After 36 years' dedicated service, Chris Welsh MBE retired from the Freight Transport Association (FTA) as its director of global and European policy at the end of May 2018. Chris took part in a FIDI panel discussion about GVM regulations in Geneva in 2016.

Salvatore (Tori) Ferrante, from Crown Worldwide Moving & Storage in California, became the president of OMNI at the network’s annual conference in Palm Beach in March. Tori joined the OMNI board in 2015 and now takes over from Keith Meader who steps down after a two-year term in the role.

Video telematics provider SmartWitness has launched a new system – SmartGuard - that provides monitoring for fleets 24-hours a day, 365-days a year.

In a speech at the Microlise Transport Conference at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on 16 May, Road Haulage Association Chief Executive, Richard Burnett called for the UK government to work with truck operators to improve air quality in cities rather than penalising them with charges and fines.

In co-operation with Thailand’s Rajabhat Rajanagarindra University (RRU) and International Transport & Business School (ITBS), Boonma Mobility was invited to conduct a one-day course for 12 students and three professors.

Belgium-based Putters International has announced the opening of a new office in Budapest, Hungary. The office opened for business on 1 April, 2018 and will be managed by François Clément who has over 15 years’ experience in the international moving industry.

Arpin International Group has named Netmove, a Brazil-based mobility services company, as its first 2017 Partner of the Year.

Mondial Movers has presented its Maastricht branch, Mondial Centrum Removals, with its coveted Moving Company of the Year Award.

Graebel Movers International has won the Platinum award for the most tonnage shipped through the OMNI network during 2017.

During a trip to the Pet Relocation Conference in Seoul last April, Boonma Global Pet Mobility Director Tiddy S Teerawit took time out to visit the Detector Dog Training Centre at the city’s Incheon Airport.

Davies Turner has launched an export LCL cargo service by rail from the UK to China one year after launching an import LCL and FCL rail service in the other direction.

Yorkshire-based McCarthy’s Removals & Storage is celebrating its 50th birthday with the news that 2017 was a record year for the firm.

TruTac, the compliance and tachograph software provider, hosted an Earned Recognition (ER) ‘drop-in’ session on its stand during the last day of the Commercial Vehicle Show, following the official launch by the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) at the show on 24 April.

Target Logistics in Karachi has recently flown a female Persian cat named Mars from Karachi, Pakistan, to Manila in the Philippines.

Bournemouth and Basingstoke self-storage company Store & Secure has achieved Cyber Essentials certification, an initiative of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Following on from last year’s Bishop’s Move Franchise Conference at Chelsea Football Club’s ground at Stamford Bridge, this year’s event was held in Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh.

According to a survey recently conducted by home move comparison site reallymoving.com, First Time Buyers (FTBs) are extremely confused about the different stages of the home-buying process, the responsibilities of the professionals involved and what is expected of them as buyers.

Deputy Editor David Jordan takes a trip to Mersea Island in Essex to visit Evo Supplies, one of Britain’s leading manufacturers of furniture skates.

Shipping and removals company, John Mason International Movers, has partnered with I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! star Iain Lee to put a fun twist on the rules and regulations of emigration, through a series of videos.

Permanent transfers look set to change the world of global mobility as a survey revealed they are increasingly seen as an alternative to the traditional long-term international assignment (LTA).