BIFA polishes up the silver for 25th Freight Service Awards 2013

The British International Freight Association (BIFA) www.bifa.org is seeking entries for its annual Freight Service Awards competition, celebrating a quarter of a century of recognising the best in the UK freight forwarding industry.


And in a notable vote of confidence in the value of its awards, for a

second year running the same award category sponsors have returned with

their support.


Entries to any of the categories can be made through the event's website

at: www.bifa.org/awards (Enter Now). BIFA's Freight Service Awards are

open to full and probationary Members of the trade association for UK

freight forwarding companies.


BIFA Director General, Peter Quantrill says: "This year has been notable

for national anniversaries. One of the most important for the freight

industry in the UK has to be the Silver Jubilee of our Freight Service

Awards and I invite companies to enter the Awards that continue to

represent an annual opportunity for UK forwarders to demonstrate excellence.


"It was a very different freight industry from when we launched the

awards in 1989. Mrs Thatcher was Prime Minister. Communication was

largely by telephone and even telex; offices hummed with the sound of

fax machines and typewriters. Computers were large and unwieldy, as were

mobile phones. Construction had just started on the Channel Tunnel,

which wouldn't open until our fifth Freight Service Awards in 1994.

Younger BIFA Members may have to take a moment to imagine what it meant

for their elders that the only way to send a truck to Europe was by ferry.


"However, what hasn't changed in over 25 years of our Freight Service

Awards is the importance we place on the second word of the title -

service. This is recognised by the fact that, for a second year, the

same category sponsors have returned to offer their support to the

awards, with some sponsor companies having been on board for over two

decades."


The competition is now officially launched so this is the moment to take

the time to seriously consider entering any of the categories that

reflect the best your company can achieve. As well as encouraging and

rewarding high standards and professionalism, the awards represent the

ultimate recognition of special achievement in different sectors of the

freight forwarding and logistics industry.


Each of the nine award categories is recognised as very prestigious, and

winning an award has become more coveted year-on-year. Judging meetings

will be held in mid October to select four finalists in each category,

at which stage finalists will be informed if they have made the final

shortlist, with winners announced at the awards ceremony.


The ceremony luncheon continues to be a key annual event on the industry

calendar. This event will take place on Thursday 16 January 2014 at

London's popular venue, the Chiswell Street Brewery. The identity of the

celebrity host for the event is still under wraps and will be announced

shortly.


The winner of the Young Freight Forwarder Award will receive a cheque

for £1,000 and be nominated as the UK candidate for the Young

International Freight Forwarder of the Year Award 2013.


More than 500 people including BIFA Members and their guests are

expected to attend. The luncheon will provide a valuable opportunity for

attendees to acknowledge the winners as well as networking with key

figures from within the industry.


The nine BIFA Freight Service Awards 2013 are as follows:


General Categories:

• Environment Award - sponsored by Red Recruit

• Project Forwarding Award - sponsored by Peter Lole & Co

• Special Services Award - sponsored by Forward Computers

• Staff Development Award - sponsored by Albacore Systems

• Supply Chain Management Award - sponsored by BoxTop Technologies


Modal Categories:

• Air Freight Award - sponsored by IAG Cargo

• Ocean Freight Award - sponsored by CargoWise

• European Logistics Award - sponsored by TT Club


Individual Category:

• Young Freight Forwarder Award - sponsored by Virgin Atlantic Cargo


Further information about entering can be found on the BIFA Awards 2013

web pages at www.bifa.org/awards.