Logistics UK’s record-breaking conference series drawing to a close

Tuesday 29 November 2022

Now is the last chance for transport managers to attend the Logistics UK Transport Manager 2022 conferences, with the final event due to take place on 1 December at the CBS Arena in Coventry. The conference series – sponsored by Brigade Electronics – has been the most successful yet with a record-breaking 1,700 delegates having attended the events nationwide so far.   

At the conference, Logistics UK will also be announcing the winner of its Transport Manager of the Year competition, which acknowledges and celebrates the best of the best transport managers and their work over the past year. All five finalists will be presented with certificates, with first and second places receiving a trophy and the winner being crowned as Transport Manager of the Year.  

David Wells, Chief Executive at Logistics UK, comments: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to crown the winner of Transport Manager of the Year 2022 at the final event in our record-breaking Transport Manager conference series. The number, and calibre, of submissions has been outstanding. I would like to thank all those who entered and congratulate all our shortlisted entries. This competition provides a meticulous test of the knowledge of transport managers within the industry and celebrates the best of the best. The judges will have a hard task to select winners from such an impressive group of candidates.” 

The shortlisted finalists for Transport Manager of the Year 2022, and their personal statements are: 

Thijs Bontekoe, Transport Manager at Aegg Creative Packaging: “I can write all my achievements down in this essay - and there have been a few - however I am passionate about people. I can tell you how I uphold all the statutory undertakings; how I have reduced fuel consumption; reduced accidents and incidents; improved stock retention or have implemented systems rolled out throughout different companies nationwide - but the message that I want to give to you, the message that is worth more in my eyes than any statistic is: People. Drive. Your. Business.” 

Iain Fortune, Fleet/Logistics Manager at Bristol Waste: “In addition to fleet routine maintenance planning for each day, I review unplanned maintenance and formulate preventative maintenance plans to work with my team as a proactive way to review trends. Where required I will put interventions in place to reduce the risk of component failure, or ensure costs are in place to renew components prior to predictable failure. Setting financial budgets and managing our P&L must be key elements to successful transport management.” 

James North, Transport Manager at Hiltons Distribution Limited: “My achievements in the last 12 months, including passing my forklift qualifications, allow me to help in all areas of the business. I have supported the business with implementing a fuel surcharge for all customers to be added onto jobs, allowing fairness to all customers. Away from my role, one of my proudest achievements is being named as the logistics manager of Spalding Flower Parade. This is a voluntary role, but it means that I am able to give back to the community.” 

Lee Prentice, Transport Manager at Greggs PLC, has over 20 years’ experience in the transport industry as a driver, account manager and transport manager. “Since I have started, we now deliver to 42 more shops than we did in March 2021, delivering daily to 487 shops in southeast England. I lead by example and love to pass on my knowledge to members of my team.” Comments Mr Prentice, “Taking on a team of 120 staff was one of the best challenges I have faced in my career so far.” 

Anthony Rosier, Transport Manager at A Salvatori and Sons: “My role as a transport manager is to be the conduit between customer, staff and the directors/stakeholders. Each member of this chain requires me to lead a culture of clear communication, experienced guidance and understanding. The past 12 months (or even 24 months for that matter) have been exceptionally challenging for any transport manager, managing a transport department/haulage fleet. The whole haulage industry needs a national award. I pride myself on staff retention. Listening to drivers was essential. I made a more attractive salary and offer. When partnered with my personal employee management style, I created the most valuable asset a transport manager can have - driver retention.” 

The Transport Manager 2022 conference series is also sponsored by WTW and Weightmans and supported by VARTA Batteries by Clarios. For more information, please visit: www.logistics.org.uk/transport-manager     

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.