Dear THLG Members,
As 2024 is now behind us and we embark on an exciting new year, let us take a moment to reflect on the achievements of the past 12 months.
Formalizing THLG
At the beginning of 2024, THLG established a formal legal address at Gravenweg 659A, 3065SC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, which also serves as the office of our newly appointed legal attorney. Establishing a collaboration with a legal counsel on an on-request basis ensures that advice is readily available whenever needed. This step provides THLG with dedicated legal expertise, enabling efficient and effective handling of various matters.
ExCom Structure
At the beginning of the year, there were changes within the ExCom. Natalya Kulagina stepped down, and Richard Lee joined the team. Roles were restructured as follows:
- Elisabeth Cosmatos continued as President and Marketing Manager.
- Colin D’Abreo remained Treasurer.
- Marianne Blechingberg retained her role as Business Development Officer.
- Alessio Bianchi assumed the position of Admissions Officer.
- Richard Lee took on the roles of CSR and Sponsorships Manager.
Finances
Under the competent, proactive, and transparent financial management of our treasurer, Colin D’Abreo, THLG achieved another successful fiscal year. He ensured we stayed within budget and passed the audit conducted by our Auditing Committee with outstanding results.
Conferences & Exhibitions
THLG successfully organized two major conferences:
- The 70th Conference in The Hague.
- The 71st End-Year Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Analytical minutes of each conference can be found in our website.
We also maintained a strong presence at Breakbulk Europe, with a 120-square-meter booth that hosted 24 co-exhibitors.
Educational Activities
One of THLG’s greatest strengths is its ability to bring members together to exchange knowledge, share contacts, analyze challenges, and learn from one another. The THLG forum remains a secure and supportive platform for open dialogue and collaboration.
This year, we delivered four masterclasses led by distinguished professionals:
- Leadership by Christina Dimatati
- Limitation of Liability/Insurance in Project Cargo Forwarding by Ioanna Topaloglou
- AI & Future Technology by Alexander Varvarenko
- Understanding Incoterms by Ritesh Nair.
Additionally, attendees at the Hellenic Conference participated in an inspiring session on Neuroscience and Practices for Optimal Decision-Making delivered by Dr. Nikolas Dimitriadis.
All recordings can be found in our website.
Admissions
Starting this year, the Admissions process was streamlined to occur exclusively during mid-year conferences. This ensured higher member turnout and a more thorough evaluation process, leading to thoughtful and inclusive decisions. In 2024, we were proud to welcome five new members into the THLG family.
NMT GLOBAL PROJECT LOGISTICS, AUSTRALIA
KOBELCO, JAPAN
KANDO GLOBAL, COLOMBIA
JNC LOGISTICS, CHINA
BEGOMA SPEDITION, SWEDEN
Our updated members directory for 2025, can be found on the web www.theheavyliftgroup.com and it is also, herewith, attached in a pdf list.
Sustainability
Marianne Blechingberg introduced the THLG Sustainability Policy, requiring all members to complete a questionnaire detailing their sustainability practices. This policy has been incorporated into the Admissions process for future candidates.
This initiative not only created a comprehensive database to respond to tender requests but also demonstrated our members’ commitment to evaluating subcontractors on sustainability issues, reinforcing responsible business practices.
Business Development
In collaboration, Alessio Bianchi and Marianne Blechingberg launched the THLG Member Engagement Strategy to reengage less active members and encourage greater participation in group activities. This initiative will continue evolving throughout 2025.
To further enhance trust within the network, ExCom introduced the “Member Status Review” procedure. This ensures that all members continue to meet operational standards, maintain financial stability, and actively participate in relevant projects. This initiative reassures members that their business remains in safe hands when collaborating within the network.
To maintain a conflict-free environment and align with the THLG Articles of Association, ExCom issued important reminders, particularly regarding country membership representation. It was highlighted that only representatives from each member country can attend THLG events. It was also clarified that the THLG WhatsApp group is strictly for designated representatives, ensuring clear and efficient communication.
Corporate Responsibility
THLG showcased its dedication to social responsibility by hosting a fundraising event during The Hague Gala dinner to aid flood victims in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Thanks to Richard Lee’s remarkable initiative and his talented band and great guitar skills, members enjoyed an unforgettable live performance, raising €1,400—a powerful testament to the strength of unity.
Sponsorships
The Sponsorship packages introduced in 2023, under the expert guidance of Richard Lee, saw widespread participation this year, providing crucial support for various conference activities, such as social programs, entertainment, and transportation.
Sponsorships are tangible proof of member support and play a crucial role in sustaining quality services despite our non-profit status. We extend heartfelt thanks to all sponsors and look forward to even greater participation in the future.
Marketing
This has been a rather busy year for our marketing team. We are attaching a video link showing the highlights of the year, and here you can find the selection of pictures.
Analytically, we launched the “Moments of Inspiration” series to provide our members with valuable marketing insights and enhance their online presence.
Moreover, we have greatly improved our social media presence by adhering to a posting calendar and maintaining consistent activity across all THLG platforms. These posts highlighted conference moments, events, and other noteworthy occasions while also promoting members’ notable projects and their media exposure.
Our marketing team is dedicated to shining a spotlight on as many members as possible by providing consistent opportunities to draw attention to their expertise and achievements.
One opportunity is to invite members to become bloggers. This year we had the pleasure to read from Clinton Eckersall (AAW, Australia) who addressed the critical topic of cybersecurity in logistics, while Emre Eldener (Kita Logistics, Turkey) shared his perspective on what defines a good project forwarder.
Last but not least, Ritesh Nair (Rhenus Logistics, USA) explored the challenges and benefits of integrating AI into logistics, contributing articles to both THLG blog but the Breakbulk Magazine issue 3 as well.
All above articles can be found in the website under the THLG Blog section.
One of the greatest achievements this year was the opportunity we created for our members to show their expertise, case studies or insight of their local markets in published media. Analytically, the publications:
- Sanja Vardhan (Procam Group) was featured in Breakbulk Magazine issue 4 with her article on India’s Legislative Turnaround.
- Samer & Co Shipping, Holleman Bulgaria, Modpack System, and Cosmatos Group contributed to Breakbulk Magazine’s Balkans Report at issue 2 by discussing the renewable energy boom in the Balkan region.
- Barnhart and Tradelossa showcased their exceptional collaboration in the largest land movement from the US to the Mexican border, a project also highlighted in Breakbulk Magazine issue 2.
- Alessio Bianchi (DCS Liburnus) and his team were recognized by the Breakbulk Magazine issue 4 for transporting the world’s largest optical telescope for the Extremely Large Telescope project.
- Alfredo Martinez Messuti (Altius Srl) shared his expertise in Project Cargo Journal with the article “Navigating the Complexities of the Bolivian Project Logistics Landscape.”
We also continued promoting numerous members through our regular features like the “Local Expert” while through our “Interview of the Week” feature Niels-Hendrik Walch (Rhenus Logistics, Thailand), Alfredo Martinez Messuti (Altius, Bolivia) and Valentin Malaescu (Modpack System, Romania) were able to share their stories and insight of their local markets.
The highlight of the year was once again the annual “Photo of the Year” and “Project of the Year” contests with many ambitious submissions claiming the prize, all of which extremely worthy.
For 2024, we had two winners for “Project of the Year”:
Barnhart & Tradelossa who joined forces for transporting two turbines from Yuma, USA, to various locations in Mexico shared the first place with Globalink for managing the delivery of over 100 out-of-gauge and overweight items to a remote power project site in Uzbekistan.
The “Photo of the Year” award went to Total Movements for the second year in a row. The picture is showed on the landing page of the THLG website and will remain there until next year’s winning picture takes over.
Branding Strategy
Maintaining the unique bond that defines THLG is essential, as our strength lies in our people and the energy they bring to the network. Given this distinctive characteristic, our Marketing team is committed to building a global brand that transcends individual recognition and represents our collective excellence. We aim towards brand recognition that reflects high professional standards, serving as a mark of quality and credibility for all members. Your individual continuous contributions to all marketing features are vital to this vision.
Appreciations
In 2024, THLG lost one of its founding members, Rolf Dieter Riedl whose legacy has been the cornerstone of THLG’s existence. We extend our gratitude to his daughter, Iris, who proudly carries forward his inspiring journey in project logistics.
As we close the year, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all members for their commitment to THLG values, their trust in change, and their openness to embracing new practices.
A special thank you to our Executive Committee for consistently demonstrating quick reflexes in addressing any issue and for dedicating the time to meet, to plan, and execute collaboratively. Most importantly, thank you for sharing the same vision and for working together amicably with respect and trust. On behalf of the entire ExCom, I would like to thank our admin support team for their dedication and contributions. Last but not least, as ExCom we would like to acknowledge the dedication of our ad-hoc member Don Kinsella (KBB Transport, Canada) for attending all ExCom meetings and always commenting and contributing on various topics despite his non voting status. It’s important to highlight the importance of the ad-hoc status as it is the propylaea to join the Group’s management team after the relevant election.
My dear fellow members, last May, together with the rest of the ExCom, we had invited you to join us in starting a wave of kindness, support and awareness. We are now riding the wave, and the journey is already proving to be incredibly exciting.
Looking forward to what comes next!
Yours Sincerely,
Elisabeth Cosmatos
THLG President & Marketing Manager.