EUROMOVERS Report from the Annual Conference in Helsinki
EUROMOVERS International, a global network of moving companies specialising in looking after transferring executives, held its annual conference in Helsinki from 26-29 May, 2016. The event focussed heavily on promoting the exchange of business within the network and enhancing co-operation between members for the benefit of their private and corporate clients.
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Photo: Thomas Juchum, Genaral Manager EUROMOVERS International, addresses the conference in Helsinki |
Around 75 delegates took part in the event representing moving companies throughout Europe and the rest of the world including New Zealand, China, Japan, Thailand, Australia and Canada. In addition to the internal business of the organisation the programme included presentations from Kuehne + Nagel, the world’s leading freight forwarder, explaining the company’s specialist global LCL service for household goods; In-Lease, a company specialising in providing a wide range of furniture and appliances for hire to assignees; Sofrapack, a supplier of specialist cardboard cartons designed to replace wooden cases and crates; and Transpak, a materials supply company that has sponsored EUROMOVERS for many years.
Other presentations were from Quality Services Standards Ltd (QSS), the British company responsible for auditing the ISO Standards to which the company and its members comply; and Gerard Geijtenbeek from Roldo Rent, a long-term sponsor of EUROMOVERS International, who delivered his annual review of the industry and insight into what the future might hold.
Two key industry topics were discussed: the changes to the SOLAS regulations that came into force on 1 July and how they will be applied in each country; and the significance of the changes to European Customs regulations that applied from 1 May, 2016.
“It is vitally important that we discuss these difficult industry matters at our conference,” explained Thomas Juchum, General Manager, EUROMOVERS International. “Our multinational corporate customers expect our members to operate under best practice and provide their assignees with accurate advice and top quality service. Informing and helping our members meet these requirements is fundamental to our role.”
The business proceedings were concluded with the EUROMOVERS Ceremony of Honours at which the top bookers and quality award winners were announced. ISS Worldwide from Dubai was the run-away top booker with Dijkshoorn of The Netherlands taking the quality award. ISS and Grundell of Finland took the quality awards for administration and finance respectively with 4Move from Moscow and Palmers Group from Australia taking quality awards for members from outside Europe.
