TIACA Secretary General Doug Brittin may be sailing off into retirement later this year, but he is all in for the organization’s important Air Cargo Forum taking place in Paris, France, next week.
The event begins October 26 and continues for two days at the beautiful Porte de Versailles Exposition Center in Paris, France.
      “TIACA is unique in bringing together all sectors of the air cargo industry, and the ACF is a world-class opportunity to grow business connections and network with peers and suppliers,” Doug told FlyingTypers in an exclusive pre-event interview.
      “At this event we are putting the shippers center stage and making sure the customer voice is heard. 
      “IATA’s Cargo iQ group is joining us this year with its member meeting, and both the Global Shipper Forum and the European Shippers’ Association are hosting stands and holding their own workshops.  
      “IATA’s Cargo Committee will be holding a meeting as well, so we will have heads of cargo from all segments in attendance.
      “We have put together a compelling and informative Forum program that we are confident will deliver plenty of thought-provoking discussion as well as practical advice and information. “

Ile-de-France Online

      “We’ve introduced our new online meeting scheduler called CargoLinx this year too.
      “CargoLinx is a one-to-one meeting scheduler enabling visitors to schedule up to thirty 25-minute meetings.
      “With over 50 tables and up to 15 meetings at each table per day, we can facilitate 1,500 private one-to-one meetings over the course of the two days; this will help attendees and delegates to make the most of their time.
      “We can also add an additional half day if needed! Cargolinx meeting bookings went live on September 12, enabling registered attendees to request a meeting time with the companies who have reserved tables.
      “We want to support our visitors and exhibitors in every way we can to ensure they network and find new business opportunities.
      “With all of this occurring, any air cargo leader—from shippers, handlers, airports, forwarders, airlines, and technology or other service providers— should be in attendance.”

Qui vais-je voir à Paris?

      “We are very pleased to be welcoming a wide range of new and first time exhibitors from across the globe, including London Heathrow Airport, Heavyweight Air Express, Forward Air Trucking, and Hybrid Aviation, who will join many more airports, airlines, forwarders, ground handlers, and service providers.”

C’est Magnifique!

      “Our hosts,” Doug insists, “Aeroports de Paris, along with Air France/KLM, have done a magnificent job in promoting and organizing the event, and as a result we expect one of the best turnouts ever.
      “The Global Shippers’ Forum will be hosting a pavilion this year, and we are delighted that IATA’s Cargo iQ has co-located their AGM and members meeting with our ACF, bringing many more air cargo executives to the show.
      “In addition, we are also excited that we now have the European Shippers Council joining us on the expo floor with a booth of their own.”

Les Nouveaux Talents

      “At ACF 2016 it is all about innovation, but just as importantly, [it’s] about the shippers . . . those who drive our business. We’ve added a new Shipper Advisory Committee this year, under the leadership of Lars Droog (right) at Tosoh Corporation, and we’ve added a shipper to our board of directors with the appointment of Denis Choumert (left) of the European Shippers Council.
      “With this additional focus on shipper challenges and issues (and, more importantly, solutions!) and the number of larger shipper corporations that will be in attendance, we expect more forwarders than ever before to join us for this unique networking opportunity!”

Sur L'Agenda

      “The theme for this ACF is Vision 2020, an ‘Open Sky to Innovation,’” Doug Brittin said.
      “The focus is very much on change, and embracing new trends and understanding where we could and should improve our industry.
      “We have put together a mix of sessions, including practical workshops where delegates can learn firsthand from legislators about how new regulations will affect them, and panels of experts to debate new ideas on how we can gear up for the next decade.”

Beaucoup de sessions de la reunion

      “The panels are all chaired by TIACA Board members,” Doug Britton asserted, “and each session will have its own unique focus and feel.
      “For our opening session, we’ll have the ICAO and WCO Secretary Generals joining us along with the World Bank to talk about regulatory and commercial trends and challenges, and how we can all work more closely together to ensure the health and security of our industry.
      “As well as looking at topics such as what the cargo hub of the future might envision and embracing the Cloud, we have a session on manufacturing trends that will shape the way our industry has to operate—we will learn about everything from 3D printing and smart warehousing trends to near-shoring.”

Vive la Différence

      “The session with the biggest difference is our Disruptive Innovation panel. Delegates will literally be flies on the wall in an imaginary boardroom in 2020. A new young exec, Jay Shipman, has been appointed to lead the cargo business of four large carriers and he has asked his heads of department to present their views (in a few minutes each) on how to build disruptive innovation that delivers competitive value. After the presentations, the group discusses value and what to prioritize.
      “Topics will probably include advanced robotics, RFID tracking, and even sales strategies.  
      “It will be an engaging and different way of thinking about those important trends and the need to embrace the new.
      “Expect informative sessions and thought provoking debate from a wide spectrum of speakers. You can see the full description here.”

Avec Moi A Paris

      “Get ready for a treat,” Doug insists.
      “Our hosts are treating our trustees to samples of France’s famous cuisine at the Hotel Potocki, but we will also hold evening cocktail receptions on the exhibition floor to make sure there is plenty of networking opportunity in a more relaxed atmosphere.
      “And, for the first time, we are holding the exhibit hall open until 7pm on Wednesday and Thursday to ensure there is plenty of time to maximize meetings and discussions.”
Geoffrey

     We were very sorry to receive news that our dear friend and colleague Leevi Ekman lost his battle with lung cancer. He died in Helsinki, Finland, this past Sunday morning.
     Our heartfelt condolences go out to the love of his life, Ylva and the couple's two daughters, Teresa and Veronika.
     Leevi was only 61.
     In this reporting business, when you run into somebody with a heart as big as a wheel you don’t soon forget them.
     Leevi Ekman said this to me in 1999:
     “I’m at times a dreamer, and other times a facilitator, and also every once in a while a fireman.
     “The key application from my office is to anticipate and react to situations, to coordinate the proper resources to meet any challenge.
     “In an increasingly competitive environment, being able to react quickly can be critical.
     “We know, for instance, that our greatest resource is our people.
     “Our objective is to be the leading air cargo resource for Northern Europe.
     “Serving this market of more than 60 million people within our catchment area will only be met if we are close to both the customer and to our people.
     “Every day I speak with a half-dozen key stations: New York, Moscow, London, Frankfurt, and elsewhere.
     “Finnair Cargo is right-sized, manageable—we can apply flexibility to our business.
     “Our workforce is at peace with management.
     “Our approach in cargo is to continually get a better handle on what it is the customer wants.
     “One area that has emerged is the desire for both shippers and our forwarder partners, which comprise better than 90 percent of Finnair’s cargo business, to participate in triangular discussions.
     “I am constantly pressing the point that we do not want to pass the forwarder in our approach; rather, together we can meet the needs and expectations of shippers.
     “Finnair’s experience, size, flexibility, and willingness to deliver the goods really come into play in those situations,” Leevi Ekman declared in 1999.
     Post-Finnair, Leevi was still out for the same things in life. He was a board member and driving force in the distribution/handling alternative Ospentos International Ltd. Leevi branded Ospentos with Erik Byman in Tallinn, Estonia.
     Ospentos built a solid reputation as a class act, serving cargo and freight throughout Finland, the Baltic States, Belorussia, Ukraine, and Kaliningrad.
     Their success was no surprise to us, as we knew Erik and Leevi as bold, clear thinkers. Leevi was a first-rate marketing man at Finnair Cargo, where he churned out imaginative and distinctive freight programs for the Finnish national carrier during the 1980s and 1990s.
     Erik recalled, “we met in the 70s, Leevi was working for Finnair and I was in the forwarding industry.
     “Over the years we became good friends and when we decided 14 years ago to combine our airline and freight forwarding knowledge to serve the industry, we started our own company Ospentos, and in that process we became like brothers.
     “A decade ago, Ospentos International was registered in Tallinn and Haiti Arendi joined the team.      “'The Three Musketeers' were in place and our friendship and work drew us even closer.
     “Leevi’s departure hurts, it really hurts,” Erik Byman said.
     Leevi will be dearly missed.
     Our prayers go out to his family and close friends and colleagues.
     Happy landings always, dear friend.
Geoffrey

Vol. 15 No. 80
Fall Back HazMat Focus
BIFA Come What May
Haz-Stash at JFK Thursday
Chuckles for October 17, 2016
Why Harald Zielinski Matters