News

EVENTS

29th January

In many boardrooms, the New Year is being viewed with greater confidence than twelve months ago. This time last year most observers were holding their breath, fearing economic set backs in the first quarter. Thankfully, the worst did not happen. 2010 will be another hard year for all, and we have the distraction of a general election campaign which has started, and which will lumber on probably until May before Gordon Brown departs into political oblivion. However, the legacy of debt - so enthusiastically created by the present government - will remain for a considerable time, and will not assist British industry in competing in the global market place. Tough challenges lie ahead.

UKWA's Management Board has seen two recent changes. First is the departure of John Batchelor, who has been the champion of our bonded warehouses over many years. John was a robust advocate for the industry, and represented us most effectively to HMRC and to the European Commission in Brussels during his lengthy tenure. I am delighted to announce that he has been replaced by another respected and very experienced excise expert - Alan Powell. The second departure from the board is Ralph Richards, who has resigned as life vice president. Ralph has been a member of UKWA's board, and before that the executive council continuously for nearly 37 years! He served as national chairman on three occasions and was treasurer for over a decade. John and Ralph have been tremendous supporters of UKWA, and have shown enormous commitment to the cause of our industry. Their contribution to the development of the association will be recorded and recognised more formally elsewhere, but it would be wrong for me not to acknowledge their long and distinguished service in this column.

The first quarter of the year brings a series of regional events for members. In recent years, attendance levels and, therefore, the networking value of these events, has increased significantly, and I urge you all to attend at least one meeting this year. But the Association's main marketing and networking events in the next four months are the Food and Drink Logistics Show (NEC 21-24 March) and Multimodal 2010 (NEC 27-29 April). Both shows are selling well, but there remains room for one or two more companies on the UKWA pavilion. Contact Walter House for further details.

Roger Williams

CEO - UKWA