Companies and individuals across the warehousing and third party logistics sectors were recently rewarded for outstanding performance and professionalism at the UKWA Awards 2017.
The United Kingdom Warehousing Association’s Awards are established as symbols of achievement in the 3PL sector and emphasise the importance of logistics within today’s economy and this year UKWA received a record number of entries in all categories.
A total of 10 UKWA Awards were presented by the event’s celebrity host, Gerald Ratner. The winners were:
• Best New UKWA Member of the Year – Dalepak.
This is a corporate award given to the company showing the highest professional standards of warehousing on joining UKWA.
• Junior Manager of the Year – Jamie Cash, operations manager at Century Logistics.
• Warehouse Manager of the Year – Daniel Earp, Boughey Distribution.
• Environment Award – Walker Logistics.
The judges were impressed by a number of green initiatives undertaken by Walker, which included dramatically cutting the amount of waste packaging generated by its clients’ supply chains by turning in-bound transit packaging waste into protective void-fill material that is then used to protect outgoing orders.
• Award for Technical Innovation – SEC Storage with International Logistics Group.
Awarded for a bespoke storage solution designed and installed at UKWA member International Logistics Group’s new distribution centre. The system, which provides over 1,000 picking locations, has helped ILG to optimise picking efficiency and provide a service for their clients that meets the increasingly high expectations of online customers.
• Training Award – Century Logistics.
Century Logistics impressed the judges with its ‘Project Accelerate’ development programme, which aims to provide accredited training for 90 per cent of the company’s employees by the end of 2018.
• Young Employee of the Year – Scott McCutcheon, Bullet Express.
• Customer Service Award – Maxim Logistics.
Maxim Logistics manages the requirements of small, medium and large clients with consistently high service levels and performance is tracked through regular KPI data review meetings.
• Warehouse Company of the Year – International Logistics Group.
This is a corporate award given to the company showing the highest professional standards of warehousing on joining UKWA and this. Founded in 1990, International Logistics Group (ILG) has grown to become one of the market leaders in fulfilment, warehousing and logistics services.
• Chairman’s Award – Steve Granite, Think Logistics
The UKWA Chairman, Tony Mohan, presents this Award to an individual or company who has made a real and lasting contribution to the logistics industry. He chose Steve Granite, founder of ‘Think Logistics’, as this year’s recipient.
“Steve Granite joined the logistics industry at the age of 15 and progressed from a role as a trainee accountant to become managing director of Abbey Logistics by the age of 29,” said Mohan.
“Concerned by the shortage of young people joining the logistics industry, and conscious that Abbey Logistics would suffer if the situation remained unchanged, in 2002 Steve created ‘Think Logistics’.
‘Think Logistics’ involves experts who work in the logistics sector visiting a school or college to educate 16-19 year old students about the logistics industry and the career opportunities that it offers.
“So far, nine ‘Think Logistics’ centres have been established, while some 4000 volunteers visit more than 250 schools and colleges to promote logistics industry careers to thousands of students every year.
“Plans to open another six ‘Think Logistics’ centres this year are well advanced, and it is Steve’s aim to have 50 such centres up and running by the end of the 2018/9 academic year.”
Over 450 United Kingdom Warehousing Association members and their guests, together with suppliers to the warehousing industry and several leading names from the retail sector, attended the lunch event, which took place at London’s Dorchester Hotel earlier this month.
