Transport: A lifelong calling
Well the show is over. As Frank Sinatra did sing, "And now the end is here, And so I face the final curtain."
Jaap Simonse, IFPTA Vice-President
Published: January 6, 2012
We should not be over dramatic but I suppose that's the feeling George and I had at the end of PPI Transport Symposium 19. Together with RISI, our IFPTA colleagues and of course the session chairmen and the speakers, we tried to organise a good and interesting program for the conference. A conference that nowadays is part of a really big four-day event and includes a high quality exhibition, tours, receptions and even a partners’ program.
And you were there in large numbers. Over 750 people attended the event, of which I believe at least 50% were present during one or more conference sessions. The session level attendance was a high quality one, at least that's what my impression was after talking to many of the delegates.
Sense of humor
Sometimes PPI Transport Symposium is a very serious event, sometimes quite a funny one. We will always remember especially seeing Alan Bog and Ulf Eriksen performing in the “Alan and Ulf Show” when addressing logistics in China. I have said it many times, in order to survive in forest products logistics you need a good sense of humor and their session provided both humour and great interest.
Amsterdam was an excellent choice and we even had, in the middle of October, two days of excellent weather. Amsterdam is a bicycling city and even more people took their bikes commuting to their offices because of this nice weather. Sometimes this resulted in many near collisions between cyclists and conference goers. The latter not being used to this type of traffic in the capital of the number one bicycling country in the world.
Of course it was not a perfect event. There are always things, which can be improved. To be honest one remark from my side: the CEPI sessions on Friday were not that well attended, only about 35 delegates were there. I am sure those who managed to catch these sessions were very satisfied about the quality of the presentations. One could say, “well that's not too bad for the final day.” I do understand that remark after three days, of what which could be described as "hard working days with long hours." But still it was a session with very interesting presentations about the changing European market; over 350 million inhabitants who are consumers in western and central Europe.
Personally I was also a bit disappointed about the attendance at the IFPTA luncheon during which we honoured our founding fathers.
After the final session, during lunch in a deserted exhibition hall, RISI and a few IFPTA Board Members had their first evaluation of the conference. You will surely be asked for your comments as well. One of the suggestions was to limit the overall event to three days, including the port tour and receptions, instead of four. What do you think?
Lifelong calling
In two years from now it will be Baltimore, a city named after Lord Baltimore, a member of the Irish House of Lords. It’s a big port and a great city. For the first time since several conferences ago, our whole event, conference, exhibition and accommodation could be held under one roof. Absolutely great and imagine the money you can save on taxi fares!
George, after organising the program in Liverpool and Amsterdam, and I will now retire as Conference Chairmen. In Baltimore it will be Scot Menzies and his colleagues who will take over as Conference Chairman and we wish them all the very best in that respect. We are sure that they will make PPI Transport Symposium 20 a huge success.
For George and me, it’s back to normal. I am not like George though, who is a handyman; qualified painter, wallpaperer, etc. In that respect I am more an observer, though my wife has a different name for my role. I like to go on holidays, read etc. But we both still plan to remain very active in the industry. George will continue working for an outstanding and very well respected shipping company and I will look forward to being involved in projects with respect to "greener" transportation methods in Western Europe, such as working on the Highways of the West-European rivers.
In the end, as always, our hearts are with our friends, colleagues and fellow professionals in the forest products transport industry. You could say it is a lifelong calling.
But first I am going to spend a holiday in the sterling British countryside, in what I expect to be 30 degrees Celsius. Hope springs eternal!
Once again, from both George Hudson and myself, thanks to every one who joined us at the show. Special thanks to Rhiannon James and her RISI staff, Wendy Parsley and Ken Norris with the IFPTA, and to all our session chairmen and speakers. Without them we would not have had a conference.
Always remember, first and foremost, we are only the singers. Transport Symposium is your song, it is your conference.
Until we meet again in Baltimore!
