Member Article

Internal promotions see new managers at the helm

Two long serving employees at the UK’s largest independent freight forwarder, Europa Worldwide Group, have just been promoted at the company’s headquarters in Dartford. With a combined 54-years’ service at the company, Peter Salter and Ann Burgess have taken up the roles of Branch Manager and Customer Service Manager respectively at the £30 million 1Hub facility in Dartford, home to 326 Europa staff.

Europa Sales and Branch Network Director Dionne Redpath said the internal promotions reflect Europa’s commitment to developing and retaining staff and creating career pathways for talent within the business.

“We’re delighted to be able to offer both Peter and Ann the opportunity to take another step in their career journeys with Europa and to acknowledge their hard work and long service. Over the years Peter and Ann have proven themselves to be real pillars within our business, advancing through the ranks within the company as Europa has grown and evolved. We’re proud to be in a position to once again promote internally which we believe really shows the depth of talent we have within our teams.”

After 24 years with Europa, Peter Salter will step into the Branch Manager position where he will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the Dartford Road Freight branch, managing key accounts and developing the sales team.

Peter first began his career with Europa in 1994 working at its previous headquarters in Erith. As a result of significant new business wins, the team later evolved into the Key Account Department where Peter was joined by Ann Burgess.

“Europa has always had a good industry reputation and a fantastic internal culture. Some of our original clients I am proud to say we still look after today, along with a greatly expanded list of customers supported by our customer service team, now headed by Ann Burgess. Ann has been instrumental in our success as a team and her promotion is extremely well deserved.”

“Over the last five years, the acquisition and investment in the company has seen us undergo some major changes and enhancements to the services we’re offering. Our success through that period of change is testament to the drive and ambitions of the directors and the dedication and commitment of our staff. We’ve got a bold vision and I’m looking forward to leading the branch on its next phase of growth.”

In her 30-years with Europa, Ann Burgess has played an important role in retaining key customers and onboarding new accounts as she’s progressed through the export operations, key accounts and customer services departments.

Ann’s new role as Customer Service Manager will see her responsible for ensuring the needs of Europa’s customers are met and maintaining a high level of service across the Dartford branch.

“I’ve been with Europa since I was 17-years-old and have seen the business evolve a lot in that time. I love the company and the unique culture we have, particularly Europa’s commitment to providing equal opportunities to female staff which is important in what has traditionally been such a male-oriented industry.

“During my time with Europa, Peter has been a great source of guidance and encouragement over the years and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the promotion to branch manager. I’m delighted that we can continue working together and I’m looking forward to taking on a new and exciting challenge.”

Both Peter and Ann will be based at Europa’s state of the art 1Hub facility in Dartford, the UK’s largest European groupage hub and the nerve centre connecting Europa’s network of 10 UK road branches, providing daily, direct services to 30 continental hubs. With 204,294 square feet of dedicated warehouse and logistics space, split equally between warehouse logistics and European transit operations, it provides warehouse services for blue chip customers, including value enhancing activities such as pick and pack, stock reworking, third party logistics, product manipulation and returns management.

As well as its specialist European road freight services, Europa also provides dedicated air & sea, warehouse and showfreight services and operates across 13 sites in the UK, Hong Kong and Belgium employing 750 people and is represented in 100 countries.

ENDS

For further press information, additional photos or quotes contact Maryke Penman or Kathryn Greenwood at Eden Public Relations on 0115 958 8850 or email kathryn@edenpr.co.uk

Notes to editors

Europa Worldwide Group is a fast-growing privately-owned freight forwarder which is structured into 4 operating companies – Europa Road, Europa Air & Sea, Europa Warehouse and Europa Showfreight.

Europa Road operates the UK’s largest European groupage hub which is situated in Dartford. It’s network of 10 UK branches trunk into Dartford from where freight connects with daily, direct services to 30 continental hubs.

Europa Air & Sea’s team provide bespoke services to its clients from its branches in the UK and Hong Kong.

Europa Warehouse offers 3rd party logistics services to clients, from its 3 substantial warehouses in Dartford, Northampton and Birmingham.

Europa Showfreight provides logistics services for goods going to and from exhibitions. Following an ambitious front-end restructuring of the business after Andrew Baxter acquired it in 2013, turnover has grown from £76m to £155m in 2018, organic volume growth across the business is running at 20 per cent and its presence in the market is stronger than ever before. The company employs more than 750 people across the UK, Hong Kong and Belgium.

The business has succeeded through a combination of friendly people management and investing heavily in IT and physical infrastructure.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Maryke Penman .