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January 2009 Removals & Storage 5

Contact Details: Editorial Contribution on all aspects of the Removals & Storage industry are welcomed, together with photographs if appropriate. Please contact The Editor, Steve Jordan:Tel: 01908 695500 Fax: 01908 690099Email: [email protected] By post: Removals & Storage, The Words Workshop Ltd 26 Swanwick Lane, Broughton, Milton Keynes MK10 9LD

Contact Details: Advertising For all enquiries and bookings, please contact Marianne Lee: Tel: 01908 695500 Fax: 01908 690099Email: [email protected]: The booking deadline for all display advertisements is the 10th of the month preceding publication.

Removals & Storage is subscribed to by members of the British Association of Removers in the UK and Overseas.

Subscriptions: Members of BAR and individual members of The Movers Institute may become subscribers by applying to BAR at: Tangent House, 62 Exchange Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 0TG. Tel: 01923 699 480 Fax: 01923 699 481 E-mail: [email protected]. Current annual subscription is £36.00 in the UK and £60.00 overseas.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in Removals & Storage are notnecessarily those of the British Association of Removers, or of its publisher.

All rights reserved: No part of Removals & Storage may be scanned, reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher.

President: Matt PurdieDirector General: Stephen VickersGeneral Secretary: Robert SyersEditor: Steve JordanAssistant Editor: David JordanNews Editor: Nikki GeeFeatures Editor: Lynne ThomasRemovals & Storage is designed on behalf of The British Association of Removers by: I Like. Tel: 01908 675854, Email: [email protected](To contact R&S, see details opposite.)

The British Association of RemoversTel: 01923 699 480 Fax: 01923 699 481 E-mail: [email protected]

THE

LeaderCOLUMN

A new year, a new beginning… Most members will know that last year a full review of the way BAR is

structured and governed was carried out, as a result of which various changes were made, some fairly minor and cosmetic, others much more far reaching. While such matters are not generally regarded as particularly exciting, or even of much interest to the average member, they nevertheless have a direct impact on the range and value of services every member receives from the Association.

The key governance initiatives included the appointment of a director general; the change from a Board of Management to an expanded Board of Directors; and the setting up of an Executive Committee to execute the policy and strategy set by the Board and to guide and assist the DG. Like all trade associations, BAR relies heavily on the ‘volunteer sector’, i.e. those members who give their time freely to serve on the Board, councils and committees. But no less important is the role played by the permanent staff – and here too important changes have been made at BAR head office.

Under the overall authority of Director General Stephen Vickers, three new departments have been created with the express aim of improving the level of service and the range of benefits of membership:

A newly formed Commercial Department, headed by Paul Swindon, will deal with all aspects of membership including recruitment, the introduction and development of new member services, marketing and communications, conference, and support of the functional group councils. Paul will be supported by two new members of staff, Devina Parshotam, and Jo Swinton, to both of whom BAR extends a warm welcome.

The Regulatory Department will primarily be concerned, as its name implies, with compliance with membership criteria, Code of Practice and other applicable standards. It will administer

and control the membership inspection and re-inspection programme.

The dispute resolution service will also fall under its remit. This department will be led by General Secretary Robert Syers, who will also continue his role as company secretary for BAR and its subsidiaries. Consumer affairs adviser/Code compliance officer Andrew Fawssett and field officer Peter Gawthrop complete the team. As reported in last month’s edition, we have said goodbye to long serving Consumer Affairs Manager David Thomas – we wish him a long and happy retirement.

Financial Controller Robert Ross, supported by assistant Shelley Hansberry, will run the Financial Department and related matters, including facilities and equipment management, contracts, IT and company Health and Safety.

Administrative support to all departments will be provided by Executive Assistant Dianna Hoskins, who also acts as personnel manager. Dianna is supported by Receptionist/Administration assistant Melissa Fowler.

The Training function continues as before under the caretaker management of Martyn Minker supported by Field Trainer David Hookins, pending the appointment of a new training manager.

Reports from each of the key departments will be published regularly in Removals & Storage and on the website to ensure that members know what is happening and why, and more importantly, exactly what they are getting for their money. On which note, and on which much more will be reported in the coming months, while subscription fees have been frozen at last year’s rates, the restructuring will allow a whole range of new services to be developed including a completely new website, new prestige-building competitions, extended and nationally recognised training programmes, and enhanced marketing for BAR and its members.

And that is why the new BAR structure is important!

No: 414 January 2009 www.bar.co.uk

This month:Editor’s Column 6Moving News 6-15Schoolkids learn road safety with PickfordsLight at the end of the tunnel?Former packer wins medal for estimatingMcGimpsey Brothers brings Xmas cheerMatt Purdie & Sons wins top livery awardPrepare for RoSPA awards 2009

BAR News 17-25Yorkshire in the 70sJoin the CMGBrussels 2009 and why you should attendBelgian Centre for Comic Book ArtNew year, new look website for BARSProduct of the MonthFree Situation Wanted advertising

People News 26Domestic Mover of the Year 27External Affairs 32-35ID cards and points for foreign nationalsNews Roundup

Letters 39And another thing... 41Competition 41Articles 42-56Carbon dioxide emissions cause confusionDavid Wicks interviewSimple online insurance from Reason GlobalBritannia plc – friend or foe?Cold calling: 10 hints and tipsWhat not to do on the webPre-Budget Report – help or hindrance?The Park Royal story

Photo of the Month 47Feature schedule 57Diary Dates 59Puzzle 59Memberships 61

On the cover: In tough times, the BAR wishes all its members the best of luck for the coming year.

What’s what in Watford

Spotted!One bright November afternoon, the boys and girls at the R&S office were having a group grumble about the lack of correctly-applied BAR/OFT logos they had seen on removal trucks when, behold, this Palmers lorry arrived to deliver to a flat immediately across the road. In celebration the editor swung his trusty camera into action and took this beautiful study in badge perfection. Well done Palmers.

This time last year the weather men were predicting a hot summer, the Conservative party were dead certs for winning an inevitable election, Northern Rock was known only to its customers, Bernard

Madoff was considered to be honest, and the Bank of England saw no need to reduce bank rates below 5.5%. What did we know?

Not everything was as we understood it to be. There were a few surprises in the offing – most of them bad as it turned out. But although the world’s pundits are now predicting global meltdown it’s probably worth remembering that those same pundits had no idea at all what was going to happen in 2008 so there’s no reason at all to believe that they have a clue about 2009. Just around the corner could easily be the antidote to all the gloom and despondency we’ve been promised. Judging by the previous accuracy of predictions, a worldwide boom is just as likely as all the depressing stuff we’re fed every day.

Well it would be if it were not for supposedly intelligent people such as John Varley, head of Barclays Bank, who went on record this week saying that house prices have another 10 to 15% to fall between now and the end of 2009. How dare he! He obviously knows nothing about economics otherwise his bank wouldn’t be in the mess it is today. But by indulging in this mindless speculation simply to try to look clever he will undoubtedly create the very thing we fear. Thanks a million John.

Anyway, let us not be disheartened. The only thing that’s certain about the future is its uncertainty. It’s time for a little positive thinking, some hard work and as much co-operation as possible between everyone in the industry to make sure we are all in good shape when the clouds lift.

Talking of clouds, I would like to record my thanks to Tony Richman who has just filed his last report on behalf of BAR External Affairs. Tony has given tremendous service to BAR, much of it unpaid, over more years than any of us care to remember. Although he provided R&S and the membership with a wealth of information his work was largely unseen and, I believe, will be hard to replace. I wish him success, happiness and good fortune in the future.

Steve Jordan

THE

Editor’sCOLUMN

Removals & Storage January 2009

Moving News

6

T he national initiative, organised with the assistance of the Council Road Safety

Officers and the Metropolitan Police, aimed to show 10–12 year olds the dangers of large vehicles when cycling, particularly at road junctions. A Pickfords lorry was brought into the school to show the children the blind spots around the vehicle. The children were asked to sit in the driver’s seat and imagine they were the driver. They then checked the mirrors to spot cyclists at blind spots around the vehicle and honked the horn when the cyclists came clearly into view.

Pickfords branches in Enfield, Stirling, Glasgow, Newcastle, Worcester, Lincoln, Exeter,

Cornwall, Teeside, Manchester and Leeds took part with employees from all areas of the business giving up their time to take part.

Managing Director Kevin Pickford said, “There are nearly 1000 Pickfords vehicles in the fleet and road safety is a major focus for Pickfords to ensure the safety of its drivers but also of other road users. We worked with the Road Safety charity Brake last year and this year we decided to make it a national initiative. By the end of the month we achieved our aim of educating nearly 3000 children on the importance of being seen and the potential dangers on the roads. It was a great achievement by all our employees who took part.”

School children learn about the importance of road safety with PickfordsDuring November, Pickfords visited local schools across the country to emphasise the importance of road safety.

Above: Pupils from Honilands Primary school in EnfieldLeft: Children of Whittington CE Primary School on Wednesday 12th November in support of National Road Safety Week. Adults from left: Steve Thomasson; Simon Ferriday; Nigel Ferriday; Mark Griffiths, Driver, with Tigger, his cab mascot

SEE PAGE

47

January 2009 Removals & Storage

Moving News

7

Crate donation helps crisis centres provide festive comfort

GB Nationwide Crate Hire will lend more than 2,000 crates to homeless charity Crisis to assist its ‘Crisis

Christmas’ centres over the festive season.The crates will be used to enable the

charity to transport equipment to set up the centres which open every year from 23rd to 30th December. With nine locations throughout London, they provide vital companionship and hot meals for many homeless people as well as access to essential services like housing and benefits advice, health checks, training and further education opportunities. In 2007 alone the centres welcomed 2,000 guests and served 27,000 meals, as well as providing medical and dental assistance to more than 800 people.

Leslie Morphy, Crisis Chief Executive, said: “Crisis Christmas is now in its 37th year and for many people it represents the first step towards finding a way out of homelessness. We wouldn’t be able to provide this service without the generosity of companies such as GB Nationwide and we’re very grateful for their support.”

Chris Day, Commercial Manager at GB Nationwide, added: “We’ve been lending crates to Crisis for over ten years and we’re delighted to be able to help the charity provide such a vital service, particularly at a time of year which can be extremely lonely for those without a home or family. We would like to urge other businesses to consider how they could assist the centres and ensure homeless people are not left out in the cold.”

Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people and is dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.

For further information on Crisis visit www.crisis.org.uk.

In what has been a tough year for most business sectors in the UK, the removal industry has been one of those hardest hit, with no end to the extreme slowdown in the domestic housing predicted. But according to BAR member GB Liners, there may just be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Robert Bartup, Managing Director explains, “It has without doubt been one of the toughest times we’ve experienced in over 80 years of operating in the moving industry. We’ve seen a number of well established removal companies drastically reduce their operations, and others cease trading altogether. We are fortunate to be better placed than most, as we don’t just carry out UK domestic moves, but also cater for those moving overseas and undertake an increasing amount of corporate relocations.”

“However domestic removals are our mainstay, and during 2008 the industry has been receiving less than half the enquiries compared to the same period in 2007. At GB

Liners we’ve sought to reduce operating costs rather than undertake wholesale redundancies, to retain our pool of skilled employees for when the market picks up again. And, whilst the overall national picture is still depressed, with mortgage approvals down by 70% compared to the same quarter last year, several of our branches in the south of the country are showing a marked improvement in their year-on-year enquiry rates over the last four weeks. In our London branch enquiries are down by just 16% compared to the same period of last year, with the branches at both Cirencester and Cheltenham reporting similar figures, whilst in Brighton the number of enquiries is now the same as last year.”

“With the potential of a recession and rising unemployment we’re certainly not predicting an economic upturn but, following clarification of the stamp duty holiday and the interest rate reductions, we may finally be seeing a level of confidence returning to the housing market.”

It this the light at the end of the tunnel?

“... we’re certainly not predicting an economic upturn but...”-Robert Bartup

Chris Day, Commercial Manager at GB Nationwide with one of the crates donated

Croydon-based Diamond Relocations Limited was happy to give Father Christmas a helping hand this year when it provided transport for him to go around the streets of Carshalton and Wallington in Surrey.

Diamond Relocations have close links to The Rotary Club in Carshalton and when asked to provide the transport was more than happy to continue to support its local community. The annual event is the biggest fundraiser for the local Rotary clubs with all the money raised going to local charities. It runs for several weeks prior to Christmas, with every street possible getting a visit from Santa between 7pm and 9pm.

Diamond Relocations Limited Records Management Division provided one of its vans and a driver to assist. Robert Hollis, Director, said, “In such trying times, it brings some cheer to the faces of all concerned.”

Diamond Relocations giving Santa a helping hand

Diamond Relocations helps santa


Moving News

9

Brytor Wins Innovation AwardBrytor of Toronto has won an award for innovation from the Canadian Association of Movers; this is one of three awards presented by CAM every year.

Michael Rathbone, President of Brytor, said that his company had been one of first three Canadian companies to achieve FAIM accreditation back in 1999; and the first to introduce the Australian designed software system, Moveware in North America. The company also introduced a number of innovatory elements into its purpose built offices and warehouse completed in 2000 such as complete open plan offices with senior management sharing space with staff; and 9-foot dock doors to facilitate access for containers and 24 hour video surveillance. Michael also helped to change the Association’s name from CAM to FIDI Canada.

A former packer who “came in off the road” to try his hand at practical estimating won the Gerson medal for achieving

the highest marks on the certification exam. Peter D’Arcy, an international sales consultant for Leicestershire-based Atlantic International Movers, beat the exam scores of many who had been estimating for years.

The results, which came by post from the British Association of Removers, shocked and thrilled the former packer. “I was just hoping to pass, let alone come out on top,” said Peter. “First I saw I got a pass; then I saw that I got an A; and then I saw that my test estimates were the closest to the actual volume. It felt absolutely fantastic.”

For Peter, the win marked the end of a transition from packing to surveying. He is thankful that Atlantic has allowed him to

make such a transition during his eight-year career with them. “I’d been working as a packer for years and wanted to try estimating,” continued Peter. “Atlantic gave me the chance to come in to the office and have a go at it. They even paid for me to take the test.”

Not all estimators have certificates in practical estimating, and only an exceptional few can boast of having won a Gerson medal from the BAR. With his years of packing experience and a medal in practical estimating, Peter now has a unique blend of qualifications that make him something of an “all-star” in removals.

The Gerson medal is named after the late J L Gerson, one of the founder members of the Movers Institute. Peter, whose Gerson medal is on display in his living room, also holds a certificate in overseas packing and an advanced certificate in packing.

Edinburgh-based Peter Illand Removals has moved from its home of 61 years to allow the company to diversify into

document management. The long-established family firm, which has recently changed its name to The Illand Company, is now housed in a state-of-the-art document storage facility in Bonnyrigg, only six miles from Edinburgh’s city centre and a mile from the busy city by-pass.

Partner Peter Illand now stores documents for one of the world’s leading insurance companies in the 16,000ft2 12mtr high premises over four levels. One of Scotland’s top solicitors firms is also a client along with two housing associations and various other business outlets.

Peter said, “We moved officially on May 1 2008 and the credit crunch may be depressing for some but we’ve found that businesses are looking to store documents off-site to free space in their existing premises. Our building has the capacity to store 130,000 standard archive boxes and 120 standard, 250ft3 containerised storage boxes. In addition, we’ve incorporated external self-storage units from 250ft3 mover boxes to 20ft ISO containers. Peter continued, “The 1.8 acre site on the Sherwood Industrial Estate also has ample room for expansion for a further 25,000ft2 building which takes our total archival capacity to 450,000 boxes.”

Peter Illand Removals relocates and diversifiesPeter Illand: Illand Company Partner

Former packer wins medal for highest marks on practical estimating exam

Peter D’Arcy, left, with his Gerson medal and his certificate in practical estimating, shaking hands with Atlantic’s Managing Director, Darren Bundock.

Michael, right, received his award from Leonard Hoyt of Hoyts Moving & Storage, who is a Director of CAM


Moving News

10

Based in Bangor, Northern Ireland, and well established in the North Down area, McGimpsey Brothers delivered 50 Christmas hampers to a group of people on the Age Concern home visit list.

The exercise has been carried out over the last few years and reflects the company’s wish to give something back to those in most need within North Down. Company Director, Campbell McGimpsey, one of four brothers who have developed the company over the years, said: “We’ve nurtured our company for many years using North Down as our base. Our modern premises at Conlig offers state of the art self storage facilities and we are now involved in removals right across the world. This Christmas gift was just our way of saying thank you to the people of the area that have

Paul McGimpsey, left, with Councillor Tony Hill of the Management Committee, right, and Dorothy Beattie, Senior Manager of Age Concern Bangor

McGimpsey Brothers brings Christmas cheerNot for the first time, McGimpsey Brothers brought unexpected Christmas cheer to 50 house bound elderly citizens.

supported us over the years.”Facilitating the hand over, Town Centre

Manager, Stephen Dunlop said: “I’ve a strong admiration for companies such as McGimpsey Brothers who can do something like this for such a worthy group at Christmas. Too often corporate gifts go to those who already have so much. This is a worthy twist of the normal story and I applaud them for this Christian

act, appropriate for the festive time of year.”Commenting on the donation Age Concern’s

Dorothy Beattie noted, “Christmas is a particularly difficult year financially for all of us and especially for those elderly people on fixed income. Age Concern is extremely grateful that once again McGimpsey Brothers assisted 50 of our elderly citizens by delivering a much welcome and needed Christmas hamper.”

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Moving News

11

Pickfords has emphasised its company-wide focus on health and safety

management by being awarded BS OHSAS 18001-2007 certification by BSI Group, the UK’s national standards body. The BSI certification covers Pickfords’ entire nationwide network of removal and storage centres – including major regional sites in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Gateshead, Hayes, Milton Keynes, and Normanton, as well as the company’s head office in Enfield, Middlesex.

Designed to promote a safe and healthy working environment, BS OHSAS 18001 certification is only awarded to companies that meet exceptionally high standards in health and safety procedures as part of their risk management strategy. It certifies that Pickfords’ health and safety management system is consistently able to identify and control health and safety risks, reduce the risk of accidents, improve overall safety performance, and ensure full legislative compliance.

Pickfords is one of the few, if not the only moving company in the UK, to have received certification for all of the key international best practice standards for Quality (ISO 9000 and FIDI FAIM), Environmental Management (ISO 14001), and Health and Safety Management (BS OHSAS 18001).

Pickfords’ Managing Director Kevin Pickford said the new BS OHSAS 18001 certification reflects the company’s nationwide

focus on health and safety. “We’ve always had a strong commitment to ensuring the safety of our staff and our clients’ employees when we’re operating at their premises. But BS OHSAS 18001 is a rigorous external test that proves we’re committed to setting robust health and safety procedures on an ongoing basis.”

He added: “It also makes good business sense. In a competitive marketplace, our customers are looking for more than just keen pricing. This external certification means we can tangibly demonstrate to customers that our business is managed responsibly and we can provide a reliable service without excessive downtime, and associated costs, caused by work-related accidents and incidents. Adding BS OHSAS 18001 to our existing certificates for quality and environmental management is part of our strategy to highlight the Pickfords brand as a world leader in delivering best practice to global standards to our valued customers.”

John Horsefield, Pickfords’ Health and Safety Advisor, said the company puts a heavy emphasis on ongoing health and safety training for its entire workforce. “Our employees display the right attitude and commitment to health and safety and have shown they’re willing to take responsibility for themselves, their colleagues and our clients’ staff,” he says. “We will now begin a rolling programme of BSI audits every year to maintain our OHSAS 18001 certification.”

Left to right: John Horsefield, Health and Safety advisor; John Glackin, Auditor/Client Manager, BSI;Kevin Pickford, Managing Director;Tracey Rogers, Facilities Manager;Richard Summers, Group Compliance Manager

Health and safety management award for PickfordsPickfords has been awarded BS OHSAS 18001 certification for health and safety management across its national network of centres.

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Moving News

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Matt Purdie & Sons wins top award

Left to right: Mary Rhodes, TV sports presenter;Matt Purdie; Owen Pilling, OPC Graphics - award sponsors;Dougie Donnelly,(TV presenter and commentator)Above: the winning vehicle livery.

Crown relocations launches intercultural services web site A newly created website provides information about Crown Asia-Pacifi c’s Intercultural Services Program, Global Passport.

Crown’s Global Passport services include specialised training for relocations, repatriation, working across cultures, and young professionals working overseas, as well as training for spouses and families, to help them cope with cultural confl icts in all aspects of their lives – both professionally and personally. The program is tailored, through a comprehensive needs analysis, to meet individual needs and key concerns.

The program is currently being offered in 19 locations across the Asia-Pacifi c region. New locations are added on a regular basis, to meet the needs of relocation professionals and transferees.

Jill Bedford, Regional Director for Crown’s Global Mobility Services division, Asia-Pacifi c, said, “It is very exciting to be harnessing the talent and experience of Crown’s own diverse and highly international workforce, along with the expertise of our network of trainers, to deliver programs of real strategic and personal value to our corporate clients and their employees. Intercultural communication and leadership skills are now accepted core competencies for all multinational and global businesses, and I am thrilled that Crown can draw on its own success and experiences in more than 50 countries to further support our valued clients.”

Plans to extend the Global Passport program in key markets of the Europe/Middle East/Africa regions are in development. Crown Relocations continues its partnership with Aperian Global to provide intercultural services in some of its worldwide regions.

Clark & Rose has proved it’s willing to go to any lengths, and temperatures, to satisfy customers.

The company has just completed the relocation of the Albone family from their home in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, to Vuollerim, Northern Sweden. Despite having substantial previous experience in Sweden, this relocation was the furthest north that had been encountered by the company and resulted in the vans being equipped with ‘super’ anti-freeze for the sub-zero conditions.

The move, which took a total of eight days from collection to delivery, was necessary as Glen Albone, a self-employed builder, is planning

to develop houses in the area, with backing from the Swedish Government. It’s hoped that Sweden could become a popular destination for ex-pats, similar to Spain and Bulgaria, which could result in an infl ux in the number of moves Clark & Rose deal with.

Gary Beattie, Clark & Rose’s London Branch Manager said: “This move was slightly different to our previous jobs in Sweden because it was so far North and our drivers eventually found themselves travelling within the Arctic Circle, a fi rst for Clark & Rose. The area which we moved the Albones to is somewhere the government would like to develop and hopefully an increase in the number of houses here

would be good for business, although our drivers will have to be prepared for the icy cold conditions!”

Mr Albone was delighted with the quality of service he received. He said, “We were extremely happy with the service provided from start to fi nish it was very professional and concise. The packing was carried out excellently, and the driver and porter did amazingly well on the very, very long trip up here.” He continued, “The guys did a great job unpacking and were effi cient and courteous throughout. They kept in contact with us at every stage of the journey giving us an update on their estimated arrival time at every opportunity.”

Matt Purdie & Sons of Bathgate, West Lothian, has recently been awarded the prestigious title of ‘Scotland’s Top

Fleet Livery 2009’ by Transport News, the road haulage magazine for Scotland and the north of England.

The Transport News Scottish Rewards have been running for 15 years and are considered to be the ‘oscars’ for the Scottish transport and road haulage industry. This year there were 16 award categories, with nominations being submitted by members of the industry and the general public, and a record number of nominations were received.

Matt Purdie & Sons were amongst fi ve short-listed fi nalists and were announced as the winner of ‘Scotland’s Top Fleet Livery 2009’ at an awards ceremony held on Friday 7th November 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow.

John Henderson, Features Editor of Transport News and a member of the judging panel, said the judges were impressed by the very high standards maintained by the company in all areas, such as premises, staff and strong

corporate identity that even fl ows through to items such as packaging materials, and of course the company’s very fi ne vehicle livery. John commented that it had been a while since they’d seen such a strong candidate from the removals industry, a sector that they’re keen should be included to give the awards as wide a scope as possible.

Clark & Rose braves arctic conditions for client


Moving News

15

Around 120 businesses and organisations from the sector picked up awards this year out of the 1,500 honoured - a record

for the awards programme, which has been running for more than 50 years and is the leading scheme of its type.

This celebration of health and safety good practice attracts businesses and organisations of all sizes and types, and they have until February 13 to submit their entries. But early preparation will help to avoid a last-minute rush.

Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA Chief Executive said: “In the current economic climate, awards are more important than ever. They demonstrate that employers care about their employees and will not let slip their standards of health and safety practice even in tough times. They also offer a path to improvement which allows companies to adjust their pace of development to their own circumstances. By showing their determination to save lives and reduce injuries, our winners are an inspiration for others to follow.”

The majority of the awards are non-competitive and mark achievement which is graded at merit, bronze, silver and gold levels. Those demonstrating continued improvement can win gold medals, President’s Awards and Orders of Distinction.

The competitive awards go to the best entries

in 21 individual industry sectors such as construction, healthcare, transport and logistics, engineering, manufacturing and education. There are special awards for workforce involvement, training, occupational health, environmental management and the management of occupational road risk. There is a trophy for the best organisation operating or based in Scotland, and RoSPA’s top accolade is the Sir George Earle Trophy.

The awards are sponsored by NEBOSH – The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health. Presentations will take place from May 12 to May 14 at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole Hotel where there will be three prestigious gala dinners. The ceremonies run alongside Safety & Health Expo 2009 at the NEC. Winners can also be presented with their awards at the RoSPA Scotland event held in Glasgow in September.

Entries are welcomed from all types of business or organisation, whether public or private sector, and there are many new entrants each year. RoSPA’s independent expert judging panel not only considers accident records, it also looks for high standards of management and safety performance. Full details can be found at www.rospa.com/awards/index.htm, or more information is available by ringing 0121 248 2090 or e-mailing [email protected].

Quality Award for Streff Streff in Luxemburg has won the Luxemburg Quality Award presented by the Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce.

The award was presented to Stefan Chorus and Caroline Vanormelingen, Streff’s Quality Manager, on 25th November by the Luxembourg Minister of Economy, Jeannot Krecké in front of nearly 250 business people and state representatives.

Stefan said: “This Award is the result of our endless efforts to enhance our position as the leader in our business in Luxembourg through innovation and quality management, ensuring organic growth through a sustainable development of our services.”

The company has recently achieved certification for Quality (ISO 9001), Security (OHSAS 18001) and Environment (ISO 14001). 2008 also saw the company’s 80th anniversary (1928-2008).

Award Guidance Notes and Entry Form, top, are available to download from www.rospa.com/awards/index.htm

Transport firms in line for safety awardsTransport, storage and distribution companies should start preparing now for the 2009 RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards to be sure they can meet the entry deadline.

Left to right: Stefan Chorus; Caroline Vanormelingen, Quality Manager; Jeannot Krecké, Minister of Econnomy;Max Chorus; Vincent Lucas, Sales Manager

Mixed Case 2Sauvignon Petit Bourgeois (France) x 2Complex notes of herbaceousness, green apples and yellow plums. A zesty palate with crisp acidity with notes of granny smith apples.

Chateau de Garras (France) x 2Ripe plumy and cherry flavours with a lovely spiciness and toastiness from the oak. Medium body, juicy texture, soft ripe tannins with cherry and blackberry flavours.

Oppi Valpolicella (Italy) x 2Morello cherry, soft easy drinking style, soft and subtle.

Chianti Classico San Martino (Italy) x 2Good concentration of cherry fruit and a hint of violet. Firm structure and a long finish.

Ca’Linverno Rosso IGT (Italy) x 2Good concentration with notes of forest berries with sweet spice and good acidity. Drinking well now.

Domaine Georges Michel Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) x 2A classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with lovely gooseberry, elderflower, honeydew melon and limey flavours. Long length.

BAR Membership Initiative in Association with:

Mixed Case 1Rafegue Merlot Cabernet Reserve (France) x 2An ample, well structured wine with fine, elegant tannins and notes of spice and pepper.

Rafegue Sauvignon Blanc Reserva (France) x 2Fresh flavours of delicate apple, pear and floral notes. Dry, delicate palate with apple and peach flavours balanced with refreshing acidity.

Sol Rey Red (Spain) x 2Dry, well structured, clean with a moderate intensity of fruit with notes of plums and red cherries.

Sol Rey White (Spain) x 2Dry, balanced acidity, clean with a hint of citrus fruit and a refreshing finish.

Apple Tree Flat Shiraz (Australia) x 2Intense and complex flavours of redcurrant, pepper, cherry and sweet spices. On the palate there are lovely forest berries coupled with a firm texture and balanced acidity.

Apple Tree Flat Semillon Sauvignon (Australia) x 2 Pale gold in colour, pleasant nose of fresh citrus with a slight honeyed quality from the Semillon. The palate possesses similar characteristics to the nose, showing citrus fruit flavours. Medium bodied, dry with good acidity. Drinking well.

Further to these mixed case offerings please take the chance to look at www.coevintners.com for a full selection of wines which BAR Members receive a 10% discount across all products. Plus, there is free delivery on all orders of 24 bottles or more. For these exclusive mixed case offers or anything else from the Coe Vintners Portfolio call 020 8551 4966 Quoting ‘BAR Wine Club’.

Mixed Case 112 Bottles - £39.99 Free delivery on mixed case orders. Case prices inclusive of VAT and subject to availability.

SPECIAL OFFER

Mixed Case 212 Bottles - £49.99 Free delivery on mixed case orders. Case prices inclusive of VAT and subject to availability.

SPECIAL OFFER

january BAR A4 a-w.indd 1 10/12/08 21:02:08


BAR News

17

Go-ScotlandBAR Scottish Area held its annual go-karting event in Livingston on 20 November 2008. There was an excellent turnout of 7 teams, with 4 drivers per team, taking part in a 2-hour endurance drive.The participating teams were:- PHS Teacrate- AMC Removals- Kenneth Hayton Removals- Matt Purdie & Sons- Richard Healey Removals- Clark & Rose

After a very closely fought contest, with teams completing almost 300 laps each, congratulations and the trophy went to the winning team from Clark & Rose. Runners-up were the team from Kenneth Hayton Removals, with Richard Healey Removals fi nishing third.

Participants also enjoyed an excellent buffet, very kindly sponsored by PHS Teacrate, and the BAR Scottish Area sends a big thank you to Stuart McLean and everyone at PHS Teacrate.

The BAR Yorkshire Area hosted everyone north of Watford for this year’s annual dinner. The event was held at The Monk

Bar Hotel in York which was the most spectacular venue and the hotel certainly did them proud. To escape the onslaught of Christmas parties, the theme for the evening was 70s disco. Everyone got into the spirit of the times and the outfi ts were outrageous. Greg and Helen Wildman took fi rst prize for the best dressed but Gareth Littlewood gave them a close run for their money.

The evening’s huge success went in part to the kind generosity of the sponsors. Adrian Starling from Steel Storage provided the food and drink for the cocktail party and John Simpson from Simpsons Packaging donated all the wine for the evening.

Party revellers danced well into the night with compilation dances lasting up to 45 minutes causing a lot of sore legs in the morning.

Many thanks to all who attended and especially to the sponsors for providing the funding when the industry is facing hard times.

Yorkshire in the 70s

Top: Race action from the Livingston event;Centre: All the participants;Bottom: The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams - Clark & Rose, Kenneth Hayton Removals and Richard Healy Removals respectively

Top: Austin Powers and friends. It said

70s on the invite, but 60s styles were

just as good;Centre: times may

be tough today but back in the 70s you could still get

three Afros to the Mullet;

Bottom left: Heel! 70s footwear style was unrestrained

to say the least

in association with

Basil Fry & Co Ltd

Tel: 01372 385 985Email: [email protected]: www.basilfry.co.uk

Insurance

The Professional Advisors Panel is a brandnew initiative specifically designed to offermembers extended support across everyaspect of their business. This is a developmentof our highly successful Insurance Broker Panelscheme whereby BAR members receiveunlimited support, guidance and advice from

qualified specialist companies within the UK.We are constantly looking at ways to supportour members businesses; therefore, if thisinitiative proves to be a success, we willdevelop the Professional Advisors Panel evenfurther into other relevant areas such as Health& Safety and Environmental services.

Reason Global Insurance

Tel: 0845 602 1775Email: [email protected]: www.reason-global.com

Baker Tilly

Tel: 01923 657788Email: [email protected]: www.bakertilly.co.uk

Financial Legal

Backhouse Jones Solicitors

Tel: 01254 828300Email: [email protected]: www.backhousejones.co.uk

For any independent insurance, financial or legal advice, please contact a BARProfessional Advisor partner.

Professional Advisors Ad 15/12/08 17:16 Page 1


BAR News

It’s quite simple really. If commercial moving companies join the CMG they will make more money. That’s the message from the CMG Council.

How? There are many ways:1. The CMG advertises in the Facilities Management press to increase its awareness with key customers. It also submits regular editorials to these publications to promote its opinions and enhance the status of its members. This promotional activity helps facilities managers understand more about the CMG. In the 2008 Moving Trends Survey conducted by Premises and Facilities Management magazine, an increasing number of FM professionals said that CMG membership was important in their choice of moving company.

2. The CMG has exhibited at the Total Workplace Exhibition at Olympia in recent years to expand the awareness of the Association and its values. The CMG intends to attend other exhibitions this year.

3. The CMG has recently announced strategic partnerships with BT and BIFM (British Institute of Facilities Management). These relationships will expand the promotional opportunities for CMG members through joint marketing with these high profile organisations. Further strategic alliances are being negotiated.

4. The CMG has pioneered the BSI PAS126 standard for commercial moving. All CMG members will be required to have PAS126 by the end of August 2009. This will enable the CMG to promote itself as being 100% compliant: a huge commercial advantage. FM professionals are increasingly recognising the new standard and requiring their suppliers to meet it. Companies that have the standard are recognised for their excellence.

5. The CMG works constantly to increase its membership – now standing at 81 companies across the country. This provides all members with a ready supply of trained assistance wherever it’s needed.

6. The CMG has just agreed an exciting range of industry-specific diplomas that will take staff from the beginning of their careers in commercial moving right through to top management. Every company understands that its people are its best asset and keeping them at the top of their profession is the best way to improve performance and reduce staff turnover.

7. The Commercial Mover of the Year competition is open only to CMG members. Winners and finalists of the competition are recognised as providing excellent service. They have the right to display their certificates and use their achievements to promote their companies.

The CMG does all these things, and more, for one reason only: to help its members make more money. That’s the point of being in business.

If your company earns a significant proportion of its income from commercial moving you must seriously consider joining the CMG. Join it not for the networking opportunities, not for the camaraderie, not just because you want the badge for its own sake – join because you want to make more money. In these credit crunching, market crashing days, can you really afford not to be part of the only organisation in the country that is recognised for commercial moving excellence?

To join the CMG contact the BAR commercial department on: 01923 699499 or email: [email protected].

It’s only 8 months now before all members of the Commercial Moving Group (CMG) will be required to have PAS126, the BSI standard for commercial moving, to remain as CMG members. The clock is ticking. Will your company be on time?

31st August 2009 is the cut off date for all CMG companies to be certified to PAS126. So far only a handful of companies have achieved the standard and only around 30 of 81 CMG members have started the process. As time goes on there is a real danger that QSS (Quality Service Standards Ltd.) the organisation charged with the job of assessing companies for PAS126, will become swamped with work and not be able to complete all the necessary assessments by the deadline date.

Chris Waymouth, Chief Executive of QSS, is concerned that companies might delay too long. “It’s not a long process for each company but with over 50 companies yet to be assessed we need to keep a steady flow of approvals,” he said. “We don’t want a bottleneck at the last minute.”

Those companies that have already achieved PAS126 say that it’s not onerous and agree that any current member of the CMG should be able to reach the necessary standard with little change to their working practices. Ian Studd, Chairman of the CMG, explained that the purpose of making the Standard compulsory is to provide members with a unique selling tool by allowing the full force of CMG promotional activity to focus on the fact that the CMG is 100% approved to the commercial standard. “It’s a fabulous opportunity for us to stand out from the crowd,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important for everyone to get approval before the deadline.”

QSS is currently working on updating the PAS126 standard to become the full BSI standard BS8522. But Chris Waymouth urges CMG members not to wait before getting certified as the date for the introduction of the full BS is not yet set and the operational differences in the standards will not be material. “Companies should go for PAS126 now and we can easily update them to BS8522 when it becomes available,” he explained.

The membership of CMG companies that do not achieve PAS126 will lapse on 1st September 2009. It is already a mandatory requirement for all companies applying for CMG membership.

For more information on how your company can become certified to PAS126 contact Chris Waymouth on [email protected] or the BAR head office.

Join the CMG(and make more money)

PAS126 COUNTDOWN:WILL YOU BE READY IN TIME?


BAR News

20

Business is down, money is tight and spirits are low – that’s exactly why you should come to the BAR conference

this year in Brussels. Can you really afford to stay away?

The theme for the conference is ‘Partnership for Profit’ and the business sessions will be targeted specifically to help BAR members use partnerships as a way of improving their businesses, vitally important at any time but during a recession, even more so.

BAR has recently signed strategic partnerships with BT and BIFM and is soon hoping to achieve a similarly close working relationship with NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents). Being in Europe FEDEMAC will also be featuring strongly to accentuate the close relationship BAR has with its European partner.

But perhaps the strongest and closest partnerships will be, as usual at this annual event, forged through direct contact with others in the same industry with similar problems, fears and opportunities. It’s the annual opportunity for the whole industry to get together as one to swap ideas, provide support and develop ways of working together for the benefit of the entire membership.

The 2009 conference will also see the launch of the Domestic Mover of the Year award which, together with its older brother the Commercial Mover of the Year award, provide participants with the greatest promotional opportunity of the year. If you haven’t already joined in, it’s now your last opportunity.

For exhibitors too the 2009 event will provide maximum exposure to the membership with the exhibition being staged immediately adjacent to the business sessions and all the refreshments being served within the exhibition area. The logistics for the event have been

carefully worked out to create the maximum foot-fall through the exhibition and generate the best possible sales opportunities for all those taking part.

Apart from being the most important BAR conference you’ve ever attended it’s just possible that it could be one of the most enjoyable too. The Conrad hotel is the most dazzling luxury hotel in Brussels where you can relax in 5-star luxury. It’s located on the famous Avenue Louise and is within easy reach of the Palais Royal, the most fashionable shopping district with the its elegant boutiques, the majestic Grand-Palace and the headquarters of NATO and the European Union.

For the last few months R&S has been running a regular item highlighting some of the city’s attractions including the Cantillon Brewery and the Delirium Café featured last month, but there’s lots to see just wandering around the town too. Why not go visit the market square, one of the most beautiful town squares in Europe, and take a look at the gothic town hall, among the most stunning city halls in the Low Countries.

If you’ve not attended a BAR conference before, there’s a new event designed specially for you: Pickfords is sponsoring a newcomers’ welcome event at the start of the conference to allow everyone attending for the first time to meet each other and to be introduced to the BAR Board members and members of the secretariat. It’s the ideal way get to know new people and get the most out of what will undoubtedly be a splendid weekend.

If you need to meet new people, build new partnerships, learn how to make your business more profitable during difficult times, and keep up to date with all that’s new in the moving industry, you really can’t afford not to be there.

Getting around in BrusselsEasily accessed on foot Brussels is a compact city that is best covered on foot, although it does boast an excellent public transport system which is easy to negotiate and you’d be well advised to take advantage of it. Metros & Trams Many of the Metro stations in Brussels are decorated with works of art. There are lots of them, and most are accessible for disabled people. Also, brightly coloured trams weave throughout the city - both under and over ground. The underground trains are called ‘Prémetro’.Taxis Brussels has an astonishing 600 taxi ranks located throughout the city, but don’t expect taxis to stop if you try and hail them in the street. It is also advisable to check that the meter is on when you get in. It is a legal requirement to take a receipt from the driver when you leave.

Brussels 2009Probably the most important conference you’ll ever attend


BAR News

21

Some of the world’s most popular comic strips, or bande dessinee, were created by Belgian artists and a museum dedicated to their craft has become one of Brussels’ most popular visitor attractions.

The Belgian Centre of Comic Strip Art houses some of the country’s best know comic strip characters including Willy and Wanda, The Smurfs, Lucky Luke and most famous of all Tintin, the comic strip sleuth with his trademark tuft of yellow hair. Today Tintin is a multimillion-euro industry with everything from books, branded mugs and even his own clothing label. There has been talk about opening a museum dedicated to the little chap, but so far it has not materialised.

Visitors can learn everything about the birth and development of a comic strip album from the Second World War to the present day and relive childhood memories of reading their favorite comics.

As always, the museum has a gift shop with albums and gadgets featuring all the Belgian comic strip heroes.

The museum is located in the beautiful Art Nouveau

setting of the Waucquez Warehouses which are considered to be one of the masterpieces of the most famous Belgian architect, Victor Horta. He built the house in 1906 for the Waucquez family who used it for a wholesale cloth business. The building displays the principles of Horta’s architectural style: sunlight filters from the glass ceiling into the central hall, illuminating the rest of the warehouse in a natural way. The Warehouses were beautifully restored between 1987 and 1989.

Location Zandstraat / Rue des Sables, 201000 Brussels, 02/219.19.80Opening hoursFrom 10am to 6pmAdmissionAdults: 6,20 (Euro) per person. Seniors: 5 (Euro) per person Children under 12: 2,50 (Euro) per person Groups (minimum 15 persons): 5 (Euro) per person.

Belgian Centre of Comic Strip Art

So what is there to see in Brussels?

Left: the Centre’s fine Art Nouveau exterior Below: Tintin - Belgium’s best known comic strip export is well represented among the many exhibits

For more information visit: www.bar.co.uk/conference2009.aspxor email: [email protected]

The BAR Annual conference is the most highlyanticipated event in the removals calendar andthis year is no exception!

Never before has it been moreimportant to forge new business

relationships, friendships andalliances especially during this

difficult economic climate…and your association is here to help!

This year’s conference willbring together an assortedmix of professionalremovers, specialist tradesuppliers and a host ofindustry leaders offeringtheir expert knowledge,guidance and advice onhow to tackle some of thekey issues surrounding theprofessional removalsindustry.

Share your individual experienceswith your fellow members anddiscover what new innovativeproducts & services exist by visitingour Affiliates and Business Partners at our annual trade exhibition.

Hosted in the Conrad Hotel inBrussels, this superb venue providesthe perfect location for our 3 dayevent. With a broad range of thoughtprovoking business sessions, a seriesof topical debates…can you afford tomiss it?

Come and experience the charmand heritage that Brussels hasto offer!

BAR Conference 20091-3 May, Conrad Hotel, Brussels

‘Partnership for Profit’

BAR Coference advert 19/12/08 10:37 Page 1

Conference Delegate Packages

Full Package - 1st Attendee

Delegate Fee

Accommodation

Total Cost

Cost

£207.00

£492.00

£699.00

TVA %

21%

6%

-

TVA £

£43.47

£29.52

£72.99

Total

£250.47

£521.52

£771.99

3 Night’s Accommodation (B&B) 1st – 3rd May ’09, entry to all Business Sessions,

Trade Exhibition, all Social Events, Tea/Coffee refreshments & buffet lunches.

Day Delegate rate

Delegate Fee (per day)

Cost

£125.00

TVA %

21%

TVA £

£26.25

Entry to all Business Sessions, Trade Exhibition, Tea/Coffee refreshments

& buffet lunches.

Room Upgrades

Deluxe

Premium

Junior Suite

per roomper night( ) Cost

£25.00

£50.00

£100.00

TVA %

6%

6%

6%

TVA £

£1.50

£3.00

£6.00

Two Night Package - 1st Attendee

Delegate Fee

Accommodation

Total Cost

Cost

£207.00

£343.00

£550.00

TVA %

21%

6%

-

TVA £

£43.47

£20.58

£64.05

Total

£250.47

£363.58

£614.05

Accommodation (B&B) on any 2 consecutive nights between 1st – 3rd May ’09, entry

to all Business Sessions, Trade Exhibition, all Social Events, Tea/Coffee refreshments &

buffet lunches on the respective dates.

Two Night Package - 2nd Attendee

Delegate Fee

Accommodation

Total Cost

Cost

£207.00

£268.00

£475.00

TVA %

21%

6%

-

TVA £

£43.47

£16.08

£59.55

Total

£250.47

£284.08

£534.55

Shared Accommodation (B&B) on any 2 consecutive nights between 1st – 3rd May ’09,

entry to all Business Sessions, Trade Exhibition, all Social Events, Tea/Coffee refreshments

& buffet lunches on the respective dates. Partners Tour on Saturday 2nd May

Full Package - 2nd Attendee

Delegate Fee

Accommodation

Total Cost

Cost

£207.00

£343.00

£550.00

TVA %

21%

6%

-

TVA £

£43.47

£20.58

£64.05

Total

£250.47

£363.58

£614.05

3 Night’s Shared Accommodation (B&B) 1st – 3rd May ’09, entry to all Business

Sessions, Trade Exhibition, all Social Events, Tea/Coffee refreshments & buffet lunches.

Partners Tour on Saturday 2nd May.

Exhibitors & SponsorshipIf you would like to take an exhibition stand or sponsor an opportunity

at the conference, please email: [email protected]

Please Note: In order to comply with Belgium and EU VAT authorities we are required to show the taxcalculations against the different elements of the costs, with the appropriate Belgium TVA rate.

N.B. The Delegate Fee and Accommodation are only available as a combined package and cannot besplit or sold separately.

Total

£26.50

£53.00

£106.00

Total

£151.25

BOOK BEFORE THE END OF JANUARY 2009AND RECEIVE A 10% DISCOUNT

BAR Coference advert 19/12/08 11:34 Page 2


BAR News

24

BAR Services has great pleasure in announcing that as of January 2009 its fully updated and innovative new website

is up and running for business as usual.No doubt you will by now be aware of the

new face of BAR Services. At the May 2008 BAR conference, the company unveiled its refreshing new identity to the members followed by a mailshot of its corresponding catalogue and price list. The final part of the re-branding process was to update and amalgamate both of its websites to make sourcing products as well as ordering an easier process.

BAR Services sees its website as a vital tool for growing the business but felt it was important to bring the website up to speed with its new corporate identity. “The idea behind the re-brand was to provide an image where the message was clear and concise as to the services and products provided by BAR Services,” explained Jane Shaw, Project Manager. “By redesigning the catalogue and updating the product codes we also wanted to make viewing and ordering our products a simple and straightforward process – we have now applied this philosophy to our website.”

Shopping on the Internet can be economical and convenient, the BAR Services online shop is always open — seven days a week, 24 hours a day — and the bargains online can be numerous. Surfing the net isn’t just about

buying an airline ticket, booking a hotel or sending flowers; with a click of a mouse you can now purchase all your packaging needs too. BAR Services has always been a phone call away but with the new look website up and running, delivery of your order is now also just a click away.

The new website is now fully updated in the vibrant company colours so customers will have little doubt that they are on the BAR Services website. Its new design means that it is easy to surf and navigation friendly which means finding the products you require should be quick and easy. The website has been reorganised to provide you with information on the ‘product of the month’ as advertised in the R&S, any current best sellers and information on special offers.

The website will be visible to the public and trade customers; however, a second level of the website will allow exclusive access to the discounted prices that are available to the membership. As with the previous website, each company will be emailed a personalised log-in that allows them to interface with the members’ area of the website. “One of the benefits of being a BAR member is the saving achieved by the bulk buying power of BAR Services,” explained Jane. “By using the unique member log-in, these prices can be accessed on the new website.”

BAR Services has also added an online

payment option for members who would prefer to pay as they go. Although members have the availability of credit facilities with BAR Services, some may prefer to pay for smaller orders immediately by credit card. With buying habits changing with the advancement of the World Wide Web, more and more customers are requesting the ability to buy and pay online in one simple and easy process.

For further information regarding the services provided by the website or to obtain a members log-in, please contact the sales team on 01342 870087 or email [email protected].

,

A new look website for the new year

Product of the Month

BAR Services Ltd, Moor Hall, Sandhawes Hill, East Grinstead, Sussex RH19 3HQ Tel: 01342 870087 Fax: 01342 870072 Email: [email protected]

Previous articles by BAR Services have highlighted the potential revenue that can be made by selling packaging products directly to the public. Many of the members may have thought ‘great idea, but how do I begin providing such a service and what do I need to get started?’

Those clever people at BAR Services have introduced a complete starter kit that provides a retail solution in answer to both of these questions. The ‘Movers Retail Kit’ provides all the necessary products to suit all your customer requirements complete with an attractive stand

providing the ideal point of sale display for your company. The kit is supplied with mattress sacks, furniture covers, webbing, tape and air bubble film – in fact everything that is needed for your customer to move or store, excluding the cartons. All of the products supplied come in handy, individually wrapped packets to make buying an easier process for you and your customer.

For further details on this product or to place an order, simply call BAR Services on 01342 870087. Alternatively, please feel free to email [email protected].

Movers retail kit

Out with the old. The new year sees a new-look website replacing what BARS’ customers are used to seeing, above

BARTS courses available on request*These courses can be delivered on site by our Field Trainer using our new training vehicle

• Basic Packing • First Aid at Work• Export Wrapping

• Packing of Specialist Items• Manual Handling • Commercial Skills

• Health & Safety • Loading/Unloading• Fire Awareness

Please visit the BAR Training Services section at www.bar.co.uk to download a booking form*All courses are subject to change


BAR News

25

Free Situation Wanted advertisingTo help companies and their employees during the recession R&S is offering individuals who have been made redundant from BAR companies the opportunity of advertising their services free. This is intended to help people fi nd new employment in the professional moving industry and help BAR members to fulfi ll their obligations to do all they can to help their employees during this diffi cult time.

All entries will be confi dential and replies will be to a unique box number address supplied by BAR. To take part please provide brief details (no names or company details will appear in the advertisement) including roles, experience and location to [email protected]. This service is available only to BAR members’ staff who have been or are about to be made redundant.

Your news or event could be

FRONT PAGE NEWS!Did you know that the R&S front page is available to book for just £945 + VAT? If you have some interesting news to share or maybe a special event planned, then why not tell everyone about it in style via the front page of the R&S? You’ll also get a write-up in the magazine to accompany it. If you’re interested in making a booking then please e-mail: [email protected]

PAGE NEWS!Did you know that the


People News

26

Interdean International Relocation would like to welcome four new employees: Kathleen Stuart-King, Global Mobility

Director; Susana Bourne, Global Mobility Manager; Elaine Sedgwick, Business Development Manager; and Alina Vuluga, Relocation Manager.

Kathleen, who is to be based at the company’s UK headquarters, has a wealth of experience within the relocation industry. Her latest role was Account Director, and she has also worked as the Quality & Internal Control Manager for a major relocation company.

Kathleen will be responsible for all components of international relocations for the company’s clients. She will also run a designated team responsible for hiring, training and development. Kathleen will act as a main point of management for the vetting of new suppliers which will involve the approving of pricing structures and managing the quality of service delivery through key performance indicators.

Susana is based at the company’s Madrid offices and joins Interdean from her role as Operations Director for a major Spanish relocation company. Susana has worked in the relocation industry for over eight years and was part of the best practise committee for the EuRA Quality Seal.

Susana is responsible for all components of international relocations for Interdean’s clients in Spain. She also looks after client relationships, client policy development, benchmarking and reviews.

Alina, who is based at the company’s Bucharest office, joins Interdean from Move One Relocations where she worked as Account Manager. Alina’s main role at Interdean is co-ordinating the Relocations Services, in addition to working with the sales team.

Alina majored in psychology and graduated from Bucharest University in June 2007, with a degree in Clinical Psychology and Positive Psychotherapy. Previous to her work with Move One Relocations Alina also has considerable project manager experience, following her time with an event organiser in Bucharest.

Elaine, who is to be based at the company’s offices in Budapest, has a wealth of experience in the relocation sector. She joins Interdean from SIRVA Relocation in Germany where she was the company’s European Account Manager. Elaine has also worked for Cheryl Koenig Relocation Services in Germany and Sterling Relocation in London.

Elaine’s main role at Interdean will be handling corporate and diplomatic accounts in Hungary.

New recruits for InterdeanTop: Kathleen Stuart-King; Centre: Susana Bourne; Bottom: Elaine Sedgwick

Domestic Mover of the Year

for more information and an application pack,visit www.bar.co.uk/dmoty.aspx

or contact BAR on 01923 699498

Are you the shining light in removals?

The BAR Domestic Mover of the Year is a

National Council initiative that is open to all

members whose domestic moving accounts for

more than 50% of their total turnover. The

award will be presented at the BAR conference

in Brussels in May 2009.

BAR Dom mover comp ad 19/11/08 15:46 Page 4

The Aims of the Award

This National Council initiative is foroutstanding performance, commitment and leadership in the domestic removalsmarket.The aim is to encourage and celebratehigh standards, and to reward thosecompanies who really lead by example.

The PrizesSix finalists will each receive a complimentary delegatepackage for the BAR conference which includes the GalaDinner at which the winner will receive the Award for BARDomestic Mover of the Year.

The winner will receive:

• The BAR Domestic Mover of the Year trophy to be retained for 12 months.

• A striking, etched glass trophy to keep.

• A framed Award certificate.

• Entitlement to use the Award Winner logo.

• £1000 worth of packaging materials provided by BAR Services.

• Award Winner decals for up to 4 vehicles (two per vehicle, more may be purchased if required).

• 4 half-page adverts in Removals & Storage of your own design showing Award Winner logo to be used within 12 months.

• A framed photograph of the moment the winner receives the Award.

The 5 other finalists will each receive:

• A framed Award certificate.

• Entitlement to use the Award Finalist logo.

• A framed photograph of the moment the finalist receives the Award.

Award criteriaEntries for the award will be judged according to the followingcriteria:

• Commitment to quality and standards

• Quality and appearance of premises and vehicles

• Knowledge, professionalism and helpfulness of staff

• Customer satisfaction

• Compliance with the BAR Code of Practice

• Support of and participation in BAR services and activities

• Promotion of BAR through marketing, display and advertising materials

• Adherence to essential issues, e.g. Health & Safety

• Commitment to training and development of staff.

Entry is open to any BAR Member Company or branch whosedomestic removals activities account for at least 50% of itsremovals turnover.

More specifically, the award is open to any company thatconsiders the removal service they offer meets the entry criteriadescribed above. For the purpose of this award, removal serviceswill include all household removal work whether carried out forprivate individuals, corporate clients, military or other servicepersonnel, councils and local government.

JudgingAn experienced panel of judges, appointed by BAR, willdetermine the winner and the runners up. Judging will takeplace in three stages.

Stage 1 - the judges will assess the written submissions andagree a shortlist of 10.

Stage 2 - mystery telephone shopping exercises will be carriedout followed by on-site assessments of the 10 shortlistedcompanies. The findings will be submitted to the judges whowill assess the scores and agree on 6 finalists.

Stage 3 - the membership at large will be invited to cast theirvote for one of the 6 finalists as their nomination for BARDomestic Mover of the Year.

Marks will be awarded at each stage as follows:

Stage 1: maximum available 50



• The top ten scores from Stage 1 will progress to Stage 2.

• Scores from Stage 2 will be added to the brought forward score from Stage 1 and the top 6 cumulative scores will progress to Stage 3.

• The scores from Stage 3 will be added to the brought forward scores from Stages 1 and 2 to determine the Winner.

The BAR Domestic Mover ofthe Year Competition

DMotY Terms & Conditions 12/12/08 13:01 Page 1


Timetable and key events: 2009

Fri 13 Feb Application period closes. All entries must be received by BAR by this date.

All completed application forms will be acknowledged.

Tues 17 Feb The judging panel will consider all entries and select a short list of 10 on the basis of the written submissions received.

Fri 20 Feb The 10 shortlisted companies will be notified and their names posted on the BAR website.

23 Feb -13 Mar During this period on-site assessments and the mystery telephone shopping exercise of the 10 shortlisted companies will be carried out.

Tues 17 Mar The judging panel will assess the scores and agree on 6 finalists.

Wed 18 Mar The 6 finalists will be notified and their names posted on the BAR website

23 Mar –17 Apr During this period all BAR members will be ableto vote on-line for the company who in their opinion most deserves the award.

Voting will be one member one vote.

20 April The judging panel will compile the final scores and determine the Winner.

3 May Winner’s and finalists’ awards will be presentedat the BAR Gala Dinner held in Brussels on the evening of Sunday 3 May 2009.

Conditions of entry 1. All applicants must provide any information requested by

the judging panel for the purpose of assessing the application for the award and answer any questions accurately, truthfully and to the best of their ability.

2. All applicants, if shortlisted, agree to allow access to their premises at a date to be determined by the judges (in accordance with the timetable).

3. All applicants, if selected as a finalist, must be able to attend in person or send a representative to the BAR Annual Conference in Brussels 1-3 May 2009 as guests of the National Council.

4. All applicants agree that if they win the competition they will maintain the silver trophy in good condition and return it to BAR one month before the next DMOTY Awards ceremony.

5. All applicants accept that the decision of the judging panel is final.

Entry will constitute a complete and binding acceptance of theseconditions. The judging panel agrees to respect the commercialconfidentiality of the information provided on the applicationform and as otherwise provided or obtained during theadjudication process.

Important information for applicants To enter your company for the award, please complete and returnthe application form together with the supporting documentationrequested. The application form may be downloaded fromwww.bar.co.uk/dmoty.aspx or posted to you on request.

The completed application form must be sent to:DMOTY Judging Panel, BAR, Tangent House, 62 Exchange Road,Watford, Herts WD18 0TG no later than 13 February 2009.

We will confirm receipt of the application form. If you have notreceived confirmation by Monday16 February please contact BARimmediately.

If you have any questions relating to entry procedures, conditionsor the award criteria, please email [email protected]

Entries must be received by BAR no later than 13 February 2009.

FAQ

Do we have to pay a fee to enter?

No. Entry is free of charge.

We are International Associate members of BAR.Are we eligible to enter?

No. As this is the first time BAR has run a competition fordomestic moving we are restricting it to UK members only.

Who are the judges?

Judges are selected on the basis that they are experiencedbusiness professionals. No judges will be selected who work for orare closely associated with any competition entrant. BAR and thejudges will not disclose any information provided on the winnersor entrants beyond the published award citations.

What if I miss the deadline?

We guarantee to consider only entries received by the deadline.

How formal is the Awards Dinner?

It is a black tie dinner, so it is pretty formal. For gentlemen, that isa dinner jacket (Tuxedo or a ‘smoking’ jacket), and for ladies,elegant evening wear or for both, national dress.

Can I bring guests to the Awards Dinner?

If you are a finalist, BAR will provide you with one delegatepackage.You are welcome to bring guests, but you will need topurchase the appropriate package for them.

DMotY Terms & Conditions 19/11/08 15:50 Page 2


BAR Membership No:

Name of Company/Branch:

Address:

Telephone:

Website:

Please list any quality standards orother accreditations held by thecompany

List any awards attained bythe company in 2008

Please supply the following in support of your entry:

1. Sample of standard removals marketing brochure or leaflet.2. Trade directory advertisement (Yellow Pages or equivalent).3. Sample of letterhead.4. Sample blank removals quotation form.5. Example of operative training certificate or sample of training records.6. 10 customer references or responses received in 2008 (letters or questionnaires).

In not more than 100 words please complete the following statement in support of your application.“I believe my company would be worthy winners of the BAR Mover of the Year because…”

Please indicate approximately what percentage of your overall removal turnover is represented by UK domesticremovals (this should include any household, corporate, military or local government moves). %

Contact Name:

Postcode:

Email:

Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary…

Domestic Mover of the Year

Application Form

Please send the completed form and supporting documents to:DMOTY Judging Panel, British Association of Removers, Tangent House,

62 Exchange Road,Watford WD18 0TG to arrive no later than 13 February 2009

��

DMotY Application Form 17/11/08 18:11 Page 1

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As reported on in earlier BAR Notices and at National Council, two major government initiatives linked to reforming

the UK’s immigration system took effect as of the last week in November:

From 25 November 2008, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) started issuing compulsory identity cards to foreign nationals from outside of the European Economic Area* (EEA) who apply for further leave to remain in the UK within certain categories. Under the government’s new Points Based System (PBS), businesses need to be licensed as sponsors by

the UKBA before they can bring in any skilled foreign workers from outside the EEA.

From 27 November 2008, when Tier 2 (skilled workers) and Tier 5 (temporary workers) went live, licensed sponsors only are able to sponsor incoming migrants by issuing them with a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’. Licensed sponsors will be required to keep records of the migrants they sponsor including their contact details and, in time, a copy of their identity cards.

* European Economic Area comprises EU27 member states, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein

A Data Validation Working Group, set up by the Department for Transport in 2006 as a result of the government

‘promise’ to the Trade Unions to review the ‘workings in practice’ of the EU Road Transport Working Time Directive has retained the rules applying to Periods of Availability (POA) in relation to porters, packers and second drivers. This is of prime importance to the moving industry.

It will come as no surprise to learn that one of the Union’s chief aims was to remove/tighten the procedures for Periods of Availability (POAs). However this was not accepted by the Group.

However BAR members should not become complacent. Enforcement of the Regulation will, in the future, be stepped up together with an increase in site visits/checks, etc. It is, therefore, very important for members to work within the rules of the legislation and to maintain the all important records.

More detailed information can be found in the official update of the Road Transport (Working Time) Guidance which can be found at www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/freight/road/working time/rdtransportworkingtimeguidance.

Employing Foreign Nationals: ID Cards and Points-based SystemImportant information for businesses wishing to employ workers from outside the EEA or Switzerland

POAs retained by DfT working group

Now only licensed sponsors can bring in foreign workers from outside the EEA


External Affairs

32

Free Legal & FinancialAdvice Lines for BAR Members

in association with

&

Financial Support Advice LineTel: 01923 657788

email: [email protected]

Please tear off and keep this card

For legal advice see reverse

The “Credit Crunch”, rising fuel prices, rising inflation, and more specifically the down turn in thehousing market and reductions in new mortgages and re-mortgages, are impacting us all.

As an Association we aim to support member companies in every way possible. To that end we have set up two freeadvice lines using partners with whom BAR have long established business relationships. One is an expansion of anexisting service, the other being a brand new service.

These services will run for 12 months, from 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2009.

The advice lines will be available to Directors/Partners/Owners of member companies and will workas follows:

• Please give your BAR membership number, company name and your contact details.

• Briefly describe your issue/question to the advice line operator.

• Your call will be logged and checked by a partner to ensure proper follow up has taken place.

• The call will be passed through to the most suitable contact person.

• If you use the email facility, please provide the same information as above so that the email can be correctly dealt with.

• If it is possible to resolve the matter over the phone within a reasonable time then the advice will be free.

• If the specialist thinks that the matter needs a ‘face-to-face’ meeting then this will be suggested. This meeting can be at your premises, the advisor’s offices or a neutral convenient location. This meeting will also be free.

• Should the matter be complex requiring significant time, resource or research then the advisor will provide a full written proposal and quotation. This proposal will be at a discounted rate. No charges will be made until such proposal is received and agreed.

You should note that this service is an additional and exclusive free service to members who, in the currenteconomic climate, may need immediate independent financial or legal advice.

More complex matters may be chargeable by our partners in this venture, but no charges will be made until all costsand services have been clarified and agreed by all parties.

To help us to monitor these services please send any comments, queries, suggestions to:[email protected]

Addressing the Needs of our Members...

BAR Advice Line 2pp Leaflet 15/12/08 13:35 Page 1

Mark Wilson – Partner:Has specialised in business turnaround andinsolvency work for 24 years, his work includesbusiness reviews and problem solving forcommercial lenders.

Karen Spears – Director:Broad range of corporate insolvency experienceover the last 20 years, particular expertise insolvent liquidations.

Tim Harrop – Manager:Has worked in the debt managementdepartment of a major clearing bank and hasbeen seconded by Baker Tilly to Ford Credit.

Hilary Norris – Manager:Over 25 years insolvency experience covering awide range of assignments in both corporateand sole trader/partnership arenas.

in association with

&

Legal Support Advice LineTel: 01254 828300


Main contacts will be:

James Backhouse - Director:Regulatory and compliance matters andadvice on O licence issues.

Graham Quigley – Consultant:Company and commercial matters, includingrestructuring and business organisation.

Stephen Meyerhoff – Solicitor:Provides employment law advice as well ascommercial advice on contractual disputesincluding advising on terms of trading.

Barry Prior – Consultant:Specialises in goods in transit and liens.

Main contacts will be:

Advice Lines

01923 657788email: [email protected]

Financial Support Advice Line

01254 828300 email: [email protected]

Legal Support Advice Line

Advice lines will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday (excluding public holidays)

Please tear off and keep this card

For financial advice see reverse

BAR Advice Line 2pp Leaflet 15/12/08 13:36 Page 2

News Roundup If you have any news please send it to: The Editor, Steve Jordan, Removals & Storage, The Words Workshop Ltd, 26 Swanwick Lane, Broughton, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK10 9LDTel: 01908 695500 Fax: 01908 690099 Email: [email protected]

MEPs call for hydrogen filling stations across Europe The European Parliament recently backed Commission proposals to boost the development of hydrogen vehicles, but warned that the strategy would fail without concrete measures to support the establishment of a Europe-wide filling station network for hydrogen powered vehicles. The report backs Commission proposals to introduce harmonised type-approval criteria for hydrogen cars, saying this will help boost the market for such vehicles, while also averting the safety and environmental risks that could occur if each member state starts drawing up its own approval system. According to a Commission study, simplified procedures could help vehicle manufacturers save up to euro 124million in approval costs for the period 2017-2025. Alongside biofuels and electric power, hydrogen is one of the EU’s main hopes for replacing oil in the transport industry in future, reducing air pollution and cutting transport-related CO2 emissions.

MEPs back cross-border traffic finesThe European Parliament’s transport committee has recently backed plans to make it easier for national authorities to fine drivers from other EU countries for offences committed on their territory, such as speeding and drink-driving. The draft directive aims to stop drivers from consistently going unpunished when committing offences in another country simply because it is too difficult to identify them or check the address at which their vehicle is registered. The text provides for the establishment of an electronic data-exchange network enabling national traffic authorities to identify foreign vehicle owners from their registration documents and send them offence notifications. Member states will have two years to set up the system and start operating it. Speeding, drink-driving, neglecting to wear a seat belt and failure to stop at red lights – the four leading causes of road deaths – will all be covered by the new scheme. MEPs are already considering the possibility of extending the new rules to other road traffic infringements and have called on the European Commission to submit a report on the matter two years after the directive’s entry into force.

New traffic offence sanctions in SloveniaThe following traffic offence sanctions have been updated in Slovenia:• Exceeding authorised speed• Driving without lights during the day• Driving without lights during the night• Overhanging loads and exceeding maximum authorised weights and dimensions• Use of a mobile phone without the appropriate ‘hands off’ equipment• Exceeding driving time • Drivers must be in possession of tachograph discs for at least the previous 7 days• A tachograph must be in good working order• Exceeding the maximum permitted alcohol levelVisit the BAR website - Members Area/Industry News/Driving into Europe/Slovenia - for more detailed information.

Police Power to capture freight dataThe expected process to revise the proposals for implementation of the police power to capture freight data, pursuant to section 33 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, has taken longer than anticipated. The original proposals received considerable criticism from BAR and other transport-related organisations. The police and other government departments have been working on revised proposals since an industry consultation in 2006. It is understood that the new proposals are nearing completion. However, Home Office ministers have now decided that implementation of the freight data power should be delayed to allow further work to be undertaken to establish the likely costs and impact on industry of the police using the power. Independent consultants will be engaged with selected carriers across the different sectors of the freight industry to establish the overall impact. Reports on this work, which are expected early in 2009, will help inform both the development of the secondary legislation and the Impact Assessment – both of which will be published with a formal 12 week public consultation. BAR and other organisations need to be vigilant about publication in order to make sure that the industry’s views are put forward and to identify possible continuing concerns.

Risk Assessment: Health and Safety Tool Risk Assessment is an important Health & Safety tool to help you to protect your workers and your business. To help with your risk assessment, the Health and Safety Executive has published a wide range of examples that show what a record of a risk assessment might look like. Simply choose the one closest to your industry/requirements and adapt it to meet the needs of your own workplace. Visit: www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/index.htm.

Daytime running lights on vehicles to become mandatoryThe European Commission has decided to introduce Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) on new vehicles from 2011 onwards in a bid to increase road safety using energy-efficient technology. The directive, which requires all new types of passenger cars and small delivery vans to be equipped with DRLs from 7 February 2011 onwards, was approved unanimously by the so-called ‘CARS 21’ high level group aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the auto industry, the Commission said. Trucks and buses would be subjected to the new rule 18 months later. According to Commission estimates, the proposal could help save between 1,200 and 2,000 lives per year, contributing to the EU goal of reducing the number of deaths on EU roads from the current 43,000 per year to 25,000 by 2010.

Bridge strikesThe Road Haulage Association (RHA) has advised that there has been an increase in bridge strikes (collision of the top part of the vehicle against a low bridge) in the UK. It seems that truck drivers are using satellite navigators to plan their routes, however UK satellite databases are usually updated approximately once every two years and they are updated for cars but not for trucks. A number of companies produce satellite navigators for trucks but these are expensive. Car satellite navigators may be bought for a cheaper price but are dangerous as they are not destined to be used by trucks. The RHA has also drawn to attention the fact that, in the UK, compensation has begun to be claimed for consequential loss, not just actual damage to property.


External Affairs

35


Trade SecretsFind out what you can achieve on-line with our

trade groupage shipping services,and make sure you’re in the know.

Or visit us at www.anglopacific.co.uk. London, Manchester, Glasgow

FREEPHONE 0800 707 6093

You can rely on Anglo Pacific to handle your customers’ goods with care. We’ve been in the business for 30 years and offer frequent

sailings on all routes to major destinations worldwide.

We’ll arrange shipment on the vessel promised and nominate reliable FIDI agents at destination. With depots in London, Manchester and Glasgow we offer a competitive groupage solution

wherever you are located.

At Anglo Pacific we understand your business and will ensure that your goods are handled professionally from start to finish.

Visit our website or simply call our friendly experts andget the facts.

Our Services◆ Continuous receiving in London, Manchester and Glasgow

◆ Worldwide LCL, FCL and airfreight services

◆ Regular groupage services to Australasia, North America,

South Africa, S.E. Asia, Dubai, Cyprus

◆ On-line sailing schedule updates and shipment tracking

Memb No: A026

Trade Secrets.indd 1-2 28/7/08 13:54:33


Letters

Send your letters to: The Editor, Steve Jordan, Removals & Storage, The Words Workshop Ltd, 26 Swanwick Lane, Broughton, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK10 9LDTel: 01908 695500 Fax: 01908 690099 Email: [email protected]

Received with thanksBack in September BAR and UKWA (UK Warehousing Association) had a head-to-head golf tournament at the Portal Golf and Country Club. UKWA won the trophy, but was not the only winner. Sponsors Basil Fry & Co donated £100 to the children’s hospice Julia’s House. Here’s the letter received in thanks.


And another thing...

Spend more in 2009 By WALLY WHINGER

A few years ago I happened to read a newspaper article by film director Michael Winner that changed my life.

It was published in December and was called ‘Spend more next year.’ Winner spoke about how he flew first-class to a Caribbean island every summer and spent about £100,000 living it up in a posh hotel and entertaining his friends to lavish parties. He went on to say that for years he had driven himself around London attending meetings, often getting into trouble for illegal parking and worrying about drink-driving; but now he employed a chauffer and his life was much less stressful.

The point he was making was this. Money makes the world go around, so if you’ve got it spend it, both for your own benefit and for the benefit of others around you. It is of course important not to spend more than you can afford. Winner said that despite his considerable wealth he wasn’t rich enough to own his own jet and had to make do with BA first-class, but if he ever was in a position to buy one he would.

Most people seem to be obsessed with saving money and while for many of us, especially in the current financial climate it’s a bitter necessity, for many others it’s just plain mean. Winner pointed out that his annual trip to the Caribbean meant that the hotel he used returned a profit and was able to employ its staff who would otherwise be out of a job, and his friends could enjoy a standard of hospitality they would otherwise not be able to afford. His chauffeur had the use of his executive car when he didn’t need it and he’d given a man a job who may otherwise have been out of work.

We know that life will be tough this year and that money will probably be tight; but for goodness sake let’s not stop doing everything in the mistaken belief that it will make things better.

We all need to live within our means, but it’s important to keep spending what we can afford to keep the economy running. If we all put up the shutters and wait for the crisis to pass it will take a very long time indeed to get back to normality.

Can you think of any subjects for our grumpy old man to get his teeth into?You can email him at:[email protected]

Well, who would have believed that only Robert Syers, BAR General Secretary and BAR President Matt Purdie recognised Removals & Storage editor Steve Jordan in his Santa suit last month? Now as, of the two, it’s only Matt who runs a removals company, it seems reasonable that the company profile this month should be awarded to him even without resorting to the trusty ‘first out of the hat’ principle. Congratulations to them both. It is rather odd that nobody else saw through the disguise particularly as Steve’s picture is in every issue - but maybe everyone just assumed it was the real Father Christmas in the photo. This time it’s back to the fuzzy faces of the past, but who could this be?

Answers to Steve Jordan on: [email protected]


Emission confusion

42

Sandra Goudswaard

There appears to be a great deal of confusion in the industry regarding the emission targets for cars. None of the

companies I rang seemed to have a clear idea of what exactly had to be achieved, nor when it had to be completed. On investigation it didn’t surprise me. It is to say the least confusing if only because there appears to be no clear consensus between EU Member States.

Surprisingly the European Parliament’s environment committee have put car manufacturers on the back foot by not only endorsing European Commission’s proposals for restricting carbon dioxide emissions from cars by 2012, but by proposing a second target for reductions by 2020.

France – one of the EU’s largest car producers – together with Germany, Italy and the UK have been pushing the bloc’s government to water down the proposals and give industry more time and flexibility to meet the emission targets. There appears to be a political will to avoid a second reading in Parliament. If the dossier is not adopted at the first reading it will need to go through a second round of negotiations. The Parliament is effectively in recess in the spring of 2009 in order to prepare for the European elections in June, so there is little time left for compromise.

The negotiating mandate allows the French Presidency to clarify plans that would delay a requirement for car-makers to reduce the average CO2 emissions from new cars until September 2015. A compromise deal was first struck between the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in June 2008. However the Parliament may see things differently – in November 2008

its environment committee (ENVI), which has been leading on the issue, rejected demands to push back the emissions deadline from the original date of 2012.

The mandate also allows France to negotiate on the following issues:• Penalties: how to make fines an incentive for industry to invest in new technologies rather than pay fines; • The relationship between eco-innovation and the extent of CO2 emission cuts;• Derogations for small ‘niche’ manufacturers depending on the volume produced each year;• The establishment of a long-term target for reducing emissions to around 90-100g/km by 2020.

Establishing precise figures for these issues is set to be a sticking point in the negotiations. Member states’ views in the Council differ according to the relative strength of the car industry in each country.

Let us look at the proposals:The bill would force car firms to cut the average emissions of CO2 in new cars by a reduction of some 24% on the average 158 grammes of CO2 per kilometre which cars emit today.

Companies that do not meet the 130g target would be fined euro 20 per gramme per kilometre over the limit in 2012, a sum that would increase to 95 by 2015.

Compromise amendments to the bill that echo what the industry had been lobbying for: 1 The delivery of a three-step phase-in of the emission reduction targets, with 70% of a company’s car fleet having to meet the target in 2012, 80 per cent in 2014 and only the full fleet having to meet the target in 2015.2 The fine on car firms too should be sharply reduced, from euro 95 per gramme per kilometre to euro 50.

These proposals have been supported by the Socialist, Guido Sacconi, responsible for shepherding the bill through the environment committee, along with conservative members. However, MEPs from Mr Sacconi’s own group in the end sided with the Liberals and the Greens to back legislation in keeping to the European Commission’s proposals.

Some Euro-deputies have suggested that there be a requirement that would see manufacturers having to meet a target of a maximum 95 grammes of CO2 per kilometre on average by 2020, subject to a review in 2014. Originally there had been no secondary target in the commission’s proposals.

The UK Liberal MEP Chris Davies said that MEPs stood up for tougher measures to combat global warming and had sent a strong message to corporate lobbyists to back off.

France – one of the EU’s largest car producers – together with Germany, Italy and the UK have been pushing the bloc’s government to water down the proposals...

Carbon dioxide emissions from cars cause confusionBy Lynne Thomas


Emission confusion

STOP PRESSEuropean Parliament and member states reach agreement on cars and CO2

Ten years ago, following a very hard fought lobbying campaign against the legislation, the European car industry made a voluntary commitment to improve fuel efficiency and to cut CO2 emissions by 25% by 2008. It would appear that the industry has failed to comply with its own commitment. The aim was to reach 140g CO2/km but the average European car emits 158g.

Although at the time of writing the European Parliament and EU Member States have agreed on a legal framework to reduce car emissions in reality the law represents nothing more than a postponement of the 2008 target for another decade. The text of the agreement also mentions a 95g/km target for 2020, but the clause is not worded very strongly which perhaps opens the door to further postponements or weakenings.

Jos Dings, director of the European Federation for Transport and Enviroment said: “In 1998, oil was trading at a fraction of the prices we have seen over the last 12 months, and our knowledge of the severity and urgency of the climate change threat was not as far advanced as it is today. And yet the car industry, backed by the major car producing countries, has managed to kill a car fuel-efficiency law in Europe for the second time in a decade. Europe sent the wrong signal to the car industry ten years ago, and it has sent the wrong signal again today.

He continued: “The EU’s long-term greenhouse gas reduction targets will simply not be reached if the industries primarily responsible for climate change are able to weaken their individual targets to this degree. The reality of course is that other industries have been cutting emissions over the last decade since Kyoto was signed, while those from the transport sector, and cars in particular have been rising. The car industry, once again, has been given special treatment.“

“The package is weaker than the parliament proposed last year but very much better than might have been expected given the amount of arm twisting and political threats that have taken place,” he said.

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) warned that the vote “threaten[ed] the future of car production in Europe.”

“The Environment Committee has given a wrong signal today,” said Ivan Hodac, the group’s Secretary-General. “This is bad news for Europe, especially with the overall economic circumstances deteriorating already.”

Members of the various ‘Green groups’ were pleased with the proposals: “The Parliament appears to have stood up to the demands of the car industry and four or five car producing member states. They have sent a strong signal that Europeans need fuel efficient cars now, not in five or ten years time,” said Jos Dings, Director of green transport campaign group

Transport & Environment.Meanwhile, Franziska Achterberg,

Greenpeace’s EU transport campaigner, was optimistic that the vote “means that the car emissions legislation could still become the first effective EU law to limit our impact on the climate.”

These proposals from the commission still have to win the full backing of the full sitting of the European Parliament. At the time of writing voting on this bill has not yet taken place but it is expected before the end of 2008.

Apart from the obvious help to the environment what benefits will the proposed legislation have for companies? It is hoped that this proposal will also benefit consumers through important fuel savings and hopefully it will further improve energy security. In addition to promoting eco-innovations and high-quality jobs in the EU.

Europe has a strong and innovative automotive sector. This proposal aims to safeguard this competitiveness through provisions which are fair and flexible and which will stimulate the development and deployment of cutting edge automotive technologies. Under the legislation, several manufacturers will be able to group together to form a pool which can act jointly in meeting the specific emissions targets. Manufacturers in this pool will be required to abide by the rules of competition law.

Whether that means that the removal industry will be able to buy both fleet cars and one offs at greatly reduced prices remains to be seen.

R&S welcomes your views on this issue. Please email [email protected]

Members of the various ‘Green groups’ were pleased with the proposals: “The Parliament appears to have stood up to the demands of the car industry...

David Wicks Interview


During 2008, PHS Teacrate made substantial investments throughout the business - in staff, equipment and

technology. Together these enhancements have enabled an increase in capacity, expansion in services and added value to its customers. Now, as times are tough, PHS Teacrate is embarking upon a customer reimbursement program. In this interview, David Wicks, Managing Director of PHS Teacrate, talks about the new schemes and how PHS Teacrate intends to look after its current removals and logistics customers in the year to come.

David explained that the two new reward schemes involve PHS Teacrate giving away money. “2008 was a very eventful year for us,” he said. “We made a lot of improvements, upped our capacity and streamlined our scheduling just in time for this wretched credit crunch! So now we’re introducing two schemes to help out our customers and at the same time encourage them to put a bit more business our way. A cashback scheme – Bank on Teacrate - and a business referral programme.”

He said that the ‘Bank on Teacrate’ scheme was designed to encourage customers to put all their crate business with PHS Teacrate. “Customers will still benefit from our usual undivided attention as well as receiving a rebate for any additional business that they give to us from each year of their contract to the next. So anyone who doesn’t have all their crate rental with us would benefit by moving it to PHS Teacrate. Clients can also sign up for packaging and handling equipment that could help boost their rebate.”

The scheme is also being extended to include all the other PHS Group products allowing moving companies the opportunity of making a commission from business referrals. “We’re also starting a referral program that will reward our removals customers for business that they put our way. PHS Teacrate is part of a larger group, PHS Group plc, which provides a whole

range of workplace services. We would like removals businesses that we supply to recommend any of the PHS Group services to their customers: matting, drinking water dispensers, washroom services, confidential document disposal, business consumables and plant rental. Every time one of their referrals signs up to a contract, the removers will receive 5% of the first year’s revenue. On a single sanitary bin, that could be £8, for example or £12 on a point-of-use drinking water machine. This scheme has worked quite well with other divisions within the PHS Group and it should be popular with PHS Teacrate customers, too.” Customers will be made aware of the new offers through adverts, by email and in the post. “Our new website, www.teacrate.com will also be updated with the details of our rebate and referral schemes. It’s full of other features such as our online packaging shop, Cratelink, our online crate management system and my blog – ‘Wicks’ Words’.”

Asked why customers would want to move all their business to PHS Teacrate David commented: “We’ve been improving services to our customers, allowing them more control

and traceability of their orders and have also provided increased capacity with a state-of-the-art washer. With developments in the packaging arm of our business, we’re now able to offer a ‘one-stop-shop’ to our removals customers, providing crate sales and rentals, packaging and handling equipment in one place and with a 24-hour delivery time. One call does it all!”

The company has also improved its service through the introduction of more technology. “We’ve added real-time tracking to Cratelink and invested in GPS on all our vehicles,” said David. “This means that that we can notify customers as and when deliveries and collections occur as well as appropriately direct vans to customers with ad-hoc requests without having to recall them to depot.” He also said that the new washer at the Midlands depot has improved capacity allowing PHS Teacrate to service more customers. “There is a real possibility of introducing a 3rd shift, making the plant a 24-hour operation.”

Despite all these developments David denied that PHS Teacrate was now only interested in big companies or that prices would rise. “While Teacrate has secured some excellent contracts, we haven’t forgotten our smaller customers. We still don’t have a minimum order quantity and all customers, whatever their size, will benefit from the new schemes and promotions that we have running. Though our team has expanded, we still have the same friendly faces on board who will support all our customers throughout this difficult period.”

Despite the recession PHS Teacrate is hoping that 2009 will be even better for the company than 2008. “Last year we concentrated on the business infrastructure and this year we’re going to continue with our customer focus, utilising the developments to provide an even better service. And with the Bank on Teacrate scheme in place, our clients will get more out of Teacrate too.”

PHS Teacrate – 2009 and beyond…David Wicks, Managing Director of PHS Teacrate, talks about two new reward schemes for PHS Teacrate customers

“ We made a lot of improvements, upped our capacity and streamlined our scheduling just in time for this wretched credit crunch!”

David Wicks


David Wicks Interview

PHS Teacrate’sManaging DirectorDavid Wicks

It’s also very efficient, giving international moving companies a way of processing all their transit insurances, online, with

hardly a piece of paper to be seen.Simply by going to the Ocean-Sure website

– www.ocean-sure.com – users can complete the documentation for every shipping job, obtain a quotation and produce an insurance certificate. Reason Global believe Ocean-Sure to be the first such Internet-based system available from a UK insurer.

The system is very straightforward. Registered users can log onto the website where they see a home page personalised with their own company logo. This part of the Ocean-Sure site will have already been populated with all the parameters unique to that company – rates, exceptions, extensions, etc – so all that’s necessary is to type in the customer and shipment details and click the ‘Go’ button. Entries can be backdated by up to 5 days to the date the proposal form was completed. The system then automatically does the rest by calculating the premium payable and issuing an insurance certificate as a pdf file. The user can choose to print the certificate or store it electronically. Of course the certificate can be emailed to the customer if required.

A paper insurance proposal form is still used. John Luker from Reason Global explained that the company had made a conscious decision to stick with these ‘old fashioned’ proposal forms for a very good reason. “If moving companies ask a customer to go to a website to complete a proposal form they probably won’t do it. It’s much easier just to give them a paper form and ask them to fill it in. The moving company can then easily transpose the essential information to the website. The whole thing only takes five minutes.”

The system is fast, simple to operate, FSA compliant and largely removes any opportunity

for human error. It can be operated from anywhere in the world where Internet access is available, can be viewed in a number of languages, and allows premiums to be paid online in any currency. Companies using the system can search for individual details using a certificate number or their own reference. There is also an on-line claims service which speeds up the claims process whilst allowing users the flexibility to negotiate claims in line with their company policy.

Perhaps the most compelling part of the new system is that it’s very easy for companies to try it out without having to make a major decision to switch. Reason Global say that it’s quite possible for their existing customers to test the system with a handful of proposal forms to make sure they are happy to continue. “Once people have tried it out we don’t think they will want to go back to the old paper system.” said John. However, if the Internet access is interrupted it’s easy to revert to the paper system temporarily.

Reason Global launched Ocean-Sure at the 2008 HHGFAA meeting in Hawaii where it was received enthusiastically. More information is available from John Luker on [email protected].

Really simple online insurance from Reason GlobalThe words ‘simple’ and ‘insurance’ are not often used in the same sentence but the new Ocean-Sure product from Reason Global is just that – simple.

“ Once people have tried it out we don’t think they will want to go back to the old paper system.”

John Luker

Simple online insurance

Removals & Storage December 200846

Title:Road SafetyTaken by:Pickfords

All in a good causeI have said this before in this section, but a good point always bears repeating. A good photograph is one that gives the viewer a real sense of what it was like to have been at the event pictured. This picture of the road safety training event at Honilands Primary School in Enfield, held by Pickfords, clearly illustrates not only what sort of activity took place, but also how much the pupils enjoyed the experience, and how much they learned.

Photo of the month

December 2008 Removals & Storage 47

Britannia has come a long way since the 1980s when it was just a handful of domestic movers huddling together for

comfort whilst taking their first tentative steps in the big world of shipping. Today it’s seen the world over to be one of the leading household goods shipping organisations.

The corporate headquarters is in Croydon. It’s a modern building with hectic loading bays to the rear. Even during the relatively austere days of November 2008 the yard had at least half a dozen trucks with uniformed crews busily loading or unloading.

David’s office is as you would expect for the MD of the UK’s largest moving network: spacious, high tech and with just enough clutter to assure the visitor that there’s plenty going on.

The company is very conscious of its image. The familiar red, white and blue vans proudly displaying Lady Britannia on the side, have become ubiquitous around Britain’s roads especially now that it’s compulsory for all Britannia members to have at least 75% of their vehicles painted in company colours. Some members are sufficiently confident of the Britannia brand to go 100%. But David and Gavin are also concerned about the company’s image within the moving industry. “We are not the introspective network people think we are,” said Gavin. “We consider ourselves to be a family but are quite willing to work outside the group. It’s important for us to build trade relationships throughout the industry.”

David added that Britannia has been seen by some as an elitist group. “The problem is we are in everyone’s back yard,” he explained. “We are not elitist, it’s just that members are proud to be part of our group.”

As a way of diminishing this unwanted image, and as a diversification during these times of hardship throughout the industry, Britannia whilst offering trade services to some non-members has decided to launch a trade groupage service that’s open to all companies. Asked why a non-Britannia company should consider giving its groupage to the network, Gavin explained that there was one positive advantage. “We have over 40 receiving depots around the country,” he said. “The company will be offering regular services to all the major groupage destinations as well as some minor ones.”

Britannia plc is, essentially, a not-for-profit organisation. It does make profits of course, but only those sufficient for its own administration

and normal business prudence. Its funds come from its members in the form of a modest monthly administration fee and a trading margin on its shipping and corporate operations. As Britannia members, the companies have the advantage of group marketing for corporate work, benefit from corporate advertising, take advantage of the group shipping rates, training and plenty more. Most importantly perhaps they are members of a group that co-operates with one another.

Companies wishing to join Britannia can do so if they fit the criteria. Criteria No 1 requires applicants to be at least members of BAR. “It’s an initial vetting procedure,” explained David. “I also believe that the BAR membership now incorporating the OFT Code of Practice is a very important sales benefit.” Britannia divides the country by 102 Yellow Page regions. Currently there are 42 members so that suggests 60 vacancies. Not so. All Britannia members are allocated a ‘primary’ area - the Yellow Page area in which they are based – and some have a ‘secondary’ adjacent area. They must have at least one trained export packing team, BS EN 12522, be ready to accept corporate work, be prepared to put 75% of their vehicle fleet in Britannia livery, and not be a member of any other group.

Finally, Britannia wishes all its members to have a catchment area of at least 300,000 residences, this drops the available areas significantly. “I would say we could have a maximum of around 60 members on this basis,” said David, “so we are about 70% full.” Britannia welcomes applications from any company that fits the profile.

There is no doubt that Britannia membership has been a great success for its members. The current downturn has accentuated the benefits by providing members with a fast-track to diversification, helping with central services and allowing economies of scale to achieve greater efficiency. But it’s not all good news.

Although Britannia membership has helped companies grow their businesses much faster than they would have been able to achieve as independents, it does sometimes become a problem when they come to sell. In this current climate it’s likely that some members will find out just how much of a problem. When selling a family business most owners would turn to larger group companies as likely purchasers, but that route may be closed for Britannia members. Potential buyers understand that if Britannia could have been instrumental in a

company’s success, that it may have to stay in membership for that success to continue. If the purchaser does not fit the criteria it will have to drop the company out of membership and the purchase price could suffer. The ideal purchaser will come from within the company or be an independent investor – a greatly narrowed field.

“We always point out such problems to potential members before they sign up. However we believe that the benefits of Britannia membership, allowing companies to grow much faster than would otherwise be possible, far outweigh any potential problem when they come to sell.”

One of Britannia’s undoubted successes in recent years is its expansion into the corporate market. Although there were variations in the standard of workmanship between the membership Gavin pointed out that the company has worked hard to achieve the consistency across the network that corporate accounts demand. “Our competitors often use that against us,” he admitted, “but it really isn’t true any more. I liken Britannia to a rowing eight: all pulling together, wearing the same vests and with the shared goal of crossing the line first.”

BAR is important to Britannia. Some would say that Britannia is sufficiently large not to need BAR but that’s not the way David and Gavin look at it. “We need to be part of BAR because corporate accounts and private clients expect it. If we were not BAR members we would have to explain why not. All naturally assume that we are members of the most important national Association.”

Whilst Britannia plc is also a member of the Overseas Group of BAR and provides the IMMI bond for shipments performed by the centre, most of the work for overseas is handled by its members, who may or may not be in the Overseas Group and therefore IMMI bonded. To plug the gap Britannia plc provides its Britbond which, just like the IMMI guarantee is there to protect the pre-payments made to its members by their clients. “If a member who was not IMMI bonded went out of business we would step in with the Britbond guarantee.”

Speak to any Britannia member, anywhere in the country and they are always enthusiastic about the service, support and business that the head office provides. Nothing is ever perfect, but as Britannia’s success continues, even during the current difficulties, it’s clear that for a very long time now, they must have got most things right.

Britannia plc


Britannia plc – friend or foe?So what do you think of Britannia? A trusted partner? The moving company on the corner? A tough competitor? A friend? Whatever Britannia means to you, it’s likely to be only part of the story. Steve Jordan interviews Britannia’s Managing Director, David Tracey and Corporate Sales Manager, Gavin McCarthy, to find out the rest.

Britannia plc


“ We are not the introspective network people think we are. We consider ourselves to be a family but are quite willing to work outside the group.”

Gavin McCarthy

David Tracey Gavin McCarthy

Cold calling


Effective cold calling is a very strong tool to attract new clients. However all too often it is badly executed by low paid,

de-motivated staff. Most successful companies, especially working in the commercial marketplace, have a strong internal or out sourced telemarketing presence. To help you get the most from your cold calling, we have produced the following cold calling tips.

1. Plan your cold calling strategyWhat are your objectives with this call? Often a 2-step process can be effective. First call to get the correct name and some background information. Second to talk to the decision maker.

2. Write a scriptWhen you start phoning people, they are not going to answer as you expect. It is for this reason you need a script. If they say yes, say this, if they say no, say this. A script is not an excuse to sound parrot like, it’s a vocal map, telling you what to say when your brain isn’t sure.

3. Practice your deliverySpeak slowly and clearly, breathe and leave gaps. Speak with authority and sound like you expect to get through. Do not deliver a parrot-like script at 100 mph. Your call should be a conversation with a stranger, not a race to the end of your pitch.

4. Get your database readyIs your database ready to ring? Make sure you are aware of the likely position of the decision maker within the target industry. Asking for the proprietor or the manager of a school isn’t going to impress anyone.

5. Set call timesIt is easy to think of other things to do rather then calling. Set rigid times during the day for calling.

6. Plan your targetHow many calls will you be making? How high a response rate? Set targets for these.

7. Don’t get distractedLeave administration until after the session. If not you will lose valuable call time updating your database etc and not calling.

8. Be politeNever, ever get upset with people on the phone. Remember that you are ringing them.

9. RelaxYes, it is embarrassing talking on the phone to a complete stranger. However, the person answering the phone isn’t embarrassed to talk to you - and they are doing the same. Relax, smile, and talk.

10. Don’t excuse yourself out of a saleOne day is much like another, so why do all the people seem to be harder to contact on certain days? This is a myth. A Monday morning is as good a day to phone as a Thursday afternoon. You just have more confidence on a Thursday afternoon.

These tips are just scratching the surface. Telesales is a very underrated form of selling ruined by industries like double-glazing sales and the Indian call centre culture. A small business can use the telephone to become very successful - however, like everything that’s worth doing, its hard work.

10 cold calling

hints and tipsBy Red Training

Getting your website right


When I was four years old, I watched an older friend fix his bike. He had it upside-down, the seat and

handlebars forming a makeshift tripod. Having reattached the chain, he turned the pedals by hand, causing the back wheel to spin rapidly. It looked like fun, so I had a go, but somehow the middle finger of my right hand got caught in the chain, and the sprockets on the back wheel tore the end of the finger clean off.

Some things you learn the hard way.As a web developer with nearly ten years

experience – quite a lot in such an immature industry – I have made a number of mistakes, and learnt from other people’s. I’d like to share the most common of those mistakes with you now, because if your site still makes them, you are handicapping yourself unnecessarily.

Splash screensThese are those screens, often animated, which you see before you get to the main website. Somewhere between 10 and 60 seconds of wiggly lines; words like ‘experience’, ‘confidence’ and ‘specialist’ fading in and out; quite possibly a drum n’ bass soundtrack.

If you are not a student nightclub promoter, you have no excuse for annoying your visitors with this unnecessary garbage. Tesco don’t force their customers to sit through a 20 second video about how they are ‘established market leaders’ when all they popped in for was a pint of milk and a flat screen telly, so neither should you. Plus, it plays havoc with your search engine ranking.

Drop-down navigationSites which have many pages often resort to drop-down navigation, which is where you hover your pointer over the buttons, and more

options appear below. If your fine motor control is not brilliant, you may find this sort of navigation frustrating or even impossible to use, even is if it is implemented perfectly. Most of the time the coding is far from perfect, so even users with perfect hand-eye coordination can struggle.

Add in the fact that other page elements (like Flash or video) can cover the dropped-down navigation, making it impossible to click on, and you would need a very good reason indeed to insist on drop-down navigation.

Internal scrollingFortunately this is less common now, but in the past people often had the idea that they wanted their site to fit inside a single screen, with no scrolling. This meant that the pages couldn’t be too tall, which was a serious restriction on the amount that could be displayed. When the text was too big to fit on the page they added scrollbars to the block of text alone, not the page as a whole.

This is unpleasant for many reasons. First of all it is counterproductive; if people don’t like scrolling down the main page, they will really hate scrolling through individual page elements. Second, if you try to print a page with these internal scrollbars you will probably find that the text gets cut off. Third, the usual keyboard shortcuts, which are a godsend for people with less-than-perfect fine motor skills, don’t work properly, and finally: web pages are documents. They are designed to scroll.

If your site still makes use of any of these techniques, it might be worth talking to your web developer to discuss alternative ways to achieve the same thing. It needn’t be expensive or time-consuming, but your visitors will love you for it.

What not to do on

the WebBy Iain Row of

Prominent Media

This year’s Pre-Budget Report was awaited more eagerly than in past years, with businesses and families looking to see

how the government was going to help them through the recession. The Chancellor began his speech by stating that his aim was to “provide support and protection for families and businesses when they need it most”. Will his proposals achieve that aim, or do they fall short? We look at the main tax measures and consider whether they will be a help or a hindrance to business.

VATThe headline measure was the temporary cut in the standard rate of VAT from 17.5% to 15% that will take effect on 1 December 2008 and last until 31 December 2009. The Chancellor stated that this, ‘by encouraging spending, will help stimulate growth’. However, the general reaction from both businesses and consumers is that this is a relatively small price cut compared with the 20% discounts that some retailers are offering to attract customers in the traditionally busy pre-Christmas period. It has also been suggested that any noticeable effect is more likely to occur in a year’s time, if people make some larger purchases just before the VAT rate returns to 17.5%.

So businesses may have to wait some time to see any positive effect, but in the meantime they will incur real and immediate costs in implementing the change to the VAT rate. They will have quite a long ‘to do’ list, including:• Repricing items;• Reprinting stationery such as invoices, price lists, menus, brochures and catalogues;• Adjusting tills, other equipment and accounting systems; and• Amending online information, ordering and payment systems.

All at a time when cash is tight!Even small businesses that use the Flat Rate

Scheme to simplify their VAT accounting will be affected, as the special flat rates for all categories of business will also change with effect from 1 December 2008.

All in all, the costs and administrative burden will be quite significant. Many businesses will not be able to pass on the full VAT reduction, and some have said that it’s just too much trouble for the small amount involved. And…they will have to repeat the whole process in 13 months!

Although the main thrust of the rate cut is to encourage consumers to spend, businesses that are wholly or partly exempt from VAT will benefit by receiving lower VAT-inclusive bills.

The Pre-Budget Report – help or hindrance?By Paula Tallon

Pre-Budget Report


Enhanced loss relief for businessesFor a period of 12 months, companies and unincorporated businesses will be able to carry back trading losses for up to three years rather than just one year as at present.

The proposal will apply to companies that suffer a loss in an accounting period ending in the period 24 November 2008 to 23 November 2009. In the case of sole traders and partnerships, the relevant loss is a loss for the 2008/09 tax year. So, for example, if a sole trader or partnership has a 30 April year end, and they made a profit in the year ended 30 April 2008 but a loss thereafter, it appears that they would be unable to take advantage of this relief unless they changed their next accounting date to, say, 31 March 2009 – which could have adverse cash flow implications in the longer term! So once again, this measure may not clearly benefit all those businesses that it is intended to help.

The idea of extending the carry back period is good in principle, but its effectiveness is limited by:• Restricting the amount that can be carried back more than a year to just £50,000;• Not allowing a loss to be carried back more than a year against other income; and• Limiting the duration of this extra relief to a 12-month period.

Income shifting shelvedPerhaps the best piece of news for family businesses was the announcement that the ‘income shifting’ proposals have been shelved indefinitely. These proposals, drafted in 2007 after HMRC lost the Arctic Systems case, would have interfered with the way in which family businesses allocate profits, salaries and dividends. The draft legislation appeared unworkable and would certainly have required businesses and their advisers to spend a considerable amount of time each year in trying to decide whether income had been shifted. Hopefully we can all now spend that time more profitably in looking after our businesses during this recession.

Delaying a corporation tax increaseThe small companies’ rate of corporation tax that was due to have been increased from 21% to 22% from 1 April 2009 will not now be changed until 1 April 2010. This will certainly be a welcome brief respite for companies.

Disappointingly, there will be no reduction in the main rate of corporation tax from 28% and the hopes of house buyers and house builders for an extension to the scope or

duration of the Stamp Duty Land Tax holiday were similarly dashed.

Transport costsTransport costs are set to increase again. For both unleaded petrol and diesel, there will be increases of 2p per litre from 1 December 2008. From 1 April 2009 and 1 April 2010, there will be increases of 1.84p per litre and 0.5p per litre respectively above indexation.

The planned car vehicle excise duty changes based on CO2 emission levels will also go ahead, albeit at reduced levels. In 2009/10 the maximum increase for any car will be £5. New first year rates will be introduced in 2010, when there will be no charge at all for cars with CO2 emission levels under 130k/gm, but the charge for the highest-emitting cars with CO2 emission levels over 255g/km will be £950.

Help in paying tax billsThe proposal to allow businesses more time to pay their income tax, corporation tax, PAYE & NIC and VAT liabilities is a very good idea. However, instead of HMRC simply extending payment deadlines (or not chasing unpaid amounts) for a set period, businesses that are experiencing difficulties will need to contact a new Business Payment Support Service to discuss and agree an ‘affordable payment timetable’. Interest will still be payable on amounts paid late. (A reduction in the main rate of interest on overdue income tax and corporation tax payments from 6.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent has already been announced, and will take effect from 6 December 2008.)

HMRC says that it would hope to give a decision in about 10 minutes in most cases. This suggests that the process will be little more than a formality, although there is plenty of scope for inconsistency depending on the HMRC adviser to whom a caller happens to speak, and a general temporary relaxation might have been more helpful.

The Support Service telephone number is 0845 302 1435.

Employees’ and employers’ liabilitiesThe small benefit that some taxpayers will receive from the increases to their personal allowance in April 2009 will be outweighed by the increases in income tax and national insurance rates in April 2011. From that date a new 45% tax rate will apply to individuals with income of over £150,000, and there will be a 0.5% increase in national insurance contributions for most employees. These

increases may provide a fresh incentive for employers and employees to consider tax-efficient salary sacrifice arrangements. The most popular benefits to be offered in salary sacrifice schemes include additional pension contributions, child care vouchers and bikes.

Employers’ national insurance contributions will also be subject to a 0.5% increase in April 2011, and in the meantime (in addition to the extra VAT administrative work) they will have to change payroll procedures to implement other tax and national insurance changes in April 2009 and April 2010.

Finally, it has been announced that no further action will be taken at present to restrict tax relief for travelling expenses incurred by workers engaged by umbrella organisations.

Pension schemesThe annual contribution limit to a registered pension scheme will be frozen at £255,000 from 2010/11 to 2015/16, and the lifetime allowance for each individual will similarly be frozen at £1.8 million from 2010/11 to 2015/16. This will not affect the majority of employees or business owners, but it could restrict pension funding opportunities for a high earner or business owner planning to retire before April 2016.

ConclusionNot all businesses will benefit from the tax ‘helps’ offered in this Pre-Budget Report – the VAT reduction is unlikely to have a significant effect, and other measures will only apply to some businesses and sectors. However, the ‘hindrances’ in the form of increased administrative burdens and compliance costs will apply to all VAT-registered businesses and any businesses with employees – clearly, the vast majority! It is certainly to be hoped that other measures, such as lower interest rates and encouragement to banks to start lending to businesses again, will contribute more to supporting businesses and stimulating the economy.

Pre-Budget Report


Paula Tallon is a partner with BDO Stoy Hayward LLP, chartered accountants.

Park Royal


Park Royal is currently the largest industrial and business park in London. Situated in West London it occupies over

650 hectares. Approximately 50% of the estate is in the borough of Ealing, 40% is in Brent and the remaining 10% is in Hammersmith and Fulham. There are over 1,200 businesses employing an estimated 35,000 workers. Amongst those businesses are a number of removal companies. Nowhere else in the country are so many congregated together in one area. To understand why that should be we must go back in history.

During the mid-1600s the Parish Vestry of Willesden was responsible for administering the Poor Law. All complaints were referred to the Lord of the Manor who administered justice. Servants were employed on a one year contract so life was very tenuous. Land management was certainly forceful: in the 1660s the then Lord of the Manor waited until everybody had died of the plague in the surrounding area and then promptly fenced in all the land and added it to his estate.

During the 18th and 19th centuries although the site developed and grew not a great deal happened. In 1801 the Grand Junction Canal (now known as the Grand Union Canal) was opened and on 10 July a public inauguration took place. Over the following twenty years the canal enjoyed great popularity both as a commercial and a leisure facility.

In 1866 Willesden Junction station was built. The West Coast Main Line station was opened by the London & North Western Railway to replace the London and Birmingham Railway’s Willesden line of 1841 which was a kilometre to the northwest.

During the 20th century things began to move a little more quickly. In 1902 the McVitie & Price biscuit factory was founded and in 1903 a Power station. The name Park Royal also came into being in 1903. A large area of open land

was bought as a permanent home for the Royal Agricultural Show. However it was short-lived. The show-grounds were opened by the Royal Agricultural Society as a permanent exhibition site for the society’s annual show. After only three years the Society sold the site and returned to a touring format for its shows.

Perhaps the demise of the Society’s show-ground was the fact that there were few farms in the area but in 1907 the district became a centre for mushroom farming and mushrooms played a part in the local economy until the late 1920s, with new farms appearing after the First World War.

During the First World War an area of Park Royal became a horse compound for the Royal Army Service Corps. Other war-time activities which took place at Park Royal were the incarceration of prisoners-of-war and munitions factories also appeared on the site. When the war ended much of the Park Royal site became derelict

Mainly during the 1930s various transport links were introduced. Coronation Road was built as a main access road. These were gradually developed and today on the northern side is the Network-Rail depot at Stonebridge Park, which also has London Underground

Bakerloo Line tracks running through it – and Harlesden station is nearby. On the eastern side, Park Royal is bound by Acton Lane and Park Royal Road (B4492). The Central Middlesex Hospital is located here. On the southern side is the arterial Western Avenue (A40), which leads to the Hanger Lane Gyratory System. Park Royal Underground station on the Piccadilly Line is located just off the Western Avenue. To the west of Park Royal is the North Circular Road (A406).

Most of the land was sold off for development during the 1930s. By 1932 there were 73 factories manufacturing foodstuffs, electrical equipment, paper and machinery. These factories provided employment for 13,400 people.

For those who love football it is interesting that Queens Park Rangers F.C. played on two grounds within Park Royal. The first was the Horse Ring, later the site of the Guinness brewery, which had a capacity of 40,000. When the Royal Agricultural Society sold the grounds in 1907, QPR moved to the Park Royal Ground, 400 yards south, an almost exact replica of Ayresome Park with a capacity of 60,000. The club were forced to move out in February 1915 as the ground was taken over by the Army. The Guinness Brewery was built between 1933 and 1936 and at its peak was apparently the largest and most productive brewery in the world. For many years, until it closed in 2005, Guinness was renowned for its potent aroma.

The factories at North Acton began to connect with those at Park Royal and the estate began to become probably the largest industrial zone in southern England. By 1939, despite the Depression, there were at least 256 firms in Park Royal some making consumer goods like fountain pens and radio sets, others making capital goods like lorries or electric motors.

During World War ll (1939-1945) the factories again shifted to the production of war related

Where have all the flowers gone?Replaced by factories – every one.By Lynne Thomas

...in the 1660s the then Lord of the Manor waited until everybody had died of the plague in the surrounding area and then promptly fenced in all the land and added it to his estate.

Park Royal


items. The area suffered frequent air raids. It was after this war that the railway lines were developed into those we know today.

During the 1960s the Park Royal area was at its peak and the firms employed 45,430 people. A decade or so later the British economy was in decline and the effects were felt just as much in northwest London as anywhere else and Park Royal was particularly vulnerable.

Currently as well as many small industrial firms and a great many removal companies, Park Royal is home to some large company buildings. The old Guinness brewery and sports ground site at the south-western extremity of the district has now been totally demolished. The first building erected adjacent to the new roundabout and bridge link to Western Avenue is occupied by international drinks company Diago, owners of the Guinness brand and the redevelopment site. Others include McVities and Heinz and A Female Health Company has its worldwide manufacturing plant there too.

As you can see it would seem that the main reason for the removal industry to congregate on the Park Royal estate and close proximity is that it is close enough to central London to make it feasible for trucks and crews to travel to and from each day of the week. Heathrow

airport is within easy reach and at the end of the last century the London ports were still in operation. Now the motorway network is such that long distance haulage is no problem. Obviously too the railway support system means that staff can easily access the area.

Again at the end of the 1900s prices and rents were not too excessive which made the warehousing and vehicle parking space necessary for moving companies affordable.

It will be interesting to see how the Park Royal area develops over the next decade. This draft Opportunity Area Planning Framework was published in February 2008 for public consultation and comments:

Park Royal is the workshop of London, a vital economic engine for a world city. It is the closest industrial area to Central London, the West End and Heathrow Airport. It houses nearly 2,000 businesses providing 40,000 jobs. Through continued investment, Park Royal is home to the growing economic clusters of food/drink, transport/logistics and television/film. The framework does not preclude use of parts of the site for housing.

The draft framework aims to make Park Royal more attractive as the location of choice for industry, business and logistics. Mixed-use development will be appropriate at the four Gateways to Park Royal and will assist in creating a vibrant heart with good amenities to support businesses and employees.

Whatever happens to Park Royal in the future, it’s likely to be the home to most of London’s international moving industry for some time yet.

Cadogan TateCadogan Tate finally consolidated all its different component companies which had been located in Surrey, Berkshire, Hertfordshire and Abbey Road, Park Royal at its current location in Acton Lane, Park Royal in 1999.

When Cadogan Tate originally moved to Park Royal in 1992 it was a finally balanced decision.

At this time the area was very depressed and many factories were coming to the end of their lives. There were 35,000 unemployed people in the area but local advertising produced very few applicants. There was no link to the north Circular Road and access for trucks was limited to Gypsy Corner. There were very few facilities: two pubs, few restaurants and only a few small shops.

“On the plus side it was close enough in terms of both miles and travel time to make it economically feasible to send vehicles out every day of the week staff and vehicles to work in and harvest the money orchard that lies at the centre of London,” said Jonathan Hood, MD. “At the same time it was superbly situated for access to Heathrow for international shipping and the motorway network for long distance road travel.”

The current large site was purpose built and runs very smoothly. Today, thanks largely to the Park Royal Partnership (PRP) there is better access with much improved public transport links and road improvements. “This is probably the main reason that the removal industry has congregated on the Park Royal Estate. Although London itself is a problem in the mornings – particularly the bridges,” Jonathan qualified.

“Statistics show that 25% of all car traffic in Park Royal is going somewhere else – our area has become a major ‘rat run’. The majority of our employees are not local and therefore commute. Most transport employees commute by car and always will because their hours are very early, late or irregular so public transport doesn’t work for them. Now roads are for the most part too narrow for trucks as they are often choked with cars both parked and jammed up. Local authority parking restrictions are in force but not necessarily enforced.”

Park Royal LifeWhat’s life like for companies based in London’s largest industrial and business park?

...the main reason for the removal industry to congregate on the Park Royal estate... is that it is close enough to central London to make it feasible for trucks and crews to travel to and from...

Thanks to Jonathan Hood of Cadogan Tate for his help in preparing this story

Hedley’s HumpersHedley’s Humpers was established in London in 1973. Owned and run by Steve Hedley. Today Hedley’s has four offices in London, Paris, Avignon & New York, and employees just over 100 staff.

Park Royal


AGS Four Winds UKAGS Four Winds UK is part of the AGS group of companies which owns and operates some 117 facilities around the world. Its primary activity is internationalremovals and storage with over 90% of trade coming from multinational corporations and foreign governments. It’s been in business for 35 years and has its headquarters in Paris, France.

The UK company moved to its 2,500m2 warehouse office facility on Minerva Road, Park Royal some eight years

ago. At the time it needed more space than the previous facility at reasonable rates. The company also has a similarly sized facility in Northampton.

There’s no doubt that Park Royal is very convenient not only for its employees because of its access to rail and bus services, but it’s also very effective in enabling equipment and crews to reach customers. It is about five minutes from Western Avenue which leads either to central London or west towards the M25 and M40. It also provides relatively easy access to Heathrow airport.

The company is intending to move out of the Park Royal area towards the end of next year and is finding it a challenge to find larger facilities with similar location benefits.

Park Royal LifeWhat’s life like for companies based in London’s largest industrial and business park?continued...

Hedley’s Humpers has established a reputation for moving fine art and antiques around the world as well as

the more traditional household goods removals. The London operation is the biggest of the four offices based in London’s Park Royal. The Park Royal location gives the staff and drivers easy access to the city and to the Home Counties where over 80%

of the clients are based.Hedley’s are currently in the process of

expanding the London operation by taking on a second warehouse in Park Royal. The brand new facility will be home to the rapidly expanding fine art storage unit and offers a temperature-controlled environment with individual storage rooms and private viewing area.

Edwards Removals & StorageEdwards Removals & Storage did not start life out in Park Royal but moving there has been one of the best moves the company ever made.

Based on a prime site by the Grand Union canal, Edwards have always prided themselves on their ability to provide

a quality service to their select client base in London and across the Home Counties.

Harry Taylor, Managing Director of Edwards, explains, “Edwards has always taken pride in providing that extra level of service to our clients that they seek. Being based so close to London as well as the best transport links to Oxford and surrounding areas means we are ideally placed to get to our clients whenever they need us, with the minimum of fuss.”

“The constant regeneration work in Park Royal has also benefited us hugely and we have enjoyed working with local businesses, assisting them with their commercial

relocation requirements as they have moved within the area. We look forward to continuing our long association with Park Royal as the area continues to grow and develop.”

Edwards Trade Storage also operates from the same site in Park Royal. Malcolm Pearson, head of the company is also full of praise for the location. “We couldn’t be located in a better area for our clients. Although our level of service is the major factor in keeping our trade business, we also recognise that Park Royal is a fantastic place for us to operate from, proven by the fact that clients come from as far as South West and East London to use us. We are lucky to have a large site with great road links, meaning clients not only get a great service but our crews are back out on the road quickly to wherever they need to be next!”

Feature Schedule 2009Every month Removals & Storage includes a number of feature items. These are planned well in advance to allow members of and suppliers to the industry to join in.

Here’s what’s coming up later this year year.

February 2009Obesity is hot news. What does your firm do to help your drivers and packers to stay trim? Do your office staff work long hours sitting at the computer all day? What does your company canteen supply in terms of healthy food? What would you like to see roadside cafes supply? We at R&S would like to hear from your crews.

March 2009VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) provides a range of licensing, testing and enforcement services with the aim of improving the roadworthiness standards of vehicles, ensuring the compliance of operators and drivers with road traffic legislation, and supporting the independent Traffic Commissioners. What is your company’s experience of the roadside checks on your vehicles. Do you find that the officials carrying out the examinations are courteous, over-zealous or happy to guide your drivers and the company in the right direction? Let us know your views.

Email: [email protected] or phone Lynne Thomas on 01494 562266

Word Puzzle


InterdeanInterdean is a global move management and relocation company, with its headquarters located in the Park Royal estate in London. Interdean provides services to support businesses which need to relocate their employees around the world on long- or short-term work assignments.

The business is owned by influential local businessman Paul Evans, who is supported by a key management team

recruited from locations worldwide.Dale Collins, CEO of Interdean, comments

“London is the second busiest relocation centre in the world and Interdean is one of the largest international relocation and moving companies in the UK. As such we operate a diverse and highly skilled workforce, including IT specialists, relocation industry experts, financial, HR and marketing professionals. With Park Royal’s access to the London market it makes an ideal location and gives us exposure to a huge global market. Furthermore it provides excellent transport access to the London and surrounding areas.”

Interdean’s premises at Park Royal are close to large employers such as Carphone Warehouse, Diageo and McVities. The latter is very much a favourite with the packing crews and warehousemen at Interdean who enjoy the smell of freshly baked biscuits as it fills the air when they come to work early in the morning. Park Royal also has a number of other benefits such as good access to public transport, cycle lanes, green areas and places for staff to go for lunch. Interdean is active in the local area, working with the governing body to develop the local area further.

Park Royal is strategically important to Interdean who chose this location for its proximity to London, transport links, international recognition and ties with its client base.

INTERNATIONAL & EUROPEAN T R A D E S P E C I A L I S T S

Instant online Trade quotesVisit the Trade Services page

Choose either International or European rates then just enter the User ID & Password

User ID: simpsons Password: trade

www.simpsons-uk.com

01322386969HEAD OFFICE: Blue Hawk House, A1 Manor WayBusiness Park, Manor Way, Dartford, Kent DA10 0PP

Memb No: S092

SIMPSONS_Mag_Ad:DPS_FINAL 16/9/08 16:14 Page 3


Diary Dates

Diary Dates

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES 2009

BAR Annual ConferenceHotel Conrad, Brussels, BelgiumMay 1-3 2009

European Young Movers ConferenceBucharest, RomaniaMay 21-24 2009 FEDEMAC Annual General AssemblyBarcelona, SpainAttendance limited to FEDEMAC Board Members and General Secretaries/ FEDEMAC Representatives from each of the 22 National Association/Member CountriesNovember 21 – 23

OMNI Annual ConferenceArts Hotel, Barcelona, SpainApril 21-24 2009

FIDI CongressRome, ItalyApril 26-30 2009

PROPOSED BOARD, COUNCIL ANDCOMMITTEE MEETINGS 2009

Executive CommitteeJanuary 21March 18May 20July 8September 16November 25

Past Presidents’ LunchMay 19

Board of DirectorsMarch 25July 15December 3

BAR AGM (Brussels)May 2

National CouncilFebruary 10June 16October 13

Overseas GroupFebruary 11June 17October 14

Commercial Moving GroupFebruary 12June 18October 15

BAR AREA MEETINGS 2009

East Anglia AreaUnless otherwise stated, meetings will be held at:The Flying Fortress, Mount Rd, Gt Barton, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP31 2QUTel: 01284 787655January 13 7.30pmFebruary 10 7.30pmMarch 10 7.30pmEssex meeting, venue TBAApril 14 7.30pmMay 12 7.30pm June 9 7.30pmSeptember 8 7.30pm October 13 7.30pm

continued from previous column

Norfolk meeting, venue TBANovember 10 7.30pmDecember 7.30pmChristmas Dinner, date and venue TBA

East Midlands AreaMeetings will be held at:Lady Anne’s Hotel, StamfordJanuary 15 7.00pm AGM/MeetingMarch 18 7.00pmMay 20 7.00pmSeptember 16 7.00pmNovember 18 7.00pm

Kent AreaMeetings to be held at: The George Inn, The Street, Molash near Canterbury, Kent, CT4 8HE (01227 740323) December tbc 7.30 – 8.00pm

BAR SCOTTISH AREA MEETINGS 2009

Meetings will be held at:Hilcroft HotelWhitburnJanuary 13 –March 10 –May 12 –September 8 –November 11 –

Do you have any diary dates?Email them to rands@the wordsworkshop.co.uk

Find eight hidden words to fit the following clues:1. Footwear – difficult to stand up in?2. A bit of a squeeze!3. It’s simply not right!4. Get in touch with lens maker5. Not always6. Not very well done (and not often)7. Where there’s a will?8. Worth viewing and worth receiving

The answers can be found on page 61.

A S D F G H J K Z C A R D S D S L I P P E R S B I B S D D O E F E F A I W S D A S H U M M I N H E R I T A N C E P E O Y D S N E A S D N G B A T N D F H N H Z X O D T Y D I O U E E A F C I E D M N F M T Y S F Y S T D F G H J G E Y D T T E C N Y U I O M H S F B E Y E C O N T A C T N P D E C L U R T O P A S F E A R T L I I D W E R E N T A A A O I G L Z A S I F S Y R B C D P U N A T C W A G A

Weekly Groupage Service

EUROUSAInternational Movers

Memb No: E034

FMC Lic # 020099NF

EUROUSA Services

Weekly Groupage ServicesTrade shipping services Destination services Origin service Airfreight services Auto Shipping Customs Bonded warehouses Storage

EUROUSA Offices

EUROUSA Shipping Ltd. ( UK ).74 - 75 Fred Dannatt Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7RD , UK+44 (0) 1638 515335Email: [email protected]

www.the-eurogroup.com

EUROUSA ( France ).BP16523, Aerogare les agents de Fret,Zone Fret 3, 95709, Roissy CDG, CEDEXFrance.Email: [email protected]

www.eurousafrance.com

EUROUSA Rate Mate

EuroUSA has developed into a recognised trade

shipping group. A support service that is now

being utilised by many large & small companies

seeking a reliable partner to assist and guide them

in the development of their own international

service

EUROUSA Rate Mate

Just go the web address below for all your tradeshipping rates

EUROUSA Shipping Inc. ( USA ).1629 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29412 USA+001 843-225-7217Email: [email protected]

www.euro-america.net

From the UK: www.eurorates.info

From the USA: www.euro-america.net

From France: www.eurousafrance.com

to and from the States


New Members BAR is pleased to welcome the following

National Group

Sowerbys Removals & Storage Ltd Memb No: S112 11 - 12 Denney Road Hardwick Industrial Estate Kings Lynn Norfolk PE30 4HG Tel: 01553 777773 Web: www.sowerbysremovals.com

Applications BAR has received the following applications for membership of:

Commercial Moving Group

Crown Promotions & Removals Ltd Memb No: C061 Derby Road Hackney London E9 7JP Tel: 020 8533 1200 Web: www.crownpromotions.co.uk

ATN (Alternative Trading Name) The following Alternative Trading Name has been applied for:

Rapid Man & Van an ATN of: Excess International Movers Ltd

Change of Details Unless shown the contact details remain the same.

Scott’s Removals & Transport Memb No: S042 Unit 15 & 16 Highams Park Industrial Estate Hickman Avenue Highams Park London E4 9JG Tel: 0208 527 1633 Fax: 0208 531 1085 Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Pickfords (London) Memb No: P019 Unit D Prologis Business Park Twelve Trees Crescent Bromley by Bow London E3 3JM

Leslie & Leslie Memb No: L017 22 High Street Haddington Scotland EH41 3ES

Steele & Co Moving Services Ltd Memb No: S102 The Office Chilcomb Manor Farm Chilcomb Winchester SO21 1HR

Maidmans Removal & Storage Memb No: M018 Building 103c Aviation Way Aviation Business Park Christchurch BH23 6NW

Andrew Moran & Son Ltd Memb No: M056 Andmor House 1 River Park Bridge Street Linwood PA3 3DW

Fleet Removals & Storage Memb No: F011 Units 9-11 Nexus Building Randles Road Knowsley Business Park Knowsley Liverpool L34 9EZ

Atlas Removal Services Ltd Memb No: A077 01524 833503

Resignations BAR is sorry to lose the membership of the following companies whilst thanking them for their past support.

J Upton Removals & Storage Ltd, Shropshire and ATN of Direct Removals & Transport, Shropshire

John Gower & Sons Ltd, Berkhamsted

Fox Group (Moving & Storage), Newtown

Alternative Trading Name

1st Contact Shipping

Commercial Moving Group & Overseas Group

S. Dell & Sons Limited, Berkhamsted and ATN of Roberts Removals, Berkhamsted

International Associate

Morgan & Brother Manhattan Storage Inc, USA

BAR Memberships January 2009

Any member wishing to make any comment regarding an application should do so in writing to BAR Head Office within 21 days of receipt of this notification.

Details of membership applications in process may also be found on the BAR website: www.bar.co.uk

BAR Memberships

A S D F G H J K Z C A R D S D S L I P P E R S B I B S D D O E F E F A I W S D A S H U M M I N H E R I T A N C E P E O Y D S N E A S D N G B A T N D F H N H Z X O D T Y D I O U E E A F C I E D M N F M T Y S F Y S T D F G H J G E Y D T T E C N Y U I O M H S F B E Y E C O N T A C T N P D E C L U R T O P A S F E A R T L I I D W E R E N T A A A O I G L Z A S I F S Y R B C D P U N A T C W A G A

SOLUTION:Here are the answers to the January Word Puzzle

1. Footwear – difficult to stand up in? SLIPPERS2. A bit of a squeeze! LEMON3. It’s simply not right! DEFECT4. Get in touch with lens maker CONTACT5. Not always SOMETIMES6. Not very well done (and not often) RARE7. Where there’s a will? INHERITANCE8. Worth viewing and worth receiving COLLECTION

TRADE SERVICES


Sweden and Scandinavia

Channel Islands North West

Scotland/Europe

Ireland

Isle of Man

��

��

��

��

Established 1990

��

��

��

Scotland and Islands

TRADE SERVICES


France

Germany and AustriaAustria Eastern Europe

Weekly Groupage ServiceFull origin and destination services available.

German speaking staff

Contact Darrel or JustinTel: 01923 210669 • Fax: 01923 250355Email: [email protected]

WH HUMPHREY & SON LTD

Greece

Cyprus and Malta

� Weekly Services toNorth and Southern Cyprus, Malta, Egypt, Israel, Dubai, Morocco, Canary Islands, Lebanon and Tunisia.

Contact Darrel or JustinTel: 01923 210669 • Fax: 01923 250608Email: [email protected]

United Arab Emirates

Regular TradeServices toUNITED ARABEMIRATESDubai, Sharjahand Abu DhabiFull & part loads

Call Stuart, Sami or Jeremy on

01432 377477fax: 01432 279894


OVERSEASREMOVER

AdvancePayment

Guaranteed

Memb No: GO13

TRADE SERVICES


Spain

www.william-worldwide-webb.comUK Office: Tel: 01843 585055

Email: [email protected] Office Tel: 0034 971 693566

Email: [email protected]

• WEBBS INTERNATIONAL REMOVALS S.L.• WEEKLY SCHEDULED SERVICE

• RATES FROM £1.95pGBP PER CUBIC FOOT• NO VAT ! • PRICE GUARANTEE

• INFORMATIVE WEBSITE

REMOVALS & STORAGETRADE SERVICES IN SPAIN

Instant online trade rateswww.puriasimpact.com

UK TO SPAIN – WEEKLY SERVICE(rates from £1.55 per Cu ft)

CONTAINERISED STORAGE IN SPAINPORTER/TRANSHIP VEHICLES

DESTINATION & ORIGIN SERVICESFULLY TRAINED

PROFESSIONAL STAFFFor more information contact

MAT FORD-DUNN0034 968 654 757

[email protected]

France - Spain - Portugal - ItalyWeekly Service for the Trade

Call now for best rates PRESTON 01772 651570

Worldwide

Regular Services to all Major Destinations Worldwide

Receiving in Windsor & StourbridgeContact Mike, Chris or Steve on

01633 488 [email protected]

Trade Rates to Europe

TRADE SERVICES


Switzerland

Italy

• Regular runs to all areas • Full or part loads • Receiving depot 10mins from M25 J5 ...or we collect• All deliveries and collections carried out by our own crewsPhone Paul for advice and genuine delivery/collection [email protected]

TRADE ROUTES

TO ITALYFRANCE-AND OF

COURSE 01732 358900 ‘WHEN SERVICE MATTERS’EN ROUTE

Caribbean Health and Safety Training

Computers and Internet

Warehouse Containers

Trade Storage

• A modern brand new storage facility with easy access to the M25, M1 & Central London

• 250 cu ft storage containers • Palletised and archive storage• Opening and retrieval 0700-1700• Weekends on request• 24hr security, CCTV, Red Care

monitoring System

Contact Gary Mills 0208 976 2116Email: [email protected]

PremierStorageinLondon @£5.75

per week

Trade Groupage

External Elevators

Piano Specialists

LOCAL MOVING • WORLDWIDE SHIPPINGWEEKLY EUROPEAN SERVICE

Recommended by the worlds finest piano manufacturers,auctioneers, music colleges & academies.

A family run business, Est. in 1968.

THE PIANOSPECIALISTS

Mem. No G005

100 BOLLO LANE, CHISWICK, LONDON W4 5LXTel: +44 (0) 20 8994 9733 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8995 0855Email: [email protected] www.gandrremovals.co.uk

G&R Advert 60x60mm:Layout 1 20/10/08 16

CLASSIFIEDS


CLASSIFIEDS


FOR SALE2003: Mercedes Atego

7.5 tonne chassis c/w Marsden Vanplan

three container (and space) body plus 2 man sleeper pod.

LEZ compliant and in good condition throughout,

66,000 miles, £19,500 plus VAT

Contact Alan Davidson 020 8876 1000

Mercedes 1823 ATEGO 2004 6 con Vancraft twin sleeper body, one owner, low miles, full Mercedes history, superb condition offers. Mercedes R registration 12 tonne 4 cont body, full service history, full M.O.T sleeper cab £6, 000. LDV Luton 3.5 tail lift 51 registration Mercedes Sprinter L.W.B Hi top 52 registration. Derby 01332 369721. Webbe Removals.

70 250 cu. Ft. wooden removal crates, in very good condition and approx 20 new ones, transport can be arranged, £70 each + VAT. Telephone 01407 832777 or 07900 431686

For Sale Situations Vacant

SELL IT OR FIND IT WITH A LINEAGE AD FOR

£2.10 PER WORD

CLASSIFIEDS


Advertise your job vacancies in Removals & Storage magazineCall Marianne Lee on:

01908 695500 or email: [email protected]

FIND THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB

Need assistance in the midlands? Drivers, porters, packers (that cando the job) daily/weekly hire (8 hour minimum hire) www.professionalassistance.co.uk or 07852 923 946 Dave Middleton the removals man, removal man.

Business Development Manager required for a multi facility storage company based within the M25. Please contact Chris Lee on 0208 451 9150 for more details

Free Situation Wanted advertisingTo help companies and their employees during the recession R&S is offering individuals who have been made redundant from BAR companies the opportunity of advertising their services free. This is intended to help people find new employment in the professional moving industry and help BAR members to fulfill their obligations to do all they can to help their employees during this difficult time.

All entries will be confidential and replies will be to a unique box number address supplied by BAR. To take part please provide brief details (no names or company details will appear in the advertisement) including roles, experience and location to [email protected]. This service is available only to BAR members’ staff who have been or are about to be made redundant.

FOR SALEWAREHOUSE & OFFICES

(21,184FT2) PLUS APPROX 25,000FT2

OF GROUNDS/CAR PARKING & LORRY SPACE.

OFFERS IN REGION OF £2,050,000

Located in Surrey, 3 miles from the A3 and Junction 10 of the M25. Next to BR main line service to

London (Waterloo). Telephone: 01932 344777 or

07785 793975 Email:

[email protected]

CLASSIFIEDS


Relocations to or from Australia? The choice is clear... Wridgways!

When you partner with Wridgways you know your customers are in safe, reliable hands. Since 1892, Wridgways has been refining the specialised art of international relocations and our dedication and professionalism is demonstrated in each and every move we carefully manage.

Your Customers, Your Choices:■ Reliable, caring service since 1892■ Branches and storage facilities Australia-wide■ Comprehensive Relocation Services■ Dedicated, professional staff■ Prompt, efficient responses

Don’t play games when it comes to your customers belongings, trust the Australian Experts...Wridgways.

Visit www.wridgways.com.au or email [email protected]

You’ll always win with Wridgways

CLICK

www.wridgways.com.auFor information on Quarantine, Customs, Arrival/Departure Services and much more.

r&s january 09 bi all

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