Steve Jordan attended the IAM conference in Orlando for The Mover. The opening presentation summarised new initiatives and events from the world’s largest moving organisation. Here are the highlights.

There are plenty who will criticise IAM. Many of those criticisms are valid. But I will not be joining their number. On the contrary, I’m a fan. By Steve Jordan

On 26 September, 2014, The Mover was invited to witness the inaugural flight of a revolutionary new concept in long distance transport that could solve the problem of delivering household goods to remote locations: the VV-Plane. Here is Steve Jordan’s take on what could be the most dramatic shift in transport since the invention of the railways.

Klaus Zapf, the German millionaire, founder and co-owner of moving company Zapf Umzuge in Germany died unexpectedly of a heart attack on 20 August, 2014 while on honeymoon with his third wife. He was 62.

In addition to reporting strong performance for the first 6 months of 2014 the Santa Fe Group announced the news that its CEO Lars Lykke Iversen would retire in 2015 based on a structured succession plan as the company looks forward to implementing the next stage of its business plan.

It has been 20 years since Geoff Watson and Gordon Lyall bought Doree Bonner. In that time the company has grown beyond recognition. As the company slips quietly into its 3rd decade under their stewardship, Steve Jordan stopped by the group headquarters in Dartford to see how they did it and what the future holds.

On 29 October all commercial vehicles produced in the EU will require Whole Vehicle Type Approval. Steve Jordan spoke to Steve Thomson of Essex Bodies to find out what the industry is doing to help its customers.

A profile of EMS as it thrives in London’s international moving metropolis. By Steve Jordan

Buzzmove, a lead generation and price comparison company for the UK moving industry, has launched an industry consultation programme and opened up its service to all UK moving companies.

LIMA (Ladies in Moving Association) is a rapidly growing organisation, formed in 2012 after the IAM conference in Washington DC, intended to provide support for women who move to a different country because of their husbands’ new assignments.

With some moving company reps covering 50,000 miles a year or more, the chances of disaster are high if they are not spot-on behind the wheel. Here, deputy editor David Jordan, dives in at the deep end to find out a few tricks of the trade from IAM.

For many movers, assessing the real risks of what they do has been something of an arbitrary process. A new system that Willis has been trialling for the last 2-3 years has the ability to target risks more accurately. Steve Jordan spoke to Boris Populoh, Senior Vice President, Willis Relocation Risk Group, to find out more.

So, how did you get on with your Driver CPC training (DCPC)? Speaking to companies in the UK most say that they are more or less ready for the deadline this month and have made sure that all their drivers have attended 35 hours of training under the scheme. So they are legal, but they are not necessarily happy about it.

Earlier this year, the European Parliament (EP) voted in favour of a European Commission (EC) proposal to decrease vehicle noise.

EMS (Elite Moving Systems) in London has recently been accepted for FIDI membership. The company passed its official audit with zero non-conformances.

Have you ever had a customer asking for a female crew? Most movers have had the request at some stage. The usual answer is no. But now, a new company in London is offering that service, not only to its own customers but to members of the trade. Steve Jordan went along to the famous White Hart Lane in Tottenham, to find out more.

The annual Cart Marking ceremony took place at London’s Guildhall Yard on a very sunny 16th of July.

UniGroup – parent company of United Van Lines, Mayflower Transit and other leading global relocation and transportation companies – has acquired UK-based Sterling Relocation. The sale closed June 30.

All businesses need to market themselves, and even though new and innovative alternative marketing methods have emerged in recent years, press advertising remains an effective means of getting information about products and services in front of the right people. By Simon Taylor, freelance Graphic Designer.

Henneken International Removals is one of the oldest removal companies in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1870 and remained a family business until 2001 when the company was sold and changed its direction. Steve Jordan interviewed its Director, Lauwrens de Jong, to find out more.