The achievement of both companies and individuals across the warehousing and third party logistics (3PL) sectors were recognised at the United Kingdom Warehousing Association’s (UKWA’s) ninth Annual Awards for Warehousing ceremony held recently at London’s Dorchester Hotel. A total of seven awards were presented and this year the Association received a record number of entries in all categories. The winners were chosen by UKWA’s Awards Committee, which comprised of Phil Culling, Managing Director of storage systems specialist Redirack; Mel Grainger, a past chairman of UKWA; and Roger Williams, the association’s Chief Executive Officer.
Roger Williams commented: “Since their launch the Awards have become established as symbols of achievement in the 3PL sector and emphasise the importance of logistics within today’s economy The high number and quality of the entries made selecting the winners extremely difficult for our Awards Committee. The high standard underlines the professionalism that runs through the modern logistics industry.”
The winners of the 2008 UKWA Annual Awards for Warehousing were:
Best New Member (sponsored by Dexion Comino Ltd)
Winner: Michael Brannigan & Son Ltd, Ireland
Michael Brannigan and Son is one of the leading Irish road freight logistics service providers. The company’s warehousing operation covers 120,000sq ft of modern storage space. The site was inspected by UKWA’s Vice President, Ken Richards, who commented: “This is an excellently maintained and very well run warehouse. It is rare that I am at a loss to find at least one aspect of the inspection needing further attention, but this was the case with Michael Brannigan & Son’s thoroughly professional operation.”
Technology and Innovation (sponsored by Redirack Ltd)
Winner: CEVA Logistics
CEVA ‘s challenge was to provide a company wide information system in 120 operational bases to deliver all analogue and digital tachographs. Their solution, which involved combining internal skills with external specialists in the area of domaine expertise, resulted in a system that has subsequently been taken to the open market. It was delivered to CEVA last summer.
Training Award (sponsored by The Burton Agency)
Winner: The Bibby Academy
The Bibby Academy is central to Bibby Distribution’s objective to provide training and development for all staff from basic to degree level education. In the last year Driver and Warehouse Apprentice schemes were introduced to complement the ongoing NVQ training for the existing workforce. So far 300 have signed up to the programme with over 150 achieving a full Level Two qualification to date. Over 100 members of the Bibby workforce are also engaged in improving communications skills.
Warehouse Person of the Year (sponsored by Linde Materials Handling (UK) Ltd)
Winner: John Tombs, iForce Ltd
Operating independently from his peers, John Tombs had the daunting task of setting up – at very short notice – a new John Lewis fulfilment centre prior to Christmas as a satellite site in response to a massive sales uplift. His involvement involved being instrumental in drawing up the business plan and forecasting for the new site, working with the contractors, and working with the client. As the project came closer to completion, he had to revert to a more operational role as he staffed the 232,000 sq ft warehouse ready to fulfil the 300,000 customer orders from mid October 2007 to March 2008, and then he was instrumental in the planning and execution of the remaining migration of the 250,000 units of stock from the old site.
Team of the Year (sponsored by Translift Bendi Ltd)
Winner: Simarco International
Simarco International has been involved in warehousing for only seven years. In 2007 they secured a new site and embarked on a new pick and pack venture. Although their research had been thorough, the company had no experience in this type of operation before but within weeks they had secured enough business to fill the warehouse floor, the open mezzanine and half the office space. The challenge then was keeping the 12 different clients satisfied. By the second month, two of their largest clients had their busiest month ever, yet the new and inexperienced team picked to 100 per cent accuracy and on time.
Journalist of the Year (sponsored by Schmitz Cargobull)
Winner: Peter Rowlands, e-fulfilment magazine
The judges considered that Peter Rowlands’ understanding of the subject on which he writes and the clarity with which he expresses his ideas and communicates industry developments made him this year’s outstanding candidate for the UKWA Journalist of the Year Award
Chairman’s Award (sponsored by Bibby Distribution Ltd)
Winner: Andrew Malcolm, Chief Executive, The Malcolm Group
The Malcolm Group originated in the 1940’s and is now a leading UK provider of logistics services. The Group employs 1600 people, operates 450 trucks, 1000 trailers and has some 3,000,000 sq ft of warehousing space at 10 locations in Central Scotland, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire.
Andrew Malcolm’s experience has covered every practical and managerial aspect of the company. He started from school in the repair workshops and progressed to driving general haulage vehicles, became road foreman and then depot manager. In 1989 he took over the running of the Logistics Services Division and was the driving force behind its transformation into a major countrywide player in the logistics sector. In 1994 he became Chief Executive of both divisions.
In 2005, he took the company private again after 45 years of being part of a PLC company. The business continues to go from strength to strength and in the year to January 2008, turnover was in the region of £219m.
Over 400 UKWA members and their guests together with suppliers to the warehousing industry attended the Awards ceremony. The event was hosted by Bob ‘The Cat’ Bevan, and sponsored by materials handling equipment manufacturer and supplier Jungheinrich.
Webiste: www.ukwa.org.uk
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