With the launch of this conference and workshop series, The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) is delivering its members’ feedback given in a recent survey. The overriding response was a
request for more active expert training support in key aspects of air cargo logistics such as air cargo economics, infrastructure investments, operational efficiencies, as well as greater
guidance in areas such as sustainability, innovation, digital transformation and industry attractiveness.

TIACA is on a modernization drive, and this was already apparent at Executive Summit in Budapest, Hungary, last November, For the first time, the summit’s agenda included specialized workshops,
split into 5 target groups: Airport, Airlines, Cargo Handling, Freight Forwarders, and Shippers.

Subject matter experts and thought leaders
In a similar vein, therefore, the new 4Cargo event series will focus on specialized cargo domains such as Airports, Sustainability, Drones, to name but a few. TIACA is scheduling these new events
which will feature experts and thought leaders on specific air cargo topics. The idea is to “learn from success stories and shape the future of air cargo in specific areas of expertise”.
In addition to hearing experienced speakers share best practices, the new TIACA 4Cargo events will offer members the opportunity to network, gain new insights, and grow their business.

The series will consist both of shorter workshops and conferences, and the first of these will be an Airports4Cargo Conference in Brussels, Belgium, on 24-25JUN20, hosted by Brussels Airport. It
will focus on excellency in handling, efficient and sustainable processes, and talent management.

Steven Polmans underlines TIACA’s positive development: “As chairman of TIACA I am very happy to see how we are further developing the organization and steering it in the direction of
delivering more content to our members and the industry. As Director Cargo and Logistics of Brussels Airport, I also know from experience how important the role of airports can be or should be
when it comes to air cargo. I heard many people in the industry complain about the lack of investment in cargo but at the same time, as an industry, we do not celebrate or give enough attention
to these investments in case they happen. My hope is to see our industry celebrating each successes and investments anywhere in the world together and I believe TIACA is the perfect organization
to orchestrate this in the years to come”

Combine TIACA events with local inaugurations to increase airport’s profile
Last November’s Executive Summit was planned to coincide with the impressive inauguration of Budapest Airport’s new Cargo City. TIACA members were given the opportunity to see and experience what
investments in new cargo facilities can result in and to understand the opportunities that BUD as a cargo hub can offer.

René Droese, Chief Property and Cargo Officer, Budapest Airport, welcomed the joint initiative: “We, as a rapidly developing cargo-friendly airport in Central Eastern Europe, were very happy
and proud to host the TIACA Executive Summit. It was a great event with a dynamic, interesting, highly professional program, comprehensively covering the challenges and opportunities as well as
the hottest topics of the air cargo industry. Our local and regional cargo community, including forwarders, shippers, and agents, had a chance to join us and get direct up-to-date information
from top experts and key players in air transport. Combined with our BUD Cargo City handover ceremony, a €50 million investment by Budapest Airport, it was an excellent networking event, one of
the main highlights of our year. And our efforts investing into the new cargo infrastructure paid off already – all our cargo partners are increasing their businesses. We loved it!” Given
the success of this combination at the last event, TIACA aims to  schedule its Airports4Cargo Conferences to coincide with other cargo facility inaugurations, thus putting those locations on
the map right from the start, and giving them the chance to exchange ideas with experienced, key industry players. Hence, the first two-day Airports4Cargo conference in Belgium has been organized
to incorporate the Opening Ceremony of BRUCargo’s new 50,000 m² facility on 24JUN20.

Brigitte Gledhill

We always welcome your comments to our articles. However, we can only publish them when the sender name is authentic.