It seems that each week, we get more releases about materials handling companies getting awards. If it's not suppliers patting their dealers on the back, it's awards from local business communities, environmental groups, design organisations, government export promotion bodies or charity institutions.
Awards, it appears, are one of the fastest-growing industry sectors, fuelled by vanity and the need for approval.
One has to wonder whether the plethora of accolades actually means all that much in a tough business environment. Without taking anything away from the winners, we have to speculate that there's only really one award that counts - customer loyalty. If you can't meet customer needs and retain their business, the gleaming trophies and glossy certificates will do little to appease your creditors.
We'd like to hear your views