The event is spread over three days including the welcome party on the first evening.  Attendance was high, around 90 people who, as is the norm at EUROMOVERS, ensured that every business session was fully attended with enthusiastic participation throughout.    

Denis Zonneveld, Dijkshoorn Euromovers, Netherlands, EUROMOVERS Chairman presided over the AGM, thanked the sponsors and welcomed the delegates to Prague.  Thomas Juchum, EUROMOVERS General Manager brought his unique brand of German efficiency and humour to proceedings in his annual report which includes a comprehensive rating of every member’s performance throughout the year, out of a possible five marks and compared with the average for the group.  This would appear to be unique in the moving industry and is a valuable sales tool for those companies that do well in the rankings.  It also provides great encouragement to the remainder to improve or maintain their rankings throughout the year.  

In responses from 78,000 clients over 95% rated EUROMOVERS members service as either good or excellent.  

Other presenters during the conference included: Michael Vincenec from KAE in Prague representing the local member; Nicolaas Kremer from Most Mobile and Sensory Technology demonstrating the company’s tracking technology; Erik Pettersson and Taavi Suorsa from Scan2Move presenting their system for electronic inventory capture; Guillaume Rochman from Sofrapak showing his custom-made cartons designed to take the place of timber cases or crates; David Woodhouse the new general manager of QSS; Woody Zobel from ETSA explaining the FMC regulations for shipments into the USA; Aad Strormann from ABS Containers; and Gerard Geutenbeek from Roldo Rent with his annual, and unique look into the future.  The business sessions were moderated by Steve Jordan, Editor of The Mover magazine.  

EUROMOVERS had chosen a local charity, SKP HOPO, a Prague-based organisation dedicated to helping homeless members of the Romano community, as a legacy project.  The event raised a total of €3,000 which was gratefully received by Gabriela Selinger, the organisation’s marketing manager.   

The business sessions were long and intense for the most part but EUROMOVERS members were happy to let their hair down when the work was over. The first night’s dinner was held in the hotel with Luigi Briotti from Euromovers 2000 in Milan adding his customary and always welcome blast of opera. After the work was done it was time for a little sight-seeing both on foot around the town and with a short boat trip on the Vltava river to see the city from a different angle. The final night involved a short walk across town to the Pavouka restaurant for a medieval dinner with entertainment from fist-fighting, sword wielding, testosterone-fuelled chaps and altogether more gentile belly dancing girls. Just an average night in Prague!  

Prague itself was stunningly beautiful as always but busy in the springtime with tourists, and a constant stream of stag and hen parties to add a little spark to proceedings. The French air traffic controllers, ably assisted by violent storms across northern Europe, contributed to travel woes for some as they battled delayed and cancelled flights home.  A small price to pay, however, for a thoroughly enjoyable event.