Leading News Stories Beyond the Headlines

Appeal for Help as ALAN Steps Up to Help Los Angeles

IAM charitable partner, American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), is appealing to members in the Los Angeles area to help those impacted by the tragic wildfires sweeping parts of the area.

In a communication to IAM, ALAN said that the organization is currently busy providing non-profit organizations, that have been overwhelmed with donations for victims, with the logistics guidance that they need to sort, categorize, and prepare supplies for distribution. The aid network is also sharing key information including road closures, power outages, and curfews on their Disaster Microsite and their Supply Chain Intelligence Center.

Highlighting the amount of support that will be needed in the days, weeks, and months ahead, ALAN appealed to companies that have warehouse space, trucks, equipment, or supplies that they would be willing to offer to contact them now.

Crown Eases Reliance on Household Goods?

Amid the downturn in moving and relocation, the Chief Executive Officer of Crown Worldwide has hailed 2024 as the year that the company “finally successfully pivoted.”

In a webinar with the group’s executive board, which included Shen Kong from Asia and Barry Koolen from EMEA, Jennifer Harvey talked about the challenges faced by the industry and the ability of the company to successfully develop Crown’s other core business units and reallocate resources. “Moving services was such a huge part of our corporate identity and our business model, that the idea we would change was so uncomfortable to many of us,” she said.

That shift includes the focus on the Crown Workspace business where the company acquired a company called “I Design,” a design and build business, to add to their office moving project capabilities. Shen Kong also said that the company would launch a hotel logistics business in Hong Kong and China in 2025, together with ongoing industrial property development and acquisitions. Koolen echoed the importance of diversification, saying that “the strongest performing businesses are those that have multiple parts.”

Looking forward to Crown’s 60th anniversary this year, Harvey drew comparison between the entrepreneurial spirit when the company started and the need for the same characteristics to address new market opportunities.

Readers can listen to the full webinar here.

East Coast Port Strike Averted

Good news for the international moving industry after the union representing port workers and employers reached a tentative deal on a new contract Wednesday.

CNN reported that the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), representing shipping lines and port operators, and the International Longshoremen’s Association union, announced that they have agreed a tentative six-year deal. The agreement will still need to be approved by the 50,000 union members.

The tentative deal, affecting union members working at ports on the East and Gulf coasts, is reported to represent a compromise on the contentious issue of increased use of automation at terminals while protecting the jobs of workers.

“We are pleased to announce that ILA and USMX have reached a tentative agreement,” said the joint statement. “This agreement protects current ILA jobs and establishes a framework for implementing technologies that will create more jobs while modernizing East and Gulf coast ports–making them safer and more efficient and creating the capacity they need to keep our supply chains strong.”

Walkboard Express Cancelled as IAM Member

Walkboard Express communicated to IAM on January 9, 2025, that it is no longer solvent and they are working to resolve outstanding debts with IAM members.?

IAM has cancelled their 2025 IAM membership and RPP compensation for debts owed by Walkboard Express will be triggered if the company declares bankruptcy or ceases to exist.

Unpaid invoices for potential RPP compensation should Walkboard Express file for bankruptcy, can be filed?here until May 15, 2025. To be potentially eligible, invoices must be for services initiated prior to January 15, 2025 and may not exceed 120 days from the date the delinquent invoice is reported to IAM.? For guidelines on RPP compensation eligibility, please review?RPP Operating Rules and Regulations.

Please visit Company Alerts & Alleged Debtors on IAMX for more information.

Atlas Canada Acquires Customs Broker

The Toronto-headquartered subsidiary of Atlas World Group, Atlas Canada, has announced the acquisition of customs brokerage services company, Orbit Brokers.

In a press release, Atlas Canada said that the purchase of Orbit Brokers will enhance their ability to deliver seamless customs clearance solutions for clients across Canada and the United States. Family-owned Orbit Brokers, founded in 1988, has specialized in commercial and personal effects shipments and will report into the Connect Logistics division of Atlas Canada.

“With their expertise in navigating complex Canadian import regulations and providing local delivery services, Orbit Brokers enhances Atlas Canada’s ability to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end logistics solutions,” said the press release. “This acquisition not only broadens Atlas Canada’s capabilities in customs clearance but also positively impacts Atlas’ trusted agent network by enabling them to offer expanded services to their clients, including streamlined supply chains and optimized customs processes,” Atlas Canada added.

Details of GHC Legal Action Revealed?

Details behind the latest legal challenge to the Global Household Goods Contract (GHC) have been revealed as National Van Lines become the latest major industry player to join the complaint.

Federal News Network reported that the legal complaint originally filed by Suddath in November has been joined by similar actions from Total Military Management on December 13 and by National Van Lines on December 26. The companies claim that U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) has made “cardinal” changes to its contract with the winning bidder, HomeSafe Alliance, to the point that the GHC is now fundamentally different to when bids were first solicited in 2018.

In requesting the Court of Federal Claims to terminate the GHC contract and recommence the process, the complaint from Suddath says that the changes are “a violation of law and regulation, including the Competition in Contracting Act and related federal acquisition regulations.” The complaints claim that the changes made by the Department of Defense (DoD) involve both time and money that could not have been considered when prospective bidders made their bid/no bid decisions. This includes allowing HomeSafe three years to fully implement the new contract and not the nine months contemplated in the contract award. In addition, the companies claim that the DoD gave HomeSafe an unexpected $60 million to fund a software development, that was originally meant to have been done at the contractor’s expense.

“The transition/phase-in, as modified, is nearly unrecognizable from the requirement under the original solicitation—a quintessential cardinal change. TRANSCOM thus has violated CICA by procuring services through other than full and open competition and preventing qualified bidders from participating in the procurement,” said Total Military Management in the complaint. “TMM has been wrongfully deprived of the opportunity to fully and fairly compete for TRANSCOM’s actual GHC needs.”

The government is required to issue their first response to the legal action by January 7, 2025, with a more detailed defense motion expected by February 12.

American Firms Shy Away from China

International moving companies in the American corporate market may be seeing a reduction in the number of moves to China as President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term.

The Wall Street Journal reported that although many U.S. companies still have a large presence in the country, other firms have scaled back investment. The American Chamber of Commerce in China, representing over 800 companies in the country, said its members are looking elsewhere. “U.S. companies are more wary about doing business in China,” said Anja Manuel of the Aspen Security Forum. “You see that across all industries.”

As the governments in China and the United States put in place policies that make it more difficult to succeed in the country, American companies that are accustomed to the challenges of doing business there, are rethinking the reward as economic growth slows and political pressure in Washington increases. “If you get in the ring on China’s behalf, you should expect to be punched,” said Republican Senator Tom Cotton at a recent Wall Street Journal conference.

Spain Plans Tax on Foreign Buyers

Moving companies outside the European Union may see fewer consumer moves to Spain in the future, as the Spanish government considers plans to impose a tax of up to 100% on the value of properties bought by non-residents.

The BBC reported that Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced the potential tax as an "unprecedented" step to address the housing crisis faced by citizens. At an economic forum in Madrid, Sánchez said that non-EU residents, including people from the United Kingdom, purchased 27,000 properties in Spain in 2023, "not to live in" but "to make money from them". Non-residents are defined as individuals who spend less than 183 days in the country in a single year.

"The tax burden that they will have to pay in case of purchase will be increased up to 100% of the value of the property, in line with countries such as Denmark and Canada," said the Prime Ministers’ office. The Spanish government said the proposal would be finalized "after careful study" and no information was given on any timeline for approval by parliament.

Foreign Buyers Increase in France

The percentage of non-French citizens buying existing properties is increasing as the moving industry in the country faces a lower number of home sales in 2024.

The Connexion reported that information from the Conseil Supérieur de Notariat showed that foreign buyers made up over 10% of existing home purchases in multiple departments with buyers preferring the South of France. In the Alpes-Maritimes, which includes Cannes, 13% of purchases involve a non-French citizen. Close to the border with Geneva, the Haute-Savoie department was also popular, with 12% of non-new build property purchases coming from non-French buyers.

Overall, property transactions were down 17% compared to 2023, falling from 935,000 in the 12 months to September 2023 to 780,000 in the same period this year. The report also showed that the number of people leaving the ?le-de-France capital region has stabilized following a mass exodus during the Covid pandemic.

New York Congestion Fees Begin – Other Cities May Follow

Authorities in New York this week introduced the first congestion charges to be rolled out in the United States.

NPR reported that the fees to enter New York City represent a “high stakes test for the model’s U.S. viability,” following similar initiatives in other cities around the world. The introduction followed a last-ditch legal attempt by the State of New Jersey to stop the congestion pricing. The charge affects vehicles entering Manhattan between 60th Street and the Battery.

The tariff is based upon different costs for different vehicles with the charges for heavy-duty trucks are starting at US$21.60 and rising to US$36 in 2031 Most drivers will be charged via E-Z Pass, an electronic toll collection system, with electronic detection points installed at entrances to and exits from the tolling zone. The new initiative may have wider implications for the transport industry with other cities including, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago, watching New York.

According to traffic-data analysis firm INRIX, New York had the worst traffic in the world in 2023 and supporters claim the new charge will ease traffic, improve air quality, and generate $15 billion for upgrades to New York's transit system.

Dallas Top Metro for DIY In-Migration

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area, saw the largest net gain of do-it-yourself moves in 2024, according to the U-Haul Growth Index for 2024.

In a press release accompanying the report, U-Haul said that the annual Growth Index was compiled from well over 2.5 million one-way truck, trailer and U-Box portable moving container transactions during the past year in the United States and Canada. The Dallas metro area was followed in the ranking by Charlotte (NC), Phoenix (AZ), Lakeland (FL), and Austin (TX).?

“We are seeing unprecedented growth in the Dallas metro area, both within the city and also suburbs like McKinney, Plano and Addison,” said Sean Fullerton, U-Haul Company of South-Central Dallas President. “The cost of living is also extremely reasonable throughout the whole metro. Job growth has led to wages and earnings going up, and tax breaks have led to a lot of people moving to the area.”

Business Trends

U.S. Companies Scale Back on DEI

Moving companies in the United States may see less focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in RFPs in 2025, as McDonald's became the latest corporation to announce that it will end a number of their initiatives.

ABC News reported that the fast-food leader would remove goals for diversity within its senior leadership team and remove a program that encourages suppliers to conduct diversity training. The company maintained that it would continue a "steadfast" commitment to "inclusion". The McDonalds announcement follows a string of similar decisions by Walmart, John Deere, Ford, and Harley-Davidson, to roll-back company plans centered on DEI.

Many corporations embraced DEI commitments following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, but the recent growth in political pressure to revoke plans and a Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action in college admissions have caused many companies to re-think. "The tides have turned," said Traci Sitzmann, a Professor of Workforce Development at the University of Colorado. "Many CEOs are responding to the pushback by retracting these policies."

JPMorgan Plans to End Remote Work

Following similar decisions by AT&T, Amazon, and Walmart, the largest bank in the United States plans to require its more than 300,000 employees to work from the office five days a week.

Forbes reported that all JP Morgan employees will need to return to the office after the company instructed its Managing Directors to return to full time in-office work in April 2023. According to Bloomberg, the pending announcement will mean the end of a hybrid-work option for thousands of the bank’s staff.

James Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan, has been a strong proponent of in-person work and highly critical of government buildings, empty of federal employees. Currently 60% of JPMorgan’s workers are in the office five days a week. In 2023, Dimon told Spectrum News that, “in general there is nothing like face to face, and I think for younger people, for collaboration, for information sharing, for innovation, face-to-face is how it works.”

However, even with the recent change in attitude toward remote working, Moody’s reported that 20.4% of office spaces in the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States remained empty in the fourth quarter of last year, the highest ever amount.

Behind the Badge

IAM goes behind the conference badge to learn some fun facts about some of the personalities that make up the IAM member community.

Catherina Stier

Name: Catherina Stier – IAM Core Members Representative At Large, IAM Executive Committee

Company: Harsch, The Art of Moving Forward

Favorite city? Bangkok, it’s magical. A mix between noise and chaos combined with spiritual vibes.

Nickname your parents used to call you? Cathrinchen, but my favorite is my grandmother’s nickname for me: “Zuckerschnut”.

If you could travel back in time, what period would you go to? I’d like to be in my 20s in the 70s.

How many hours of sleep do you need? I get around seven but feel like I would need nine!

Do you believe in fate? Yes.

What's for dinner tonight? I do not eat dinner (when I’m not traveling) but for lunch I had a Mango Avocado salad.

What’s something you could eat for a week straight? I could eat fries and cheese every day. (But I don’t!)

Would you go to a movie alone? Yes.

For news: paper or digital? Digital.

What’s the most boring thing ever? Meditating! I try it again and again, but my thoughts are all over the place and it does not relax me at all.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? My father said to me, when I was younger, to always be independent and never depend on a partner financially.?

IAM In Action

Celebrate Excellence! Submit Your Nomination for the Hall of Honor

Ebru Demirel, Chair of the Hall of Honor Selection Committee has announced that nominations are now open for the prestigious Hall of Honor!

Since 2008, the Hall of Honor recognition has celebrated some of the greatest industry leaders whose extraordinary contributions have left a lasting impact. Now is your opportunity to recognize those who have shaped or continue to shape our industry! You are invited to nominate exceptional leaders whose careers exemplify outstanding service to their companies, the International Association of Movers and other industry associations, or the advancement of the industry. Nominees can be from outside IAM member companies and may be recognized posthumously. For nomination guidelines or inquiries, please visit our website or email us at [email protected]. Remember, all nominations must be submitted by April 1 through the simple official nomination form to be considered.

Don’t miss this your chance to honor excellence in our industry!

NEW Webinar:

Long-term Vision Planning

Member News

One Moving Joins Forces on Relocation

Sao Paulo-headquartered One Moving & Logistics has announced that the company is joining forces with relocation destination services provider, Unique Relocation, to expand the service offering to their clients.

In a social media post, the IAM Validated member said that One Moving will work collaboratively with Unique Relocation to create and deliver more complete and agile solutions that align with the needs of the global market. The announcement added that both companies will continue to operate separately, maintaining their own brands, offices, processes, and teams. “The client is the reason for our existence. By combining the expertise of One Moving and Unique, we will bring innovative solutions, delivering more value, and an unparalleled service to our partners and clients,” said the announcement.

Euromove Poland Adopts Hasenkamp Brand

IAMX Validated member, Euromove, will now be operating under the new name of Hasenkamp Relocation Services Poland.

In an update to IAM, Hasenkamp advised that the rebranding marks a significant step in their strategy to enhance the company’s presence in Eastern Europe, after Euromove joined the group in 2009. "The rebranding gives us the opportunity to position our high-quality standards and comprehensive services even better on the market," said Marcin Rossa, Managing Director of Hasenkamp Poland.

National Makes Leadership Appointments

Chicago-headquartered National Van Lines have greeted the New Year with two leadership appointments.

In an update to IAM, the IAM Trusted member announced that Paul Gregory has been appointed to the role of Vice President of Sales. Gregory began his career as a laborer in the moving industry, working through various roles, including packer and driver, before becoming an agent. After joining National Van Lines, he has held various key positions, including Sales Trainer, Agency Development, and Assistant Vice President of Sales, where he developed innovative programs and helped recruit agents.

National has also announced the appointment of Robbie Seidel to lead the company’s local moving brand, Mighty Moving and Storage. National said that Seidel had been instrumental in overseeing the opening of the Chicago-based company three years ago.?

MiniMoves Appoints Corporate Sales leader

IAMX Validated member, MiniMoves, Inc has announced the appointment of Lisa Frederick as the company’s new Director of Corporate Sales.

The Chicago-headquartered small move specialist said that Frederick’s expertise in building strong client relationships and driving business growth will be instrumental as MiniMoves continue to expand and enhance their services. “With her extensive background in the moving and relocation industry and a true passion for delivering exceptional customer support, Lisa is poised to make a significant impact on our team,” said the announcement.

Atlas Appoints Sales Leader

IAMX Validated member, Atlas International Movers has announced the promotion of Mitch Verbraeken to the role of Manager of Sales and Business Development.

In an update to IAM e-Portal, the Amsterdam-headquartered company said that Verbraeken joined Atlas in 2020 and will report to Managing Director, Jan Koets. “His drive to deliver exceptional services to our clients combined with his enthusiasm and dedication for what he does every day were the ingredients to appoint him to one of our future leaders,” said Chief Executive Officer, Dees Peters.

Atlas also announced that their CEO, Dees Peters, has been appointed as the President of FIDI Netherlands, effective 1 January 2025.

This appointment highlights Atlas International Movers’ commitment to leadership in the industry and reflects the confidence in Dees’ capabilities and vision. In his new role at Fidi Netherlands, Dees will focus on enhancing collaboration within the industry and promoting best practices among members. In an interview he states, “I am honored to take on this new responsibility and look forward to working with my colleagues at Fidi Netherlands to further develop our shared goals.”?

Vince Parry Retires

After a 51-year career in the international transportation and moving industry, Toronto-headquartered Intercontinental Group has announced the retirement of Vince Parry. In an update to IAM, the IAMTrusted member said that Parry’s “presence and leadership within the organization have been instrumental in shaping its success and will be deeply missed,” but that he will continue to contribute to Intercontinental Group in an ambassadorial and consulting capacity over the next three years. “On behalf of everyone at the Intercontinental Group, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Vince for his remarkable contributions and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement,” said Jay Ryan, President of the company.

PIR Founder Retires

IAM Trusted member, Panama Intermoving and Relocation (PIR), has announced that the company founder, Juan Bernal, will be retiring from the company.

In an update to e-Portal, PIR said that Bernal started the company 18 years ago after seeing the growth of multinational companies investing in Panama and that Mauricio Escalante will assume the role of General Manager. “Thank you once again, Juan, and we wish you much success in this new phase of your life!” said the company.

Upcoming Industry Events

Is your calendar up to date? See IAM's Events Calendar to stay abreast of the various conferences and industry meetings. Want to add an event? Contact IAM's Charles Stewart.