R&S November 2013

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www.bar.co.uk

Removals & StorageThe Magazine of the British Association of Removers

Inside this Issue

Industry News BAR News>> VOSA advice on brakes >> Matt Purdie & Sons open

new Head Ofce

>> Nationwide Transport BreakdownServices become BAR Afliate

>> Commercial Movers focus onmarketing and efciencies

>> What happened at IAM?>> Progress on the Electronic

Inventory Standard

Features Breaking News

November 2013 // Issue 472 // 4

On the coverSimpsons Removals Latin motto means strive to excel; it is stillrelevant today as the family-owned company continues to developand expand its range of services to clients worldwide from itsheadquarters near the Dartford crossing in Kent. See pages 30-31

>> Practical payment solutionsfor running your business

>> New management keepskangaroo on the road

ExcellereContende

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Features

News from Watford

On the cover: Simpsons Removals new roadtrain.

3

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Contents

Content s

Industry News

Just a snippet Osborne pledges fuel duty freeze Controversy over container rules Agility GRMS prepares for the next post

Down Under award for Doree Bonner Britannia Anchor moves footballer Nasri

05

BAR News

Nationwide Transport Breakdown Services haveformally joined the BAR community as BARNational Afliates, and Chris Smallwoodquestions whether the downturn is really over.

20

Simpsons Removals: Excellere Contende How the Dutch Removers Association works New management keeps kangaroo on

the road Practical payment solutions for running

your business

Features30

QSS Update28

CMG meets atWychwood ParkThis years event at Wychwood Park set the CMGbar high with a great golf tournament, and athought-provoking seminar. Delegates tookadvantage of the excellent blend of industryinformation and debate, networking and, ofcourse, golf!

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People News

European News Membership56

Diary Dates54

Classied62

Bishops Move supportScottish Fun Run Bishops Move ensured that its largest vehicle provedan obstacle for the 550 competitors of the 2013Road Block Run held in Holyrood Park recently.To raise funds for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland,competitors had to climb, slide and crawl throughcarefully crafted spiders webs made of webbing andluminous silly string in Bishops Moves vehicle. 14

Overseas Group News

Ian Palmer reports on the recent IAM annualmeeting.

26

Commercial MovingGroup News22

Code supremo toopen BAR Conference

42

Baroness Crawley, President of the TradingStandards Institute (TSI), will be the keynotespeaker at next years BAR Conference in Glasgow.

Find out what the TSI is expecting the removalssector to have achieved by May 2014.

Training36

BAR Services34

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BAR News


News from Watford

Following the successful transition of theBAR Code of Practice to the TradingStandards Institute (TSI), BAR is about toundergo its rst Code audit with TSI underits Consumer Codes Approval Scheme(CCAS). This will take place this month and

will be carried out by two TradingStandards professionals who will completea thorough onsite survey to ensure that allBAR Members comply with the Code ofPractice. It will concentrate on thebranding and use of the BAR/TSI logo,customer feedback around the code.BAR will also be required to demonstratemembership compliance covering theBAR membership application processincluding the checks/inspections carriedout on prospective businesses.

Please remember the deadline of 31December 2013 for the BAR TSI codedlogo implementation. This logo should beused on websites only. The guidelines canbe downloaded from MyBAR, oralternatively Members can contact theCommercial Department.

We are delighted that Baroness Crawley,the President of the Trading StandardsInstitute, will be the Keynote Speaker atthe BAR Annual Conference in Glasgowon 15 - 17 May 2014. For more informationon what the TSI is expecting from ourindustry, see page 42. Please note the newonline booking system and dedicated

website are now live. For furtherinformation visit www.bar.co.uk/conference2014.aspx.

For all Young Movers out there, make sure you secure your place for the European Young Movers Conference London 2014, which BAR is co-hosting with FEDEMAC, theFederation of European Movers

Associations. To see the full programmeand to register, visit www.

youngmoverslondon2014.eu

There have been a number of importantmeetings recently for the removalsindustry. In particular, Council meetingshave taken place for the National andEuropean Group, Overseas Group andthe Commercial Moving Group. You canaccess the minutes by logging in toMyBAR. At International level, BAR DirectorGeneral Stephen Vickers was amongst ahandful of delegates who were speciallyinvited guests at the recent AnnualMeeting of the International Association ofMovers in Vancouver, Canada.Representing BAR and the UK removalsand storage industry, Stephen and otherBAR Member companies present in

Vancouver networked and sharedinformation on UK developments and bestpractice.

Finally, following the success of the recent webinar on using the Trusted Mover website, www.trustedmover.org, BAR hasarranged a further webinar this month(28 November) to demonstrate how toget started with this free customerfeedback website. For more information,see page 20 of this issue or [email protected]

Follow BAR on:

Contact Details: Editorial Contributions on all aspects of the removals andstorage industry a re welcome, together withphotographs if appropriate.

Please contact the Managing Editor, Louise Gale on:Tel: 020 3235 1806Email: [email protected]

Advertising For all enquiries and bookings, please contactSandra Zealand on:Tel: 0117 957 5400Email: [email protected]: The booking deadline for all displayadvertisements for the December 2013 issue ofR&S is 11 November.

SubscriptionsRemovals & Storage is subscribed to by membersof the British Association of Removers in the UK andOverseas. Current annual subscription is 48.00 inthe UK and 72.00 overseas.

Additional subscriptions are available from BAR.

Registered as a magazine The British Associationof Removers 2013. ISSN 0034-4265

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be scanned,reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in partor whole in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior writtenpermission of the British Association of Removers.

Opinions expressed in Removals & Storage are not necessarilythose of the publisher, British Association of Removers.Thedescription of a product or service in this publication does notconstitute endorsement by the publisher.The publisher doesnot accept any responsibility for any claims by advertisers.Thearticles in this publication are for general information only and

are not intended to be advice to any specic person.Readersare recommended to seek professional advice before taking orrefraining from taking any action on the basis of the contents ofany article in this publication.

The British Association of Removers

Tel: 01923 699 480 Fax: 01923 699 481Email: [email protected]

Tangent House, 62 Exchange Road, Watford,Hertfordshire WD18 OTG

President: Ian StuddDirector General: Stephen VickersCompany Secretary: Paul Swindon

Removals & Storage is designed on behalf ofThe British Association of Removers by:Rubicon Marketing Ltd. Tel: 0117 957 5400Email: [email protected]

Removals & Storage is written and edited for theBritish Association of Removers by Analytica MediaTel: 0203 235 1800 Email: [email protected]

Copy and advertisingdeadlines 2013 for futureissues of R&S magazine

Article submission:2nd of the month preceding publication

Booking of display Adverts:10th of the month preceding publication

Booking of classied Adverts: 10th of the month preceding publicationBooking of trade Adverts:10th of the month preceding publication

Artwork for Advert s:15th of the month preceding publication

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Industry News

November 2013 Removals & Storage

VOSA adviceon brakesResearch from the Vehicle and Operator Services

Agency (VOSA) shows that braking defects arethe number one cause of HGV and trailer prohibitions in the UK. They make up 10% of allHGV and 20% of trailer prohibitions issued.

Brake disc fractures are the biggest problem forHGVs, totalling 19% of brake prohibitions and9% of trailer prohibitions. VOSA says it will issua prohibition if a brake disc fracture extendsthrough the disc surface to the ventilation cavity.The agency advises operators to closely monitorthe condition of heat cracks on the surface ofbrake discs, as they can quickly deteriorate. Ifthere are cracks running from the edge of thebrake disc to the centre, the disc must bereplaced. You should consult the manufacturersguidance on brake disc wear tolerances, whendeciding whether a brake disc is serviceable. Another common defect is excessive brake

actuator travel, which is normally associated with poor maintenance of automatic slackadjusters (ASAs) which are vulnerable to wearand tear. All HGVs, trailers and PSVs over 3.5T from 1995 are tted with ASAs that must workcorrectly. If they need regular manualadjustment, they are not working correctly,the agency says.

Operators should ensure that drivers areaware of defective brake symptoms, and that theyknow how to identify and report problems, VOSA cautions. If a warning light indicates a potential fault, the driver should make sure the vehicle is safe to drive, or risk a prohibition andthe Operator Compliance Risk Score points thatgo with it.

Osborne pledges fuelduty freezeThe Chancellor George Osborne has said he will freeze fuel duty forthe duration of this Parliament, scrapping the 2p rise in duty that wasplanned for September 2014.

Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference in

October, Mr Osborne said provided we can nd thesavings to pay for it, I want to freeze fuel duty for therest of this Parliament. While the road transport sector has welcomed theannouncement that duty will not be increased until2015 at the earliest, many in the industry have pointed out the sector remains heavily taxed andmore needs to be done to reduce the burden. Howard Cox of FairFuelUK, of which BAR is amember, said the Government still takes over 60%in tax when we ll up at the pumps, we have thehighest fuel duty levels in the EU and the cost of fueldirectly impacts adversely on the cost of living,investment, jobs and running businesses. The main road transport bodies all call for the

Chancellor to go one step further and cut fuel tax.

We should remember that UK fuel duty is still by farthe highest anywhere in the EU, said the RoadHaulage Association. The Chancellor should takethe bold step to cut duty, which, as has beendemonstrated by independent researchcommissioned by the RHA for the FairFuelUKCampaign, would boost growth and create jobs.The RAC Foundation said: transport is the singlebiggest area of household expenditure bar none andour own research shows that 800,000 of the pooresthouseholds are in transport poverty, spending aquarter or more of their income on running a car.This proposal will be welcomed but lets not forgetthat the Chancellor still takes 60% of the price of alitre of fuel in the form of taxation.

Goodwill at the DfTThere is a new man in the Department forTransport. Robert Goodwill, Conservative MP forScarborough and Whitby, has been promoted fromthe Whips Ofce to replace Norman Baker asParliamentary Under Secretary. Mr Baker has goneto the Home Ofce.

Mr Goodwill will take responsibility for the HS2 project. He has a long standing interest intransport, especially in steam traction engines andhis Sentinel steam lorry can be seen at many localsteam and charity events. After spending 18

months as a member of the transport selectcommittee, he was appointed a whip by DavidCameron in 2006 and promoted to the post ofShadow Roads Minister in the transport team in2007.

He describes himself as a Eurosceptic. Closer tohome, he has long been an advocate of upgradingthe A64 that runs through his constituency.

Meanwhile, in the shadow cabinet, Maria Eaglehas been replaced as Shadow Transport Secretaryby Mary Creagh.

Robert Goodwill

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Controversy over container rulesShippers have welcomed the decision of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to support compromiseproposals for the verication of container weights. However, transport workers have reacted angrily to the news.

Its a good day for maritime safety, the GlobalShippers Forum (GSF) said. An IMO Subcommittee hasagreed to amend rules of the SOLAS (Safety of Life atSea) Convention about how to ensure the accuracy ofcontainer weight declarations. In recent years,casualties have apparently been caused by overweightcontainers. To respond to this, the IMO Subcommitteehas decided that shippers must verify the weight of thecontainer either by weighing the packed container, orby weighing all packages and cargo items, includingthe mass of pallets, dunnage and other securingmaterial to be packed in the container and then addingthe tare of the container to the sum of the single

masses. The shipper will have to declare this veriedgross mass to the shipping company, or the container will not be loaded.

The GSF said that it believes the compromise proposal, which includes these two methods for verication, is the best possible outcome for shippersand the maritime industry, as it provides a exible and workable solution which can be adopted by industry without signicant cost or delays in the supply chain.

However, the International Transport WorkersFederation (ITF) pledged to continue the struggle forcontainer weight safety after what it described as amissed opportunity to reduce the risk of harm totransport workers and members of the public. The ITFis opposed to self-regulation by shippers and wants acompulsory international system of container weighingto be introduced in ports to ensure that containers are weighed accurately.

If the proposals are approved by the IMO MaritimeSafety Committee, they could take effect in mid-2016.

HGV levy contract awardedIntroduction of the new time-based user charge forHGVs using the UK road network, planned for April2014, is a step closer following the appointment ofNorthgate Public Services to develop and operatethe foreign operator payment system.

The foreign operator payment system will enable foreign operators or drivers to purchase the levybefore they enter the UK through a number of saleschannels including online, telephone and at pointof sale terminals. The system will also create adatabase to enable authorities to identify hauliers who have not paid.

Transport Minister Stephen Hammond (pictured)said getting the foreign operator payment systemright will be crucial to the success of the levy. The

system will be easy for foreign carriers and theirdrivers to access and straightforward to use. Itsdesign also sends an important message to those foreign operators who think about avoiding paying.If you dont pay, or underpay, you will be caught

and face a 300 ne. By law, the scheme cannotdiscriminate between UK-registered vehicles and vehicles from elsewhere in the EU so this charge will apply to all HGVs. For UK vehicles the levy willbe paid alongside Vehicle Excise Duty (VED)

which will be reduced in line with the levy to ensurethe majority of UK operators experience no rise inthe total amount they pay. It will also be collectedthrough existing agency channels so there will beno additional administration cost.

The levy has been set in line with EU legislation with the rate paid reecting vehicle weight and axleconguration.

There are seven levy bands which align withexisting VED bands. For a 40- tonne ve axle artic,the most common type of foreign vehicle coming tothe UK, operators will pay 10 per day or 1,000 per year.

Northgate Public Services has provided ITsolutions to a number of central government

departments, including the Home Ofce, theDepartment of Health and the Department forTransport, and to local public services, mostrecently in the delivery of the new Blue Badgescheme for disabled parking.

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8 Removals & Storage November 2013

New motorwayplans for WalesThe Welsh Government has launched a

consultation on a draft Plan to improve the M4Corridor around Newport.The draft Plan, if implemented, will include a

new motorway being built to the south ofNewport. Minister for Economy, Science andTransport, Edwina Hart said trafc congestionand unreliable journey times, particularly duringrush hour, are common occurrences on the M4around Newport. The Welsh Government iscommitted to addressing capacity and resilience problems on this key artery widely recognised asessential to support the Welsh economy.

The main element of the draft Plan, ifimplemented, is the provision of a section of threelane motorway between Junction 23 Magor and Junction 29 Castleton on the south side ofNewport (Black Route). This would also includecomplementary measures to re-classify theexisting M4 between Magor and Castleton as anon-motorway and create a new singlecarriageway link between the M48 and B4245.The consultation will close on 16 December 2013.

Hammersmith

Flyover surgerycontinues What is hoped to be the nal phase ofmaintenance work to the Hammersmith Flyoveris underway, to extend the life of the structure for years to come. During the works, the remaining 11 of theyovers 16 spans will be strengthened in asimilar fashion to the ve spans that werestrengthened last year. The bearings carryingthe structure will also be replaced, carriagewaydrainage will be renewed and the entire yover

waterproofed and resurfaced to reduce the need for further maintenance in the future. Transport for London says that all activitythat affects closure of the carriageway both overand under the yover has been programmed totake place at night, between 10.30pm and5.00am, in order to reduce disruption to roadusers. During summer 2014, a limited numberof weekend closures in one direction will berequired in order for the yover to be waterproofed and resurfaced.

A14 toll plans underheavy reThe Road Haulage Association (RHA) has launched a sticker campaignto voice its opposition to the Department for Transports (DfT) proposalto implement a toll on a stretch of the planned new A14, the Huntingdonsouthern bypass.

Do you have any news toshare with R&S readers?Send to: [email protected]

The Highways Agency estimates that the tolls could bebetween 1.00 and 1.50 for cars and other light vehicles, and double this amount for heavy goods vehicles. Charges are expected to apply between thehours of 6.00am and 10.00pm, seven days a week. The proposal has drawn strong criticism fromhauliers in the region and the RHA said that itamounted to an attack on the economy in East Anglia.The RHA said that, if implemented, the scheme would put hauliers in East Anglia and Suffolk at adisadvantage against rms elsewhere. It would amountto a tax on business as a whole in East Anglia and

Suffolk, as hauliers would seek to pass on theadditional costs and it could undermine thecompetitiveness of the Port of Felixstowe and other ports in the region by adding to the cost base ofhaulage to and from the port. The RHA also signalsthat the proposal could set a worrying precedent for thedevelopment of a patchwork of local tolls on theHighways Agency network.

The Highways Agency says it will make a preferrroute announcement for the 1.5bn scheme before thend of the year. Construction should begin by the end2016 and take three to four years. Vehicles using thetolled section of road during charging hours would beidentied using automatic number plate recognitioncameras, so there would be no need for toll plazas andrivers would not need to queue in order to pay. Jack Semple of the RHA said the proposal is, ineffect, to create something with much the same effectas the Dartford, Severn or Humber crossings. To ensudrivers have no practical alternative to the tolled road

the DfT is even planning to demolish a bridge on thecurrent A14 so that through trafc has no practicalalternative to paying the toll - other than not to travel

The Highways Agency says that heavy trafc woulhave two non-tolled alternatives: either via the A1 anthe A428 from St Neots to Cambridge, or via the cou A-roads through St Ives and the northern outskirts ofHuntingdon.

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Commonwealth Gamescause concern

While the rush of road project announcements in the SpendingRound earlier this year is a welcome boost on this front, questionsremain about how feasible these plans are without greater clarityon their funding, the report says. Concerns that the motorwaynetwork has deteriorated over the last ve years came fromcompanies all over the country and were especially high in thesouth, with 65% of respondents in the south west seeing thesituation worsening, followed closely by 64% in the south east.Only 20% of all respondents said the motorway network hasimproved in the period. The picture is even worse for local roads: only 4% of rmsbelieve the local road network has improved in the last ve years.For local roads, the south west has the largest proportion of

respondents who feel there has been deterioration over the pastve years, with almost nine out of ten taking this view (88%).Overall, the same proportion of respondents, 88%, expect eitherno improvement or continued deterioration in the local roadnetwork in the coming ve years. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of allbusinesses and 85% of multinationals highlighted that domestictransport was a key consideration in deciding where and when toinvest. Dissatisfaction with domestic transport in general hasjumped from 28% in 2011 to 49% in 2013.

Gloom mounts over UK roads A new CBI/KPMG report has found that 76% of respondents are concerned about the future of the network,especially local roads, and there is a widespread expectation that local roads and motorways will deteriorate.

The Freight Transport Association is calling onthe authorities responsible for organising the2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow andoperating the road network to provide vitaldetails regarding changes to routes as soon as possible. Following the positive experience from theextensive planning in the run up to the London2012 Olympic Games, it makes good sense to provide information as early as possible, and toestablish a dedicated team to support thetransport and logistics industry.

The information doesnt need to be perfect,the logistics industry can manage change thats what we do but we cant plan if we dont

have anything. Eighty per cent of something would be better than one hundred per cent ofnothing, FTA Scotland said.The London Olympics was a smooth logisticaloperation but that was not by chance, it wasdown to meticulous planning by industry andclose partnership with the organisers andtransport authorities.

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New strategy forSkills for LogisticsChief Executive Mick Jackson is stepping down from Skills for Logistics (SfL) as the organisationlooks to implement a new strategic plan thatcreates a greater emphasis on commercialactivities over the next ve years. Mick will bereplaced by his deputy, Ross Moloney, whilst theboard review the appointment of a new ChiefExecutive.

Paul Brooks, SfL Chairman said: Mick has ledour organisation through a period of substantivechange in UK skills funding and during his ve years in the post has turned SfL into one of the top funded SSCs (Sector Skills Councils) in the UK.

Mick Jackson said the last ve years in particular has been an incredible journey as we

have transformed SfL from a poorly performingSSC to one of the best-funded. However indiscussions with the board I felt that there was aneed for someone to be able to commit strongly tothe new strategy for the next ve years and I didnt feel that was appropriate for me. We have put in place a great team and I know in the short termthe organisation is in capable hands and I wishmy colleagues the very best for the future.

12 days a year on tax administrationNew research from the Federation of SmallBusinesses (FSB) shows the UKs small businessowners are losing around 12 days a year keepingon top of their tax administration, costing themhalf a billion pounds per year. The FSBs ndings show that half ofrespondents spend between two to eight hours permonth understanding, calculating andcompleting tax forms. A further 11% spendbetween two and six days per month, hinderingtheir efforts to grow their businesses. More than three quarters (77%) say they spendup to 5,000 in addition to their tax bill paying professionals and for software so they can keepup-to-date with their latest obligations. Furtheranalysis of the data shows that around two thirds

of the respondents estimate an annual cost of 3,651 spent on tax obligations accumulativelythis means a minimum of 490m per year is spentin additional costs. Almost a third (30%) of rms

say that cash-ow problems have prevented them from paying their taxes on time, while one in ve(19%) say that difculty understanding what isrequired or confusion over payment dates hasmeant they have paid late. The FSB is calling for the Government and theOfce for Tax Simplication to build on the cash-based accounting system through creating anenterprise tax system which would match thelower corporation tax band of 300,000.

The report shows that small businesses face a set-up fee of 8,900 to get ready for the new legislation. Thisgure rises to 12,600 for small and mediumbusinesses of up to 100 employees and 15,600 forcompanies employing up to 250 people, while at theother end of the spectrum large companies with up to500 staff are facing an average bill of 22,300 for theone-off costs of implementing auto enrolment.Regional labour costs across the country could see

these costs pushed even higher, with the predicted bill for the largest rms in London hitting 28,300. The report nds getting ready for auto enrolmentcould take each business up to 103 man days, with therecurring administration burden taking over threedays each month for some rms. Even those businesses who choose to use theGovernments National Employment Savings Trust(NEST) will face these costs and administrativechallenges as rst they need to complete all the preparatory work, while the legislation will effectivelysee small and medium sized business owners, whomay have little to no experience in the eld of pensions, having to tackle the huge responsibility ofchoosing an appropriate pension scheme for theirstaff. NEST itself has issued its top ve dos and donts for employers, based on its insights into the challenges faced by employers who have implemented automaticenrolment so far.

Auto enrolment set-upcosts mountUK businesses are facing 15.4bn in set-up costs if they are to meetthe requirements of new pensions auto enrolment legislation, accordingto new research from the Centre for Economic Business Research.

Employer dos1. Plan early dont underestimate

how long it will take, talk to yourpayroll and other providers assoon as possible.

2. Assess your workforce tounderstand which of your workersare affected.

3. Communicate with staff clearly

and early; engage and involve.Have a communication plan andinvolve all relevant departments in

your business.4. Examine systems (particularly

payroll) to ensure they are readyand capable.

5. You may want help you maywant guidance from experts/external advisors.

Employer dontsDont fall for these misconceptions:1. Once weve chosen the pension

provider everything will be done forus.

2. Therell be a lot of work leading upto the deadline but then our workis done.

3. We have to offer a pension to allstaff.

4. Its like the stakeholder pensions.Most people will opt out.

5. Our payroll provider will tell uswhat we need to do with regardsto payroll.

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Matt Purdie & Sonsopen new Head Ofce

West Lothian based removers and storers, Matt Purdie & Sons, recently opened a newly extended andrefurbished headquarters ofce at East Main Street in Blackburn.

The project was designed by architect John Watson from Mid Calder and completed by local builders,R.B. Construction. The larger property now creates anew reception area containing a packing materialsshowroom. Managing Director Matt Purdie can alsonow boast his own personal ofce, which is locatednext to a purpose-built boardroom overlooking thecompanys busy yard and storage warehouses.

Constructed on a sloping site, the buildingextension has provided a spacious transport ofce inthe basement level, which is adjacent to the staffcanteen and training room. Just like his distinctiveeet of removals vans and trucks, Matt Purdie had thenew ofce building wrapped in the companysrecently revised livery by local vinyl graphic suppliers,Scot Signs Ltd of Livingston.

Stephen Vickers, BAR Director General made the longjourney north to ofcially open Matt Purdie & Sonsnew ofce at a lunchtime ceremony at the end ofSeptember. In his speech, Stephen Vickers paid tributeto Matt Purdie and his team for their dedication toadvancing industry standards through what has beena challenging few years for removals contractors.

Winners of BARs Domestic Mover of the Year award for 2010-2011, Matt Purdie & Sons have also beennalists in the same competition every year since2009. This Blackburn operation was also the rst UKcompany to hold all ve of the industry-relatedBritish and European quality standards for removalsand storage. Established in 1960, Matt Purdie & Sonsare Central Scotlands largest independently ownedremovals and storage company, offering services todomestic and commercial customers throughoutEdinburgh, Glasgow, Central Scotland, the UK and worldwide. The company has also collected twoTransport News Scottish Rewards in recent years forScotlands Top Fleet Livery in 2009 and Scotlands TopTraining Operator in 2013.

Green cost savings Matt Purdie & Sons impressive environmentalcommitment sees it completely self-sufcient inenergy generation, thanks to a bank of south-facingsolar panels on the warehouse roofs at Blackburn.These devices also feed excess into the national grid. An all-encompassing zero waste policy at Matt Purdie& Sons sees all removals packing bulk recycled, inaddition to ofce waste that is comprehensively sortedinto three separate streams.

Most of the rms distinctively liveried removaltrucks are now tted with streamlined bodywork from Warrington-based Unique Van Bodies and a newlyinstalled vehicle charging point will cater for a duo ofelectric vehicles currently on order. Matt Purdie &Sons also have Scotlands rst Euro 6 removals vanon order and this landmark rigid will enter serviceearly next year.For more information, see www.mattpurdie.co.uk

Stephen Vickers, BARs Director General (left)congratulates Matt Purdie on the ofcial opening.

An electric vehic le charging point has beeninstalled in this depot.

Matt Purdie & Sons extended new ofce includesa showroom for packaging materials.

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Preparing for the next post Agility GRMS runs one of the largest and most prestigious contracts in global moving the worldwidemoves of all Ministry of Defence (MoD) personnel. Agility and its suppliers say they are committed to

providing their best levels of service yet as the current MoD contract enters its nal year and proposals fora new contract take shape.The original contract, awarded to Agility GRMS in2010, was for services to be carried out from 2010 to2012, with the possibility of two one-year options following that. Testimony to the professionalism of Agility and its suppliers, the MoD awarded Agility thetwo one-year options. There is now less than one year to go to the expiryof the second option in October 2014, and Agility andits suppliers are working hard to maintain theexcellent performance of the last three years ahead of

a new contract award.BAR Membership criterion A BAR Afliate, Agility has specied that, to ensure it provides the highest level of service to the MoD, all ofits suppliers must be BAR Members. Simon Kirby, Senior Project Manager at AgilitysGlobal Removals Management Services division inReading, says that we are very proud of the servicethat we and our BAR suppliers have been able todeliver since 2010 and in 2014 we aim to provide ourbest service yet. For Agility GRMS, it has been very important tomonitor the moves that take place over the course ofthe contract. Whenever we have found issuesanywhere in the world we have been able to solve themand provide a more efcient service, Simon told R&S .Every year we have further customised systems and

procedures as the contract continues to evolve andbring new requirements into play. We are light yearsaway from where we were when the contract started- our systems look nothing like they did in 2010.

The contract was a huge learning curve for usinitially, and I believe also for many of our suppliers, who have invested signicantly for the contract,Simon adds. I want to thank them for all their hard work and for improving their Key PerformanceIndicators over the last few years. We have developed

very strong relationships with all of our suppliers andeveryone at Agility GRMS is condent that these willcontinue long into the future.

Anglo-Pacic team claims AFL victory

The culmination of Londons Australian FootballLeague (AFL) season was played out at the end ofthe summer at Motspur Park. Fielding teams ineach of the division nals Premiership,Conference and Social the Anglo Pacic-

sponsored club, West London Wildcats, took victoryin two out of three. Club President, Luke Fenney, said of the success,after a disappointing nish to the 2012 season, 12

months of rebuilding and hard work has paid-off with a fantastic display of footy against very strongopposition.

None of this would be possible without our Club

sponsors, and were very grateful for the on-goingsupport we receive from Anglo Pacic, nanciallyand on the touchline. Jason Diggs, Sales Director for Anglo Pacic said

with the majority of our business emanating from Australasia, and plenty of our own staff hailing from Down Under, it makes good sense for us to getinvolved with expat sports teams in the localLondon community. Weve been sponsoring the West London Wildcats

endeavours for more than a decade now andhappily offer discounts to their returning players when shipping their baggage back to Australasia.Some of Anglo Pacics employees have played forthe Wildcats and plenty more are fans, so its agreat pleasure to offer the Club our on-goingsupport.For more information, see www.anglopacic.co.uk

Britannia Anchorin Premierresponse When Manchester City and French nationalteam member Samir Nasri forgot to book hismove, the Britannia Group were able to pooltheir resources and ensure that the mideld football star was relocated on time. The telephone call enquiry was picked up byBritannia Anchor Removals Managing Director,Chris Smallwood, who reacted quickly to ensureSamir was catered for in a professional mannerdespite the short notice. Chris was of coursedelighted to be of service he has been aManchester City season ticket holder andsupporter for nearly 40 years! Nasri, who has been a regular in ManchesterCitys star studded team and has won a PremierLeague winners medal for the Blues, wasgrateful to Tony Howarth (pictured) and histeam who were given a case of champagne for

their excellent service!For more information, see www.anchorremovals.co.uk

Anne Bradley and Simon Kirby of Agility GRMS

One of Agilitys suppliers - Bishops Move

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Housing market recovery continuesThe UK housing market remains in rude health, supported by an improvement in economic conditionsand schemes such as Funding for Lending and Help to Buy. According to Rightmove, the average price

of new to the market property rose by 7.2% in the rst nine of months of 2013, despite falling back 1.5%in September.

Rightmove expects the combination of steadilyimproving buyer demand and a shortage of new propertystock to prime the pump for a price surge in some sectorsof the property market. Rightmove said that volumes ofbuyer transactions have begun their recovery, with thelatest year-to-date transaction and mortgage approvalstatistics up by 8% and 16% respectively on the same period of 2012.

Meanwhile, gures from theLand Registry show thatduring June 2013, the latest month for which gures areavailable, the number of completed house sales inEngland and Wales increased by 1.0% to 60,168compared with 59,854 in June 2012. According to theLand Registry, in August there was an annual house price increase of 1.3% which takes the average property value in England and Wales to 164,654. The monthlychange from July to August was an increase of 0.1%. LSL Acadametrics said that in August house prices inEngland and Wales rose by 0.4%, while the number ofsales exceeded 70,000 for two months in a row for therst time since the end of 2007. The rm estimates thatin the four month period May-August 2013, there was anincrease of 14% in the number of properties soldcompared to the same four months in 2012. Nationwide said that UK house prices increased by0.9% in September and were 5.0% higher than September2012. Chief economist Robert Gardner warned that therisk is that if demand continues to run ahead of supply,

affordability may become stretched. House price growthhas been outstripping average earnings growth. However,affordability is being supported by the ultra-low level ofinterest rates. According toHalifax , house prices increased by 0.3% inSeptember. It said home sales during June to August were8% higher than in the previous three months (March toMay) and 19% higher than in the same three monthslast year. Housing economist Martin Ellis said there aresigns that supply is beginning to respond to the pick-upin demand, which if continued should help to constrainthe upward pressure on prices.

Ofcial gures from theOfce for NationalStatistics showed that, in the 12 months to July 2013,UK house prices increased by 3.3%. House price growremained stable across most of the UK, although pricein London are increasing faster than the UK average.The year-on-year increase reected growth of 3.7%in England and 1.8% in Northern Ireland, offset by falls of 2.0% in Scotland and 0.7% in Wales. Annualhouse price increases in England were driven byLondon (9.7%), the South East (2.6%) and the EastMidlands (2.4%). Excluding London and the South EaUK house prices increased by 0.8% in the 12 months t July 2013.

Do you have any news to share with R&S readers?Send to: [email protected]

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BAR News

Roadside assistance provider NTBS joins BAR After attending BARs Conference in May and opening several accounts in the removals industry, roadsideassistance company Nationwide Transport Breakdown Services (NTBS) has formally joined the BAR community

as a BAR National Afliate.

NTBS was established in 1987 by Spencer Brown and tothis day remains a family-run company. CurrentManaging Director Stuart Brown says that at the

Newcastle Conference he was struck by the fact that thecompany has much in common with the removalsindustry, which is dominated by family-ownedbusinesses that are committed to the highest professional and ethical standards.

Stuart says NTBS has enjoyed making contacts anddeveloping business with the removals trade, and islooking forward to taking the relationship to the nextlevel by being a BAR National Afliate.

One Stop Shop when it comes tobreakdownsNTBS was originally formed to offer a professionalservice to the transport refrigeration industry and hasgrown considerably over the years. The companyrecently purchased and moved in to its own bespokecontrol centre in Denton, Manchester. This centre ismanned 24 hours a day by helpful, professional andknowledgeable staff who provide support to any type,

model or age of commercial vehicles, plus all specialand ancillary equipment.

Stuart believes that the companys success is based on

its consistent delivery of the service level you expect when in need of professional roadside assistance. We provide our customers with a complete One Stop Shopservice to respond to their entire breakdown needs, hetoldR&S .

NTBS operates a true Pay On Use Service with coverageanywhere in the UK and Europe. Credit card facilitiesare available for non-account holders. All services are accessed 24 hours a day by using one

phone number, 0161 336 8752. Staff are available 365days of the year and will mobilise the nearest mostcompetent agent to attend to the customers situation.The target is to be in attendance within 60 to 90 minutes from receiving the call.

The services provided include roadside assistance andrepairs ranging from mechanical to auto electricsthrough to trailers, tail-lifts, shutters, transportrefrigeration and hydraulics.

The rst and foremost consideration is to get the

vehicle mobile again safely, in the shortest possibletime, Stuart says. If the roadside repair exceeds a previously agreed roadside cost limit, contact is mad

authorisation to continue. In recovery situations,quotations can be obtained prior to commencement anthe operator makes the decision.

Knowledge of the transport industry is a key factor the success of NTBS, coupled with access to a hugenetwork of approved agents. For Finance Director Su(Stuarts wife) who works as part of the team, thishands on style of management plays a strong role inensuring the consistent delivery of quality responses toperators in trouble, assisting them to protect theirreputations and commitments.

NTBSFor information please make contactvia the website www.ntbs.co.uk ortelephone 0161 336 8752.

This month: Dinner Dance on the North Cornish Coast The South Western area would like to invite you tojoin them at the Best Western Hotel Bristol inNewquay for their annual dinner dance on Saturday

16 November 2013.Set on the cliff top directly overlooking TolcarneBeach, the Hotel Bristol has a reputation forexceptional service, glorious sea views, and a level ofhospitality to rival the very best hotels in the South

West. Based near the historic market town ofTruro, you can complete your weekend by visitingNewquay Zoo, the Eden Project or one of the trio of

well-known National Trust sites in the area:Trerice Manor, Lanhydrock or Carnewas and theBedruthan Steps.

To book, please contact: Emma Lane, South Western Area Treasurer [email protected]

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CMG News

The Commercial Moving Group (CMG) is a dedicated group of companieswithin the British Association of Removers that specialise in all aspectsof commercial relocations.

This years event at Wychwood Park (30 September to1 October) set the CMG bar high with a great golftournament, and a thought-provoking seminar.

CMG Seminar Day, simply seminalRichard Hill of Delivery Services and Elizabeth Harperof Harrow Green explained the CMGs Marketing Sub-Committee vision for strengthening the Groupsmarketing plans in the future. This presentation was previewed on page 26 of R&S October 2013.

CMG members meet at Wychwood Park The CMG golf and seminarevent is fast becoming anessential event in the calendarof commercial movers, with anexcellent blend of industryinformation and debate,networking and, of course, golf.

Elizabeth Harper, Harrow Green & Richard Hill, Delivery Services

Heres a roundup of the other presentations:

Training specic to thecommercial moving sector

PHS Group commissionoffer for BAR Members

Miranda Martin (pictured) of BAR Training Services (BARTS) kicked off proceedings with a brief and punchy talk focussed on training specic to thecommercial moving sector. She underlined that time is running out forDriver CPC training and urged CMG members to see the offers and dates published in R&S and to take advantage of the 25% discount that has beenextended to bookings for November and December.

She added that BARTS is very much in the business of offering bespoke

training to those for whom this is the best option. BARTS can adapt or createcourses to suit individual requirements, using site / company materials andequipment.

Finally, Miranda emphasised that she wanted to hear the views of BARmembers (theres been a poor response to requests to date) so she canunderstand what their requirements are for future training.

Keith Hufton of PHS Group outlined a commission on sales initiative beinoffered by PHS to BAR Members in return for qualied leads that lead tocontracts being signed. Provided the lead is to a client that is not already acustomer of PHS and leads to a deal being signed, PHS is offering a 5%commission on the total annual contract level that is agreed.

Keith suggested that this would allow CMG members to add value toexisting customer relationships and to increase revenue, while offering acomprehensive range of Facilities Management (FM) services through PH

Keith explained that PHS Group has an annual turnover of 420m andcomprises 17 operation service groups providing FM/cleaning/technicalsupport, with an extensive range of products and services that has somethinto offer every corporate client, and includes washroom products, ooring, waste disposal and re safety. Anyone wishing to participate in the initiatishould pass their lead to Mona George at PHS [email protected] wh will get the ball rolling.

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BAR NewsCMG News

Gordon Phillip, PHS Teacrate

John Mitchell, PlusCrates

How CMG Members can improve their service

John Mitchell (Pluscrates) and Gordon Philip(PHS Teacrate) began their presentation with some practical and interesting case studies that capturehow working together with CMG members andtheir respective companies has delivered additionalservices not in the book. John recounted a situation where by working

together with a CMG member Pluscrates wassuccessful in resolving a dispute with crate losses.Pluscrates assisted with a crate sweep of buildingsand site audits to establish what could not be

returned. A problem arose when it became clearthat the client did not want to pay for the losses,even though they had no valid reason to avoid paying for the replacement of missing crates.Pluscrates advised their commercial moving clientto cooperate with the banks request for statementsand duplicate PODs, but to apply a charge forduplicate statements in much the same way a bankdoes to its clients.

Pluscrates also offered to host the bank auditorsat Pluscrates HQ in Wembley allocating aPluscrates member of staff to audit the datarelating to the crates. The tactic culminated in a face to face meeting and an agreeable settlementoffer being made by the client, explained John.The good relationship was left intact.

Gordon in turn recounted a situation whereexpiring purchase orders were causing an on-going problem with a client. PHS Teacratesresponse was to work with the customer to producea series of automatic emails whenever a purchaseorder was due to expire to allow the customer toeither get a renewed purchase order for the rentalor a write off purchase order for the outstandingcrates.

Improving crate rental efciencies

The second part of the presentation took the formof an ideas forum for suggestions on what could bedone to improve the crate rental business. Aninteresting idea about identifying the crates bymeans of a bar code or Radio-FrequencyIdentication tag was raised. This could offer theCMG a unique selling point over non-CMGmembers and would alleviate some of the issues ofidentifying crates. Although this would not preventlosses, it would certainly help in identifying wherecrates that are collected were originally deliveredespecially in the situation where more than oneCMG member is involved on the same site.

Participants including Elizabeth Harper ofHarrow Green welcomed the idea of bar codingeach crate so it could be individually tracked and

accounted for and Richard Hill of Delivery Servicesagreed, saying that the use of advanced trackingtechniques could serve as a differentiator for CMGmembers when pitching for work. Some speakerssaw the proposed system as enabling a host ofadditional services such as tracking movements ofthe crates during the move itself and using thetechnology to tie to inventory lists or GPS systems.

Gordon kindly agreed to put together a proposalon how this could work and forward it onto theCMG board for their consideration.

Combinedmoney-saving audits Peter Gawthorp spoke of the advantages of using onecompany to help you do all your audits. Manycompanies need multiple standards, Peter added, andQSS are currently offering a 15% saving on twostandards, with one visit required rather than the twoneeded if a company opts to use different companies fortheir audits a considerable time saving.

Continued Overleaf

Peter Gawthorp, QSS Ltd

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CMG News


Stephen Kempton, DKV

What DKV can do for CMG members

Stephen gave a succinct overview of DKVsbackground and services. DKV is number one inEurope for the cash-free supply of on-the-road products and services, with rst-class products andservices for truck and mixed eets. The company provides a personal customer service and tailor-made solutions at local level, and offers thebenets of almost 80 years of experience.

DKV has a turnover of! 5.3bn and over 98,000customers using! 1.9 million DKV cards and onboard units. DKV Tolls Plus provides customers with a billing service for all European tolls fromjust one service provider, a fully compatible DKV

Box for instant use in both France, Spain, Belgium(Liefkenshoek tunnel) and Germany (Warnowtunnel).

DKV has brought out a new DKV Box for theFrench national trunk roads (Ecotaxe) and theconventional French toll motorways (TIS PL).Using DKV gives customers discounts in manycountries, and a fast, cash-free settlement ofmotorway tolls, tunnel, bridge and ferry charges,along with a Customs Clearance Service thatincludes cash-free payment of customs clearancecharges. DKVs services also include convenient,trouble-free refunds through just one service

provider in 26 EU countries, giving customersimproved cash ow with foreign VAT offset againstDKV invoices. Other services highlighted byStephen were the DKV Truck Service whichincludes breakdown assistance, repairs andmaintenance, and DKV Business Plus which offersa range of online services including maps, support for drivers and the DKV eReporting tool which provides for example transaction data, lists ofjourneys on which tolls were paid, vehicle performance and fuel consumption gures.For more information,see www.dkv-euroservice.com

Report on the CommercialMover of the Year 2013

Conference 2014 Appetiser

David gave a report on the CMotY competition 2013 and shared valuableinsights with those who attended the seminar on how to prepare a winning bid. To nd out more, said Kevin Mack, come to the nextCMG Seminar!

On behalf of the CMGs BAR Conference Sub-Committee, Brian Maidman gbrief and persuasive Conference 2014 Appetiser, homing in on three key poin1. Seminar and conference is the only time that all CMG members can be in th

same room together. So be there and take advantage of it for the mutualbenet that can be gleaned from it.

2. Glasgow is a great conference venue.3. Ed Katz is a great speaker. For more information about Ed and what he will

talk about see page 38, R&S October and www.bar.co.uk/Conference2014.a

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Free leads for CMG Members Ofce Moves is the new brand for the company formerly known as Lead-In Research. To mark the companys re-launch, Ofce Moves are provi with free leads to test their service. Ofce Moves are specialist providers of company moves project data, which follows the progress of opportubusiness. Ofce Moves supply contact information about upcoming moves in the UK, giving information about which companies are planning to

refurbish or invest in new equipment and services. In the past year they have reported on thousands of companies across the UK which will shortrefurbishing or extending their ofces. This data is gathered from a variety of sources which means that they will not be available elsewhere in thOfce Moves are currently offering CMG Members ten free leads per month, allowing Members to target the decision makers who require thei

at the right time. To view and take advantage of these free leads, sign in to the Members area of the CMG website (www.barcmg.co.uk).

CMG Golf: winners at Wychwood Park CMG 2013

1) Paul Flowers from BCL with a score of 30pts

2) Simon Darvell from BMG with a score of 29pts

3) Bill Tiernan from EDEs with a score of 25pts

Guest 2013

1) Peter Poncho Doman from Basil Fry with a score of 36pts this has been referred to the English Golf Union!!

2) Greg Wildman OCB from Basil Fry with a score of 24pts

3) Barry Kempton OCB from Abrahams Cases with a score of 24pts

Longest drive Peter Poncho Doman of Basil Fry

Nearest the pin Dan Reynolds of Reason Global

Guest 2013 Winner, Peter Doman of Basil Fry

Kevin DornDave Stanley Simon Darvell

Bill Tiernan Oliver Dawes Simon Compton

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BAR Training NewsOverseas Group NewsOverseas Group News

The Overseas Group (OG) is a dedicated group of companies within theBritish Association of Removers that specialise in all aspects of overseasrelocations.

Membership of the Overseas Group currently consists of 55 Overseas Group Members and 149 International Associates. For more information aboutthe Overseas Group please visit www.baroverseas.co.uk

Chris Waymouth, Chief Executive of QSS, explainedto the Council that the new mini audits of FAIM andBS 8564 compliance have been progressing well, with ten audits completed as of the end of September.In this process, auditors randomly select six or seven

key questions specic to the standard they areauditing.The Members area of the Overseas Group website

(www.baroverseas.co.uk) is now almost ready to golive. Since the launch of the website, there have beennearly 6,000 page views. Members are reminded thatadding a link from their companys website to theOG website will help it appear higher in the rankingsand attract more trafc.

The Council has given its commitment to prepare for the BAR Conference in Glasgow, which will followthe successful format used in Newcastle this May.The OG has agreed to run three workshops at theConference, on Marine Insurance Claim Handling

and on Less-than-Container Load shipments, as wellas an Open Forum session that will hopefully becoordinated by two international gures.

Readers will also be pleased to know that as is nowtraditional the Council unanimously agreed tosponsor the Welcome Evening on Thursday 15 May, which next year will have a suitably Scottish theme.

To read the full version of the minutes login toMyBAR of www.bar.co.uk

Overseas Group Council Chairman, Ian Palmer of White & Co plc, attended the recent Convention ofthe International Association of Movers (IAM) in Vancouver, Canada. Here is his personal report astold to R&S:

A great event! There were some 2,000 plusattendees from over 100 countries, representing thecream of the world moving industry.

The Convention was located at the VancouverConvention Centre in Canada Place, which had previously been the home for the worlds media inthe Winter Olympics. The giant Olympic cauldron was still present outside the western part of the

Convention Centre. Accommodation was spread over ve hotels closeto the main venue. Networking meetings took place in the lobbies and bars of every hotel, andevery inch of available space was given over to themain object of securing new business. The spreadbetween the hotels did slightly dilute the scale ofthe event but when everybody was together for theopening and closing receptions in the ConventionCentre, the site was bewildering. A separate exhibition hall, easily the size of a

football (not Soccer) pitch, accommodated tradestands of every description, with Canadiancompanies focusing heavily on their national

heritage of Maple Syrup (Lo Cal) and RoyalMounted Police.Separate meetings were held forOMNI members and FIDI Associations so time was very well spent. The networking opportunities inthe evenings, when social lubricants were evident, were fantastic. The hosting skills of the Canadianmoving companies were excellent.

Although this was my 10th IAM convention, thescale of the event still amazes me. It surely has tobe THE networking opportunity for movers worldwide. Many of our Overseas Group members were present, as well as many International BAR Associates.

OG Council meets An update at the OG Council meeting in September detailed that there are only 7 current OGMembers not yet compliant but they have all made an acceptable commitment to meet the Groupscriteria.

IAM Convention: a networking treat

L-R Terry Head (IAM), Linda Dauer Barr (AMSA), John Levi (CAM) and Stephen Vickers (BAR) participated on apanel discussing the value of trade as sociations.

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QSS is a UKAS accredited certication body that offers professionalcertication and auditing services to a broad range of Quality Standardsrelevant to companies operating in the removals and storage industry.

QSS Update

The full title of this draft standard is Codication ofContents for Inventories and Manifests forShipments of Household Goods and Personal Effects.

The objective is to agree a set of numeric codes which could be used to describe the items in ashipment, any damage exceptions, their location(room) and the mode of shipment. This would becompiled by the packing crew using a notebook,tablet or smartphone and would take the place of thetraditional handwritten list. It could then betransmitted to the destination agent as an electronicle, accompanied by a covering message containingsimilar data to todays waybills.

One particular driver is the concern that at some future point US Customs and Homeland Securitymay insist upon greater control over incominghousehold goods shipments and the use of such astandard may become a full mandatoryrequirement.

This project was initiated by Terry Head, Presidentof the International Association of Movers (IAM),some 10 years ago and was published in the US asan ANSI standard (similar to a BS) in 2010. Anapplication was then submitted for upgrade to a fullISO standard, with a view to worldwide usage withinour industry. At this stage in 2012 it came to theattention of BAR and FEDEMAC and some concerns were raised regarding its readiness for use.

Upon discussion at an ISO committee meeting inBerlin last year it was agreed that a new WorkingGroup be established in order to review and renethe standard and since that time there have beenthree meetings of this Group and innumerableexchanges of emails, together with conference calls.

The key participants are Brian Limperopulos ofIAM (Secretary), Ellen Troska of AMOE (GermanMovers Association) as Convenor, Freddy Paxton(FIDI), Boris Populoh (Willis), Max Kreynin(Voxme), Christer Bosmyr (Alfa Moving),Katsumasa Ishiyama (Nippon Express) andChris Waymouth (BAR).

SimplicationThe main thrust has been the simplication of thelist of codes which in its original form contained anumber of duplications and too many similar butdiffering descriptions of what was basically the sameitem (e.g. 40 codes for tables, 20 codes for chairs)along with other items that would never be included within a household goods shipment (e.g. medicaland business equipment). At the same time however, recognising the special

importance of certain items such as kimonos in Japan, additional codes have been added to ensurethat the standard will be t for use in all countries.Translation into a number of languages is also planned.

Along with the streamlining of the item codes anew two-tier numeric structure has been introduced which will allow an adequate level of detail to berecorded, without padding out the list of items.

At the most recent meeting (on 6 October 2013,linked to the IAM convention in Vancouver) verygood progress was made and broad agreement wasreached on the main item list, together with the further sets of codes which will be used to denotedamage exceptions and their locations, rooms oforigin, methods of packing, modes of transportation. At a further stage, the Group will revisit the draft

XML messaging structure through which theelectronic inventories will be transmitted from agentto agent, which will now be published as a separateTechnical Specication (no longer part of the ISOstandard itself).

IAM hopes that the standard may be published inits nal form in approximately 12 months time, i.e.late in 2014.

Progress on ISO 17451, the ElectronicInventory StandardChris Waymouth, QSS Chief Executive, sets out the good progress now being made on this new standard.

Contact:For further information please contact Chris Waymouth or Melissa Fowler at QSS on01923 699480 , or email [email protected]

Do you have any news to share withR&S readers?Send to: [email protected]

One particular driver isthe concern that at somefuture point US Customsand Homeland Securitymay insist upon greatercontrol over incominghousehold goods shipmentsand the use of such astandard may become afull mandatory requirement.

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Features


Simpsons Removals: Excellere Contende

The Latin translation of the companys motto, striveto excel, is still relevant today to Simpsons Removalsas the company continues to develop and expand itsrange of services to its clients worldwide. Indeed, thecompany is still owned and operated by the Simpson family from its headquarters close to the Dartfordcrossing in Kent.

The development of the business has seen Simpsonsrecently acquire two new bespoke DAF road trains which were delivered in Mid-October and were

immediately put into service on its Europeanoperations, with one heading for Northern Germanyand the other for France and Benelux.

Steve Simpson tells R&S We are delighted to takedelivery of our two new trucks. Our business hascontinued to grow at a steady pace and the addition toour eet of the two new road trains will help us tomaintain that growth in the coming years.

For acionados the vehicles are both DAF FA XF105.460 4x2 drawbar rigid trucks with super spacecabs and air suspension. All the metal ttings are in polished stainless steel rather than aluminium andthe roof is constructed from aluminium sheet ratherthan the usual breglass top. The unit has 5 doors/5container capacity and the trailer 4 doors/4 containercapacity providing a total volume of 3,760cft. Thelivery is light reective making them unmissable onthe road, especially at night. Total cost for the two

combos was just over 300,000, representing asignicant investment for the company. A second trailer has recently been added to the eet

too. Unlike the 40ft stepframe trailer used almostexclusively on the companys European services, thenew trailer is a 30ft urban trailer that can be usedboth domestically and in Europe, giving SimpsonsRemovals much more versatility in towns and villages, and in areas where access can be an issue for

a longer vehicle. Our growth in the UK trade sectorhas allowed us to increase the frequency of departureon our main trade routes this year and we very muchhope this trend continues in the future, Steve says.Weve also had to add a further 10,000sqft storagecapacity to our warehouse facility to cope with theincrease in the use of our storage facilities in the past12 months.

The companys motto is as relevant today as it was when it started over 30 years ago.

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European News

A new voice inBrussels After some 25 years contributing to FEDEMAC,the Federation of European Movers Associations,Tony Richman will be retiring from theassociation at the end of the year.During his time at the organisation, Tony hasbeen Board Member, President and morerecently European Affairs Advisor andRepresentative. We owe Tony a debt ofgratitude for his outstanding contribution to thedevelopment and the increase in prole thatFEDEMAC has achieved during this period,current President Aivars Usans said.

New Head of European AffairsTonys retirement also means that FEDEMAC

has a new representative in Brussels. GabrielaDimitrova (pictured), the new Head ofEuropean Affairs, began the handover process atthe beginning of October.

Gabriela hasa wealth ofexperience andcontacts within theEuropean Union.Based in Brussels,Gabriela has worked for theConfederation ofBritish Industry,has been a PolicyOfcer in London, and for the last six years hasbeen the Senior Political Adviser to IlianaIotova, a Member of the European Parliament from her own country, Bulgaria. Beforebeginning her career, she studied at theUniversity of Bath. Gabriela will help us ensure that FEDEMACis properly represented and readily accessibleand reactive to the needs of the industry, the politicians and civil servants, President Usanssaid. Gabriela is multi-lingual. As well as beinguent in English, French and Bulgarian, she

has conversational skills in Spanish and alsospeaks some Russian and German.She has worked in sectors including the

transport sector in all European institutions,and is used to dealing with senior ofcials fromthe European Commission, Parliament andCouncil and participating in negotiations with politicians, civil servants and lobbyists.

Eight major road safety related offences are includedin the text of the EU Directive on the cross borderexchange of information on trafc offences: Speeding,Not using a seatbelt, Not stopping at a red trafc lightor other mandatory stop signal, Drink driving, Drivingunder the inuence of drugs, Not wearing a safetyhelmet (for motorcyclists), Using a forbidden lane(such as the forbidden use of an emergency lane, alane reserved for public transport, or a lane closed

down for road works), Illegally using a mobile phone,or any other communications device, while driving. As part of the Directive, EU countries and the

European Commission must inform road users of thetrafc rules in each country. The EuropeanCommission has set up a dedicated page at:http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/going_abroad/index_en.htm

New EU trafc lawsin force

As of November, drivers across the European Union will facesanctions for breaking trafc laws even when driving in a foreigncountry. However, to date the UK and Ireland have decided not toopt-in to the legislation, meaning that their citizens will be exemptwhen travelling abroad.

Swiss ght road tax increase

French exempt transport companiesfrom new taxThe French government has said that it plans toraise! 4bn a year by 2016 from a new carbon tax,but it has exempted transport companies fromhaving to pay the new levy. The tax will be applied to all fossil fuels used by

electricity plants and will depend on the amount ofemissions they produce. French President FranoisHollande has targeted a 30% reduction in fossil fueluse by 2030. The carbon tax will raise! 2.5 bn in2014, helping France to close its budget decit.

The Swiss road transport industry is coming out in force to reject a proposed 150% rise in themotorway vignette. A referendum on the proposal will be held on 24 November. The Swiss government says the increase isnecessary to maintain the Swiss motorways, to takeover responsibility for cantonal roads, and tosubsidise the countrys railways. It is the rstincrease in 17 years and will come into effect eitherin 2014 or 2015. The government is proposing anincrease in the price of motorway vignettes from 40 francs to 100 francs. The obligation to display a motorway tax stickergenerally applies to motor vehicles and trailers with a total weight of up to 3.5 tonnes each. Motor vehicles and trailers with a total weight exceeding

3.5 tonnes require a motorway tax sticker if theyare not subject to the heavy vehicle charge. However, Swiss road transport association Astagsaid that the increase would affect the vans and

trailers of Swiss transport companies. It said theroad transport sector already pays 9.5bn Swiss francs to the treasury every year and theshameless increase in price of the vignette would add no value to the sector.

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Practical payments solutionsfor running your business

Amanda Easter and David Skipper of First Data Merchant Solutions address how to keep your businesscosts down. First Data Merchant Solutions is a BAR Afliate offering BAR Members bespoke rates forcard services.

How to qualify for lower card fees

What your bank doesnt want you toknow about card services

Amanda Easter, Compliance Manager:Toreduce the risk of fraud, Visa and MasterCard haverules to help ensure card payments go throughquickly with the highest level of validation possible. Payments meeting the criteria are calledqualifying transactions and those that dont arenon-qualifying and have higher fees due to thegreater risk of fraud. We like to help our customers keep costs down

and there are a few basic steps that can helpensure transactions are qualied whenever possible. If you accept payments exclusively in a face-to-face environment, qualifying transactionsare those using chip and PIN technology and aresubmitted for processing within two business days.

Make sure payments dont go through as CardNot Present as this will increase the cost.

For e-commerce payments, enabling 3D Secureand submitting the transaction within twobusiness days will help qualify it and ensure youare charged at lower rates.

If you accept payments by telephone, make sureto capture the cards CSC number and submit for processing within two business days to avoidhigher fees. It may sound quite complicated, but we make every effort to help customersunderstand the costs associated with cardacceptance and focus our efforts on helpingreduce costs so card payments help to drive thegrowth of their business.

David Skipper, Customer Service ExcellenceManager:Did you know that you dont have to usethe card acceptance services of the bank that provides your business account services? Although providing card services involves moving moneyaround, its not just the big banks that can offercard acceptance services. The following explains why switching to a specialist service provider couldbenet your business by lowering costs and giving you access to specialist knowledge and products.

Banks offer a range of products but the days when business owners had personal relationships with their bank managers are long gone. Forexample, when Triodos Bank, which promotes itsethical credentials, investigated why around ninemillion Britons would not recommend their bankto anyone, it found that 40% were disappointed with the customer service they received. A specialist

acquirer that is dedicated to card payments islikely to spend more time getting to know yourbusiness, and nding new ways for card paymentsto work harder for your business. Not being a bankmeans specialist acquirers can do things differently,offering alternatives to traditional banking servicesand products. For example, many small businesseshave been struggling to source funding recently,causing cash ow problems. We have been able todevelop an alternative to traditional loans. FirstData Merchant Cash Advance offers quick access to funds but without xed monthly repayments. Theadvance is repaid as a percentage of your cardsales, which means you pay back less in quieter periods. The success of our business depends onsupporting the long-term protability of ourcustomers so we are pleased to be able to offer analternative to traditional loans.

First Data Merchant Solutions

Switching to First Data is quick and easy. For more information call 0800 652 5808 quoting IB6 British Association of Removers.

First Data Merchant Solutions is a trading name of First Data Europe Limited, a private limited company incorporated in England (companynumber 02012925) with a registered address at Janus House, Endeavour Drive, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3WF. First Data Europe Limited isauthorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Service Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services(FCA register No. 582703).

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We would like tohear from you

Our companys sole purposesince its inception in 1977 is toserve the membership tosupply good quality, innovativepackaging products at lowprices. This is achieved by buying

jointly on your behalf andpassing on the discount achievedfrom this bulk purchasing power!

As a Member, we should be your

preferred supplier but are we?For many of you the answer willbe yes but for those of you thatsay no then we would like toknow why and what we can doto change that? Your feedbackis important so please ring us on01342 870087 or you cansimply [email protected]

We look forward tohearing from you.

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Code supremo speaksBaroness Crawley is President of the Trading Standards Institute (TSI). She assumed her role at the TSI in2009, following stints in local politics, the European Parliament and serving as Government Whip in theHouse of Lords. As the keynote speaker at next years BAR Conference in Glasgow, she will discuss theexperience of what, by then, will be one year since the transition and the establishment of the BAR TSI

Approved Consumer Code of Practice.

Since April this year, management of the ConsumerCodes Approval Scheme (CCAS) has been theresponsibility of the Trading Standards Institute (TSI), via its Consumer Code Approval Board (CCAB), ratherthan the Ofce of Fair Trading. At the same time, the new BAR TSI Approved

Consumer Code of Practice Scheme came into effect.The Code of Practice was one of the rst to be approvedby the TSI. Since then, BAR Members have beenrequired to remove the former OFT logo and branding from any of their marketing material, packaging,liveries, etc and follow the branding guidelines of thenew Code.

To ensure a successful transition from the OFTregime to the TSI, Baroness Crawley, President of theTSI, in welcoming BAR Members to the new schemesays that the TSI carried out a full consultationexercise to establish what current sponsors, currentand prospective sponsors and other stakeholders heldto be the vital codes. The challenge was to move froma funded to self-funded model and engage withcurrent sponsors in a way that gained their trust andcondence that the new codes model would bring

added value to their business, she says. Although the main changes that BAR Members andthe general public will have noticed since theintroduction of the BAR TSI Approved Consumer Codeof Practice have been on the branding side, BAR hasalso had to adhere to a number of reporting changesand other management and control changes. Forexample, the establishment of Trusted Mover helpsBAR to meet with the TSIs requirement for respondingto customer feedback and complaints.

High industry standards envisagedCodes will be approved only if they can robustlydemonstrate a potential reduction in consumerdetriment, Baroness Crawley explains. Codesapproval is intended to be a rigorous and intensive process for code sponsors.

The TSI has a two-stage approval process for all prospective Codes. Stage one approval is awarded if a

sponsor presents a code of practice capable of meetingall of the relevant core criteria. Stage two approval isawarded if a sponsor can demonstrate the code of practice is working well in practice. Only at this stageare code members permitted to display the TSIapproved code logo.

Baroness Crawley says that this process is designed toensure the code sponsor will adhere to set code criteriaincluding the provision of clear pre-contractualinformation, protection of prepayments, dealing withconsumers in their own home, monitoring proceduresand nally independent dispute resolution schemes.To meet with this last criterion, BAR is now using anindependent arbitration scheme that is operated byIDRS Ltd, a subsidiary of the Centre for EffectiveDispute Resolution, one of only two TSI recommendedorganisations. As well as the removals trade, so far a further ten

industry associations have had their respective Codesimproved, ranging from the British Healthcare Trades Association and the Carpet Foundation to the PropertyOmbudsman and the Vehicle Builders Repairers Association.

Baroness Crawley says that the scheme is designedto strike a balance between the reduction of consumerdetriment and being inclusive, independent,sustainable, visible, and well understood.

BAR is also playing a part in the governance of theCCAS. BAR Director General Stephen Vickers is one ofve code sponsors serving on the code sponsors panel.The overall aim of the panel is to support the aims ofthe scheme, help reduce consumer detriment and raiseconsumer standards within their sectors. The panelalso considers changes to the criteria and to the feeslevied on code sponsors such as the BAR, and monitorsthe expenditure of the CCAB.

The role of the panel, which we welcome, is to helpshape the strategic vision of the scheme, develop andstrengthen the core criteria, bring a trade perspectiveto the scheme, engage with new code sponsors anddevelop joint marketing strategies for code sponsors,Baroness Crawley says. It is through the wide use of

the logo on individual businesses and vehicles thatcode sponsors can contribute to building awarenessand condence. I am looking forward to speaking atthe BAR Annual Conference and meeting members ofthe removals trade.

The scheme is designed tostrike a balance betweenthe reduction of consumerdetriment and beinginclusive, independent,sustainable, visible, andwell understood.

For more information, see:www.bar.co.uk/Conference2014.aspx

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New management keepskangaroo on the road

As many readers will know, Aussie Man and Van has been under new ownership since Anthony WardThomas and partners snapped up Londons largest man and van company back in February 2012.The new company recently joined BAR and are currently the only Man and Van outt to have met BARsMembership criteria.

Since they acquired the company, Anthony and his team,including Marketing and Finance Director CharlesRickards, have pulled off a spectacular turnaround,returning the business to prot, restoring the brand to its former glory and ensuring that the companys kangaroologo remains a familiar sight on London streets. Theyhave also steered Aussie Man and Van into a newdirection, buying larger vehicles to enter the full

household moves market. Anthony and Charles are, of course, no strangers to thetrade; Ward Thomas Removals has been in business forover 25 years and enjoys an excellent reputation in theupscale end of the market. Adding Aussie Man and Van provides the owners with instant access to the massmarket that they did not serve before. As Charles says,we identied the changing demographics of more people living on their own and or in smaller dwellingsand we recognised that this is an expanding market weneed to be in.

Brian Burgess founded Aussie Man and Van in 2002 asa specialist mover in the small domestic moves market,later adding a storage business. In many ways thebusiness became a victim of its own success, outgrowingits slimmed down structure and nally enteringadministration in December 2011. Aussie Man and Van is now primarily owned and

controlled by Anthony Ward Thomas and Charles

Rickards, although other key members of staff havebecome shareholders primarily through an EnterpriseManagement Initiative share option scheme.

Anthony and I are rm believers in shared equity inboth Aussie and Ward Thomas which as a combinedbusiness has grown from sales of 2.5m ten years ago toover 20m in the current nancial year, Charlesexplains. 10 members of staff are shareholders in either

Aussie or Ward Thomas.

Housekeeping rst, new horizons next When they took over the business, Anthony put staff from Ward Thomas Removals to work to sort out the mess atthe new company, including paying staff and suppliersany amount due. The vast majority of the van workersdecided to stay with the new business. This quickresponse helped to preserve the reputation of thecompanys brand despite its nancial troubles.

Management has also decided that Aussie Man and Van needs to diversify into new markets. Since webought the business we have added larger vehicles to theeet (7.5 and 18 ton vehicles) and now more than 30%of our removals are full house removals, Charles says.We are also active in the ofce moving marketspecialising in ofce moves which have less than 50employees. Charles says that currently domesticremovals represent around 80% of removals, while ofce

moves and other B2B requirements are 20% of movesThe storage business accounts for around 20% of totasales. Aussie Man and Van has also begun to expand in ne

regions such as Bath and Bristol, although the Londonbusiness still dominates. However, management has n plans to change the companys very strong brand or thdistinctive livery of the vehicles. Charles says the mai

strength of the business is its strong brand presence in fast growing sector of the market. And, despite the change of ownership, there has bee

no change to the can-do culture of the organisation.Many of the men come from Australia, New Zealand Poland as well as the UK and are chosen for theircommitment to doing a good days work and for their pride in providing a good service. Aussie Man and Vaoperates seven days a week and closes only on ChristmDay. Joining BAR will further solidify the companys

reputation, and will in particular give rst time users aassurance that they will be dealing with an accreditedand professional mover.

The Man and Van market is full of small operators who operate to their own standards, which are invariabelow the standards that we operate and are denitelybelow the standards that BAR requires from itsMembers, Charles says.

MAN AND VAN

A l l p h o t o g r a p h s : L e s W i l s o n

Aussie moving the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, from Lambeth Palace

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Aussie Man & Van:

For more information please contact Mark Prout and Terance Puna.Tel: 0203 405 2000

Web: www.aussiemanandvan.comEmail: [email protected];or [email protected]

10 members of staff areshareholders in either

Aussie or Ward Thomas.

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Going Dutch R&S spoke to Peter Overvliet (pictured), General Director at the forward-looking Dutch removersassociation Organisatie voor Erkende Verhuizers (OEV), about the removals market in the at but always

fascinating Netherlands.R&S: How did the removals industry begin in TheNetherlands?Peter Overvliet:Many of our member companies areover one hundred yea

R&S November 2013

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