BIFA’s Golf Day Raises Thousands For Chosen Industry Charity

BIFA’s Golf Day, held at the prestigious Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa, was a resounding success, raising an impressive £3100 for Transaid.

The British International Freight Association’s (BIFA) Golf Day, held at the prestigious Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa, was a resounding success.

The event saw participants from across the freight and logistics industry come together for a day of friendly competition and charity fundraising.

This year’s golf day was particularly special, as it raised an impressive £3100 for BIFA’s official charity partner, Transaid, a cause close to the hearts of many in the industry. The funds will go directly to supporting Transaid’s work, making a meaningful impact on the community in sub-Saharan Africa.

BIFA congratulates the winning team from Logicall for its outstanding performance on the course. The Logicall team, consisting of Jordan Phillips, Jon Lilley, Brendan Beech and Paul Phillips secured first place, on count-back, with an impressive score of 87 points in the foursomes competition. A team from Irish Freight Solutions came a close second.

In addition to the main tournament, the event featured several mini-challenges, including longest drive and nearest the pin competitions. These added excitement and further opportunities for participants to contribute to the fundraising efforts.

Carl Hobbis, BIFA member services director, said: “We are thrilled with the turnout and generosity shown at this year’s Golf Day; our first for many years. The event not only brought together key members of the freight forwarding community but also raised vital funds for a wonderful cause. Congratulations to our winner and a heartfelt thank you to all 72 who participated and contributed.

Following the success of this year’s event, BIFA will expand the number of golfing events it holds in 2025, continuing the tradition of camaraderie, competition, and charity. To register your interest for an event next year, visit our events page.

Businesses Accelerate Reshoring amid Uncertainties

An acceleration in strategic reshoring moves by businesses worldwide to shift operations and supply chains closer to their home or main markets, is revealed by new Bain & Company research just released.

Amid intensified geopolitical uncertainties and rising costs, analysis from Bain’s biennial operations survey of CEOs and chief operating officers shows a further rise in companies planning, or already investing in and executing, reshoring and near-shoring – as well as the emerging trend of “split-shoring,” where businesses balance a mix of offshore production with other key manufacturing activity close to home.

Bain’s findings show that the proportion of CEOs and COOs reporting their companies have plans to bring supply chains closer to market has risen to 81%, up by a sharp 18 percentage points from 63% in 2022. This comes alongside almost two-thirds (64%) of executives surveyed reporting investment in split-shoring (46%) or near-shoring (18%). Only 36% report further investment in offshoring, meanwhile. However, the findings also show reshoring efforts also have much further to run, with only 2% of companies reporting having fully completed their plans.

Bain’s operations survey gathered views from 166 CEOs and COOs, with 90% managing businesses with revenues in excess of $1 billion, more than half at companies with revenues above $5 billion, and two-fifths with $10 billion-plus revenues.

The acceleration of the reshoring trends underlines how heightened geopolitical turbulence and pressures for greater sustainability and reduced carbon footprints, alongside the post-pandemic goal to deliver greater resilience in supply chains, have disrupted the previous business rationale for low-cost offshore manufacturing hubs, tilting the balance towards operations closer to home markets.

Hernan Saenz, Bain & Company partner and global head of the firm’s Performance Improvement practice, commented: “We believe the current acceleration of reshoring across key markets worldwide is a crucial trend that demands CEOs’ attention. The multiple disruptions companies have grappled with since the pandemic mean the question for company leaders is no longer whether to reinvent supply chains but how to do that so their operations are made more cost-competitive, resilient, sustainable, and agile in responding to evolving markets and customer needs.”

China factors, US Inflation Reduction Act fuel trends

Bain’s analysis indicates that reshoring is also being reinforced by deglobalization trends, with apparent concerns over decoupling of economic blocs contributing to a rise of more than 25% in the proportion of companies seeking to reduce dependence on China. The proportion of companies reporting moves to shift operations out of China has risen to 69% in 2024, from 55% in 2022, the survey results show.

In the US, where 39% of respondent businesses are based, the findings also point to reshoring having been further stimulated by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA offers US companies subsidies and tax credits to incentivize reshoring and near-shoring to boost domestic manufacturing and job creation – particularly in sensitive markets, such as those for semiconductors, clean energy technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines, and electric vehicle supply chains.

Moves toward reshoring of semiconductor manufacturing have also been intensified by the US CHIPS Act, which put in place tax incentives and $52 billion in funding to stimulate US domestic production of chips – as well as surging AI-driven demand for graphics processing units (GPUs). Bain’s recent Global Technology Report forecasts that demand for key GPU components could increase by 30% or more by 2026, potentially triggering an AI-induced chip shortage.

Adam Borchert, Bain & Company partner in the firm’s Performance Improvement practice and global lead of its Supply Chain practice, said: “The powerful forces driving the patterns of re-shoring, near-shoring and split-shoring that our findings show will persist and confront company leaders with the challenge and opportunity of transforming their supply chains for reshaped global markets. We are helping clients to navigate these shifts and build supply chains that meet market needs, are resilient and future-proofed, while strengthening management capabilities to adapt to further change in an uncertain world of constant turbulence.”

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Podcast: Keep Logistics up and Running with Technical Training

In this episode of Logistics Business Conversations, we discuss the increasing demand for technical skills in the logistics industry and the training necessary to meet this demand. Host, Peter is joined by Stefan Beke, an expert in technical training from TVH University.

Stefan emphasizes the growing importance of technical expertise as logistics operations become more technology-driven. Key equipment like forklifts are central to efficient logistics, and maintaining them requires specialized skills, especially with the shift toward electric models. This transition has made electrical and electronic skills more essential, areas where many technicians still face challenges.

The conversation also highlights the value of hybrid learning models in technical training. Combining online theoretical content with hands-on practice reduces travel time and costs while providing a comprehensive learning experience. This approach is becoming more popular as it balances flexibility with practical skill development, crucial for career advancement in the logistics field.

Listen to this Logistics Business Conversation by clicking here

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