Recipients of the awards given by the United Kingdom Warehousing Association.

Companies and individuals in the warehousing and third-party logistics (3PL) sectors received awards at the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) annual awards ceremony, which was held at London's Dorchester Hotel on 6 July.

Association CEO Roger Williams says the awards are established as "symbols of achievement" in the 3PL sector and emphasise the importance of logistics in today's economy.

"The high number and quality of entries we received underlines the professionalism that runs through the modern logistics industry," he says.

Williams was on the awards committee that selected the winners, together with Mel Grainger, a UKWA ex-chairman; and Phil Culling, chairman of storage systems specialist Redirack.

The winners of the 10 awards were:
Customer Service Award: Expect Distribution

Environment Award: Elddis Transport Ltd

Training Award: DHL Supply Chain

Warehouse Manager of the Year: Paul Wilson, Century Logistics

Technology/Innovation Award: Linde Materials Handling Ltd

Best New Member: Toyota Tsusho UK Ltd

Team of the Year: Expect Distribution Ltd

Employee of the Year: Des Bailey, Century Logistics

Chairman's Award: Ken Richards

Williams says Chairman's Award recipient Ken Richards has made an "immeasurable contribution" to the UKWA and to the industry. "His relationship with UKWA has been wholehearted and his contribution to all discussions and debate always based on his deep operational experience and common sense. His advice has always been available, and although his view on any topic is always clear and unequivocal, he readily accepts a contrary but well-argued point of view, and, more importantly, fiercely upholds the democratic nature of our governance."

Richards joined the UKWA council in July 1993, as North West regional chairman, and was elected national chairman in 1997 and again in 2003. He has been a vice president of UKWA since 2005.