Descartes Announces Support for BIFA Freight Service Awards 2024

Descartes Systems Group, the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, is pleased to announce its sponsorship of three categories in this year’s BIFA Freight Service Awards 2024, which is hosted and managed by the British International Freight Association (BIFA). While 2024 marks the 8^th year that Descartes has sponsored the ‘Extra Mile’ category, this year the software provider is also honouring companies shortlisted in the ‘Specialist Services’ and the ‘Supply Chain Management’ categories, following its acquisition of Thyme-IT and Boxtop Technologies respectively.

The BIFA Freight Service Awards are considered amongst the most illustrious events on the industry calendar, celebrating the special achievements of members of the BIFA trade association:

• The Extra Mile Award is a specialist category for members that can provide specific examples of innovation and/or customer care by adding value and exceeding their customers’ expectations in relation to international shipments by any mode of transport;
• The Specialist Services Award is for value-added freight forwarding services that enhance the customer experience enabling them to concentrate on their core business. Such services could include warehousing, pick and pack technology service, air or shipping line agency, or express services;
• The Supply Chain Management Award recognises businesses that have worked with customers to analyse their procurement procedures and provided a customer-focused, innovative solution enabling more efficient and cost-effective supply chain management.

Descartes provides international freight forwarders and shippers a single customs filing platform to import and export freight across international borders. Descartes’ software is used by most major forwarders and shippers in the UK to optimise speed of entry with single data entry for multiple countries, boosting productivity, improving data quality and helping to ensure regulatory compliance. Descartes’ software and services have been augmented during 2024 with the acquisition of Irish headquartered, customs filing software provider, Thyme-IT, and the UK-based provider of shipment management solutions for small- to mid-sized LSPs, Boxtop Technologies.

Steve Parker, BIFA director general, says, “We are thankful to Descartes for its longstanding support of the BIFA Freight Service Awards. It has sponsored these awards for many years, as have the two businesses that it has acquired, and we appreciate its continued support and commitment to the freight sector. Thanks to the support of industry leaders, such as Descartes, BIFA is able to produce such a prestigious, high-profile awards ceremony for the sector to applaud and celebrate the achievements of its members.”

“We’re thrilled to be involved in the BIFA Freight Service Awards 2024, continuing our support for the freight service industry and recognising those companies that excel at customer service and process optimisation for yet another year,” said Peio Ribas, Senior Vice President EMEA at Descartes Systems. “Descartes’ customs, freight and transport management solutions are an integral part of helping to ensure efficient operations and high service for many freight forwarders was well as shippers.”

The awards ceremony takes place at The Brewery, London in January 2025. Good luck to all finalists!

For more information, see: https://awards.bifa.org/