The Special Services Award Sponsors:Forward Computers Winners:Bellville Rodair International

The Awards judging panel says that Bellville Rodair International won this award for demonstrating a tangible service improvement for their client base by designing a specialist service to import and deliver a number of high-end vehicles, representing a true example of excellence in the logistics sector.

(CRM Logistics, James Cargo Services, Uniserve Group)

The Staff Development Award  Sponsors: Albacore Systems Winners: DSV Road

DSV Road showed exceptional dedication to staff development by delivering a range of training programmes at all levels, from apprentices, to graduates and sales staff, as well as running international leadership courses.

(512, James Cargo Services, SDV) 

The Supply Chain Management Award Sponsors:BoxTop Technologies Winners: PSL Group

The Awards judging panel considers that The PSL Group is the deserved winner of this category for providing an excellent example of innovation and service enhancement involving a radical strategy of implementing 'pack-to-order' in the UK, instead of standard consolidation.

(Allport, Freedom Logistics UK, Meachers Global Logistics)

The Air Freight Award  Sponsors: IAG Cargo Winners: NNR Global Logistics UK

NNR Global Logistics UK’s case study evidenced continuous improvements with significant benefits for their client, saving over 18,000 transit days annually. Using European express air freight and linking to consol was an example of deriving benefits from the air freight network.

(Geodis Wilson UK, MOL Logistics, Uniserve Group)

The European Logistics Award Sponsors: TT Club Winners: Delamode

The Awards judging panel opinion was that Delamode particularly impressed with their efficient service, and cost-effective pricing models. By re-engineering the supply chain to the UK, garment manufacturers in Eastern Europe allowed near-sourcing to flourish in the fashion trade.

(Freightex, Ital Logistics, UFS)

The Ocean Freight Award  Sponsors: Cargowise Winners: Allport Cargo Services

Allport Cargo Services proved itself to be exceptional in the Ocean Freight category through its Extended Visibility project, demonstrating a commitment to providing clear visibility of a key part of its business, reducing delays through managing congestion.

(Brunel Shipping & Liner Services, Ideal International, PFE Express)

The Young Freight Forwarder Award  Sponsors: Virgin Atlantic Cargo

Winner: Adam Blakemore of Insped. Adam impressed the judges with his enthusiasm and commitment to the freight forwarding industry, as well as his clients and his employer.

(Greg Barnes of Panalpina; Charlotte Bartup of Kuehne + Nagel; Uzma Ruhi of Globetrotters GB)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Jimmie James

BIFA does not have a personality of the year award but likes to honour worthy individuals when there is the opportunity. Old soldier Jimmie James enlisted at 17 in the Grenadier Guards, serving in WW II in Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Normandy, Belgium and the Netherlands finishing in Germany. After the war, he joined the industry, retiring over 20 years ago. BIFA honours his stewardship of the London Freight Club. In an age when industry socialising is diminishing, the Club is going strong providing a happy meeting ground for the industry and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity.

Mr James delivered an emotional speech thanking the Association and all the friends and contacts he had made throughout the years and received a standing ovation from all present.

The popularity of the event enabled BIFA to accept four additional sponsorships this year in the form of Event Host (SDV); Ceremony Programme (Cardinal Maritime); winners’ trophies (Woodland Group) and ceremony tickets (Impatex).

Photo: A small section of the record crowd attracted to the annual Awards.