CILTA Awards recognise emergency efforts
Queensland Government's Emergency Management Division cleans up at last week’s Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Australia Awards
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CILTA Awards recognise emergency efforts
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By Anna Game-Lopata | October 25, 2011
Over 200 people gathered at the Melbourne Aquarium to see winners recognised in
nine Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Australia (CILTA) Awards categories last week.
Of the 32 finalists, Queensland’s Department of Main Roads was the stand-out, with its Emergency Management Division taking home two awards for its role in this year’s flood.
Emergency Management Division General Manager Don Bletchly won the Professional of the Year Award, sponsored by ARTC for his significant personal contribution in responding to Queensland’s natural disasters.
Bletchley’s team was also recognised in the Excellence in Technology category, sponsored by TTG, for implementing a data solution which proved pivotal in that time of crisis.
"This was a joint effort between the Emergency Management Division, the Information Division and Corporate Mapping," Bletchley told the industry.
"In Transport and Logistics it’s extremely useful to know where the water is when the floods hit.
"During the Christmas period, we pulled together a geospatial system which allowed a much greater understanding of what’s happening on our 34,000 km road network, of which up to 10,000 was impacted during the floods at some stage."
QR National Network Services won the Excellence in Safety Award, sponsored by DGL for its situational awareness training program introduced to improve the safety of trackside workers.
QR National Network Services’ Ross Pocock says workers now confidently apply their safety skills and knowledge at work and home.
"This is a great acknowledgement of our efforts to help workers take control of their own destiny developed over two years," he says.
"We have a commitment to learning and implemented wide ranging safety strategies to effectively target people at all levels of the organisation."
Highly commended in the category was the Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group for its safety standards achieved in the planning and construction of a greenfields coal loading facility project on the Hunter River.
Toll NQX Freight Systems, part of the Toll Group won the Excellence Award in Community Service sponsored by Coles.
With 25 depots around Australia NQX has a proud history of community service. In this instance, the group was recognised for its contribution to the flood clean-up and providing assistance to remote flood affected regions.
NQX Freight Systems’ Steve Fleiter says the company stood up to the plate during the floods, with heavy vehicle drivers going above and beyond, travelling in some instances thousands of extra kilometres to ensure basic necessities reached remote communities.
"Our people live in the affected communities and along with our clients we support Lions Clubs and local sporting clubs but when it came to the floods we made sure food and supplies got through to places like Rockhampton which is a tribute to our staff," he says.
The Excellence in Professional Development sponsored by Creatop went to DB Schenker for its company wide commitment to staff.
GM Logistics Frank Cafasso says staff an all levels from new employees to the CEO receive in house programs.
"Team leaders complete the Certificate 3 in Transport and Logistics and their supervisors go on complete the Certificate 4 while managers complete a Diploma in Transport & Logistics," he explains.
"I’m honoured to accept this award. Our people are passionate about developing a process that impacts every single person from forklift operator to a picker to the CEO, because potentially the next forklift operator could be the MD of DB Schenker.
"It’s through this dedication that we that we make ourselves an employer of choice and prepare our workforce for the future," he says.
The Institute for Supply Chain and Logistics (ISCL) at Victoria University in Melbourne won the Highly Commended in the category for delivering the world’s first duel diploma in Transport and Logistics. In partnership with CILTA, ISCL students can now graduate with both Australian and international diplomas in Logistics.
Sponsored by Volvo, the Environmental Sustainability Award was won by the Strategix Training Group.
National Operations Manager Wayne Striplin says the company is successfully reducing carbon emissions by introducing an ecodriving training program, which improves driver behaviour.
"It’s great to be recognised for our efforts to help small, medium and large operations understand the green space and develop a strategy offset carbon emissions," he says.
"A lot of companies need help with this and there’s a lot more to do in this area."
The Customer Service Award sponsored by Qantas Freight involved independent and random analysis of customers to ascertain the practice of both small and larger businesses.
Melbourne Recruitment company APS, which commenced operations in 1993 as a labour hire company in the manufacturing and distribution space, was the winning small company.
Group Managing Director Julian Barson says the company, now with a presence in all Australian states, is a ‘character first’ organisation.
"It’s outstanding to be recognised by customers, it is truly an honour," he says. "Obviously without our customers we wouldn’t have a business. It’s thanks to our team that we focus on our customers and tailor solutions them."
Forest Coach Lines took out the award in the category representing larger companies.
Chairman Jock Murray says the company’s culture goes back to its founders 80 years ago.
"Thanks to CILTA and judges, these awards mean a lot to the people who make up the Forest Coach Lines business and who deliver service to our customers," he says.
"The company is the envy of its competitors and colleagues, with a fleet availability of 97 percent every day.
"Over the last five years our management team has established an incentive scheme with the drivers and workshop crew to keep fleet availability up," he says.
The Young Professional of the Year Award, sponsored by CUB for significant industry projects managed by individuals under 35 was won by Couriers Please Sales manager James Hucker.
Hucker, who has cultivated a role as mentor and role model at the company, will now represent Australia at the annual CILT International Convention to be held next year in Birmingham, UK.
"Thanks to CUB and CILTA," Hucker says. "This is my very first event of this kind and it’s a great experience.
"I’d like to ask everyone to put their hands together for the other nominees in the category, the future of our industry is in good hands."
The National Chairman’s Distinguished Achievments Award was awarded posthumously to Len Harper, former CILTA Chair.
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