The Movers and Storers Show | Monday 21 & Tuesday 22 November 2011<p>Telford International Centre

The Movers & Storers Show is the UK’s biggest trade exhibition for the removals and storage industries. It offers exhibitors the opportunity to meet face to face with hundreds of highly targeted trade buyers in a relaxed environment. Now in its fourth year, the event continues to deliver good return on investment, and is recognised as being the most important event to attend for people who work in removals, storage and self storage in the UK.

News

Don't Risk the Fine - Take Out Insurance

A kitchen and bedroom furniture manufacturer from Corby has been fined for failing to insure the company against liability for employee injury or disease. When the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited Alina Trade Limited's premises on 2 March 2011, the company was unable to produce on request a certificate of Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI) to HSE inspectors, which employers are required to hold by law.

You Couldn't Make it Up!

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We loved the story in this month's Mover Magazine about weird things confiscated at customs (apparently the stories came from Move One). Our favourites were:

Road Transport has appalling fork lift safety record

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According to figures recently revealed for National Fork Lift Safety Week, the road transport industry accounts for around a quarter of the overall UK injury toll, making it the least safe industry by far with 384 injuries in 2009/10. The storage and warehousing sector fares much better with 71 injuries in the same period, and has improved by almost 80% in the last ten years.

The Industry Gathers in Telford next week

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As most of you will already know, The Movers & Storers Show will take place at the Telford International Centre on Monday and Tuesday next week. The show is the only free and independent exhibition for removals, storage and self storage companies in the UK. It normally attracts 1000+ visitors from across the sector, right through from man and van companies to large international brands, and this year is set to be no different. Organiser Charlotte Parslow commented "We have been delighted with the quality of the registrations this year. Not only have we received over a thousand applications for tickets, but a huge percentage of them have been from MDs, Owners and Managers. In short, the Movers & Storers Show will be full of industry movers and shakers!"

Green Light for a New Bridge Across the Mersey

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Now that £470 million of funding has been agreed, construction of the new bridge - known as the Mersey Gateway Bridge - is due to start in 2013, with completion anticipated in 2016. It will be a dual three-lane bridge, and will improve links between the Liverpool City region, north Cheshire and the wider North West to the rest of the country.

Mobile phones - a health time bomb?

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According to a recent article by Tamara Cohen in the Daily Mail, more than 200 academic studies link the use of mobile phones to serious health consequences such as brain tumours. Many leading scientists are now urging ministers to warn the public. In a report published in early November, they accuse the Government of underplaying the potentially 'enormous' health risks – especially for children, whose smaller, thinner skulls are more susceptible to radiation. They do concede that the links are not proven, but are still urging schools, phone shops and the healthcare system to campaign to reduce mobile phone use.

Property Prices Persistently Plunging

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When discussing house prices, there is never a shortage of data. The unusual thing about recent months though is that the normally conflicting house price surveys are almost unanimously downbeat. In a recent article for The Observer on Sunday, journalist Katie Allen looked at the behaviour of the housing market and assessed how it is likely to react to the latest wave of financial calamities hitting Europe.

Expats are staying away

According to new research, some 15% of expats have cancelled plans to return to Britain in the last year. Respondents to a study commissioned by Lloyds TSB International said their quality of life was better abroad, their finances healthier, their cost of living lower, and their neighbourhoods safer. In fact, expats are increasingly shelving plans to return to the UK at all.

Lights out please!

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The Highways Agency has announced that it will be removing sections of lighting on the M1 in Bedfordshire in a continuing effort to cut carbon emissions and light pollution. The motorway junctions and their approaches, and a section of the M1 on either side of junction 11 will remain lit. Derek Turner, Director for the Highways Agency, said “This is not about wishing to remove all lights from the motorway network.”

Fitter drivers = more profits!

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Obesity in Europe has doubled in the last 20 years, and Truck drivers are especially at risk. Therefore Volvo Trucks now train their drivers on diet and health issues. Lucien van Zuilen, Driver Trainer at Volvo Trucks in Holland, recently explained to The Mover magazine that its all about making them aware of how to eat and live more healthily.

New website attempts to cut congestion

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www.viewtraffic.info offers viewers access to live traffic information, thereby giving people the option to plan their journey to avoid congestion, thus cutting down on fuel usage and emissions. Brilliant!

Dragons, mountains and moustaches - it's all for charity dude!

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We’re proud to report that our exhibitors are staying true to their CSR plans and their own beliefs, and continuing to work hard for charity despite these difficult economic times. Pound Gates Insurance Brokers recently took part in a Dragon Boat Race at Alton Waters for the St Elizabeth Hospice together with their client Crown Worldwide. Sadly they didn’t make it through the heats, but they had a great time and raised lots of money.

What people can’t stand to throw away

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A survey of 1000 households carried out by Access Self Storage has revealed that there are certain things that most Britons simply can’t bear to part with. Childhood toys and possessions came up again and again, along with clothes, wedding memorabilia, and old electrical goods.

Aerodynamics could save you £££ on fuel

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New shapes are appearing on our motorways. Is it the latest craze? Are boat-tails and teardrops the new black? No – but they could save you up to 15% of your fuel bill.

Penning says yes to truckstops

In a move that should put a smile on lots of faces, our old friend Mike Penning - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport - recently announced that the government will be permitting the development of truckstops on UK motorways. This follows a policy consultation which showed strong support for the proposal.

Got a self storage business? Get a website!

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Some 49% of first-time enquiries received by UK self storage centres now come from the internet, according to respondents to an email survey run by the UK self storage website Storage.co.uk. Storage.co.uk is a independent advice website for people interested in renting self storage space. The survey was open to every single storage centre in the country.

Driver CPC training must speed up

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Driver CPC - a regulation that demands 35 hours of specialist training every five years for all professional drivers - is now into its third year, and there are worrying signs that it is not being taken seriously. If the speed of training does not increase, Britain could be facing a labour gap when the first five year cycle completes.

Fork lift battery thefts on the rise

If you own an electric-powered fork lift - beware! There have been a spate of thefts of their valuable lead-acid batteries, carried out by criminals posing as engineers. In one case the thieves even managed to convince a company to use its own fork lift truck to help load the batteries into their van before driving off into the sunset. Oops.

Shurgard wins European Award

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Shurgard have been awarded the 'UK Self Storage Facility of the Year' award by FEDESSA and the SSA (UK) for their Gypsy Corner branch in London. It is one of 22 facilities the company operates in London and the Thames Valley, and benefits from being located right on the A40.

Planned changes to tachograph legislation

The European Commission is proposing revisions to tachograph legislation that will apparently make fraud more difficult and reduce administration costs.

Cookies could cost you your business

No - not the chocolate chip kind. We're talking about the small pieces of code which many websites install on to the viewer's computer, allowing the website to remember and recognise visitors. This helps visitors to navigate web pages more easily, as the cookies can remember log-in details, browsing histories and ordering information. However, recent updates to the EU's Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations mean that it is now technically illegal for UK websites to do this without first seeking the user's consent. Companies which are found to have broken the new law could face a fine of up to £500,000.

Fred and Gerald Baxter charged with fraud

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Fred Baxter and Gerald Baxter, two former directors of Baxters International Removals Ltd in Aylesbury, have been charged by Ministry of Defence Police with an alleged £2 million fraud.

Proposed increases to Dartford Crossing charges

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Roads Minister Mike Penning recently announced a consultation into proposed charge increases at the Dartford-Thurrock crossing. The governement has prioritised reducing congestion at this vital river crossing, and intends to increase charges to raise the investment needed.

Who's in your storage unit?

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In a recent article in The Independent, Nick Harding discovered that many UK entrepreneurs are using self storage units for more than just storing household junk. His research highlighted that as new businesses struggle with overheads and established businesses cut back, self storage facilities are becoming the base of choice for a generation of lean, low-level entrepreneurs, attracted by flexibility, cheap rents and the convenience of a no-ties agreement.

Cardboard prices stabilise

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As you will all know, the cost of paper – and therefore cardboard – has been rising dramatically for ages. Andrew Simpson of Simpson Packaging explained “The cost of paper has gone up by as much as 40-50% with 4 or 5 increases in the last 18 months. This is due to supply shortages and a lack of price competition following a reduction in the number of suppliers. Furthermore, recycled paper – the material needed for carton inners – is incredibly difficult to get hold of right now, as it is all being shipped to China for processing.” Unfortunately packaging suppliers have had to pass these extra costs on to their customers.

Join the Fair Fuel campaign!

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In recent months the price of oil has fallen by around 18%, and yet the average cost of petrol and diesel has risen. According to the AA we have the second highest diesel prices in Europe, and the 11^th highest unleaded petrol prices (July 2011). It currently costs me almost £70 to fill up my Renault Clio 1.1l. Research shows that one third of the population are making fewer driving journeys in response to rising motoring costs, but unfortunately transport businesses can’t make that choice.

Hindhead Tunnel Opens

The Hindhead Tunnel - a £371 million project which runs under the Devil's Punchbowl in Surrey - has finally opened to traffic. Southbound users were able to experience the tunnel first, and the northbound tunnel opened later the same week. This has revolutionised the driving experience of everyone who regularly uses the A3, taking at least 20 minutes off journey times by avoiding the bottleneck of the Hindhead crossroads.

New TV programme about Removals Industry

Channel 5 has just launched a new TV Series following crews from Pickfords carrying out removals around the country. Called ‘The Removal Men’ (ahem – and women!), it airs on Wednesday nights. We watched the first episode, and apart from the whiny annoying voiceovers, it was nice to see the industry get some publicity at last. But is all publicity good publicity?

Halifax say the housing market faces ‘headwinds’

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Although prices rose slightly in June, the Halifax say that the market is facing "significant headwinds" in its latest house prices index report. The lender blamed low pay rises, higher taxes and inflation for muted demand from buyers. However, at least it predicts a stable market for the time being, thanks to low interest rates.

The Bribery Act – Don’t Panic!

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The Bribery Act 2010 – one of the most discussed pieces of legislation in recent memory - was introduced on Friday 1st July 2011. The act is amongst the toughest anti-bribery and corruption legislation in the world, and has had thousands of people panicking over losing their freebies to F1 races and posh restaurants. Well, don’t panic just yet.

SSA Report published

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The SSA UK 2011 report – largely based on a questionnaire distributed by the SSA to its members - has recently been published, and paints a fairly rosy picture of what the sector can expect in the next 12 months. Apparently self storage businesses have weathered the recession well and are looking forward to a period of steady growth.

What are you looking at?

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Employee abuse of the internet has long been a hot topic, and there are statistics from a thousand different surveys out there, but here is one we found quite believable:

Would longer trucks be a good thing?

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The Department for Transport is consulting on its plan to allow longer articulated vehicles – 2m longer at 18.75m (that’s almost a metre more than a bendy bus). However, the top weight of 44 tonnes would still apply.

Milestones at Britannia

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Britannia Movers International, one of the biggest names in the industry, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. From humble beginnings as a cooperative of 14 companies in 1981, it has become a multi-million pound operation with over 40 UK offices and 5 overseas locations.

LEZ changes - forward planning

Two changes will come into force in the LEZ next year, both of which will potentially affect movers. Standards for those vehicles already affected are tightening. At the moment, lorries, buses, coaches and other specialist heavy diesel vehicles need to meet the Euro III standard for particulate matter (PM).

However, from 3 January, these vehicles will need to meet Euro IV standards for PM, or a large daily fine will be payable. Make sure you take action soon to be compliant in time! Your vehicle will already meet the new 2012 emissions standards if:

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