SolVin Italia S.p.A. was announced as the winner of the fifth Annual Intermodal Award at the Intermodal 2004 conference and exhibition in Copenhagen. Mr. Klaus Ebeling, Secretary General of the European Intermodal Association and Mr. Mark MAJOR of the European Commission presented the specially–commissioned award to Mr. Paolo Groppi, Managing Director of SolVin Italia, during a cocktail ceremony November 2 in the evening.
Conceived and developed by the EIA, the Awards have been launched to stimulate concrete and innovative intermodal transport solutions, and to recognise best practice in intermodalism. The fifth Annual Intermodal Award is officially supported by both the European Parliament and European Commission.
An independent Jury selected the winners from a list with short-listed candidates:
IMPERIAL GROUP – TriModal Network; Barge, rail and terminal cooperation
MAERSK SEALAND & P&O Nedlloyd B.V. – European Rail Shuttle; Container train service
SOLVIN ITALIA – SIRIO (SolVin Italia Railway Intermodal Operations)
REGIONALVERKEHR MITTELLAND AG – Crossrail; transalpine door-to-door road/rail/road service
WINDHOFF/CRT GROUP – CargoSprinter; Rail solution for short & medium distances
Reserve: European Reference Center for Intermodal Freight Transport – Web portal offering intermodal news & documentation.
Jury members included representatives of the European Commission, European Parliament, AMRIE, CCFE-CER, CLECAT, EIA, ESC, FEPI and one of the national short sea shipping promotion centres. The key judging criteria were that products and services should be innovative, intermodal and in actual operation and market-led.
According to Klaus Ebeling, Secretary General of the EIA: <<One of the results of the organisation of the Intermodal Awards will be to obtain a number of “practical success formulas” which have been tested and proven in a competitive transport market. This minimum set of conditions, standards and “best practices” will be an important reference point for new innovative intermodal initiatives>>.
According to the “spiritual father” of these Intermodal Awards, Peter Wolters, Deputy Secretary General of the EIA: <<by creating awareness with the promotion of these awards, we prove to potential users that intermodal transport is very alive and successfully. A mental shift is needed in this traditional transport world to solve any kind of bottleneck, instead of producing “paper solutions”>>.
The EIA is open for new applications for 2005 from companies who would like to be considered for next year’s Annual Intermodal Awards. For more information, email the EIA at: peter.wolters@eia-ngo.com or www.intermodaltransport.org
Photo: Bella Center (c)
SolVin, a European leader on the PVC and PVDC markets, results from the combination of the competencies of Solvay and BASF. The company covers both large volume markets and highly demanding applications. As a strongly customer-centered company covering the entire vinyl chain, SolVin is constantly seeking to improve the quality and value added of its products and services. www.solvinpvc.com
For further information please contact :
Isabella-Carlotta Poli
P.A. to the Managing Director
SolVin Italia S.p.A.
Tel.: ++39 0532 789533
Fax: ++39 0532 789630
E-mail: isabella-carlotta.poli@solvay.com
