Must to attend TIACA readies take off in Toronto Metro Convention Centre October 16-18.

     I have been thinking a lot about The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) lately.
     This week the TIACA group and many air cargo industry stalwarts are meeting at the Air Cargo Forum & Exhibition at Toronto Convention Centre in Canada October16-18.

How TIACA Began

     The birth of TIACA took place after the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) decided to withdraw their sponsorship of the International Air Cargo Association’s (IACA) biennial trade show called Air Cargo Forum (ACF).
     The last IACA ACF that took place in New York City was in 1982 at the Hilton Hotel.
     I remember Bill Boesch and the late Julie Kupersmit (right), the container genius that headed up Containair, sitting inside a can on the show floor debating the various aspects of ULDs.
     Shortly after that a group of concerned air cargo executives started the new organization TIACA, which held its first board meeting at The In & Out Club in London. We were there.

Bob Arendal A Genuine Hero

     TIACA moved center stage with its first Air Cargo Forum (ACF) 1992 in Luxembourg thanks to Bob Arendal and Cargolux.
     That takeoff stalled a bit when TIACA went to Seattle in 1994.

Ram Put TIACA Into The Big Time

     It was Ram Menen, who convinced Prince Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates to sponsor the 1996 TIACA event in Dubai.
     TIACA hit the big time in the UAE as a money-making, landmark event.

Ups & Downs Along The Way

     Fair to say, coming in to 2018, the fortunes of this organization that is largely supported by its ACF trade show have moved up and down like an ocean tide coming in and out.

TIACA Is Our Last Best Hope

     As we have declared here in the past and still today, we believe that TIACA is the last, best hope for an impartial air cargo industry organization to work, educate, sponsor and put on a true industry-driven trade show for the entire logistic supply chain.
     TIACA was created as a meeting place for people that are air cargo minded.
     TIACA may be a bit messy for some, but that is because an international and diverse organization of many peoples and cultures from around the world will always have to work to achieve a consensus.
     Unlike dispassionate exhibition companies, trade groups and publications that seem to want to dominate trade shows today, TIACA can truly say that it represents organized cargo.

All The Rest Are Pretenders

     Right now air cargo is awash with private interests that either espouse their own vision for things in air cargo or, worse, appear as quick buck artists that e-mail blitz everybody nearly to death and then put on noise events with all kinds of artificial, non-performing meaningless stimuli like industry awards and over the top gala dinners.
     These quickie two or three-day events deliver little value for money.

TIACA Should Be Supported

     TIACA should be attended and deserves industry support.
     TIACA is not perfect but neither is air cargo, or any of us, when you think about it.

What To Expect In Toronto

     Looking ahead to the big week in Toronto, we asked Warren Jones, TIACA Executive Director to share some compelling goings on at the 2018 TIACA ACF and he replied:
     “TIACA’s ACF content is the most global, inclusive, multimodal, thought-provoking program to date.

Plenary Good & Plenty

     “Our opening plenary includes a panel debate on digital transformation with e-Bay and Unisys; as well as the founder of SHE Blockchainers, based in Singapore, a collaborative and collective community empowering women in technology; and the founder of OMX, a Canadian technology company, who is a dragon on the TV show Dragon’s Den in Canada.

Talk Show Style

     “We will do it talk-show style, live stream it and have live Q&A available for anyone to call in, not just the people in the room at the time.
     “TIACA ACF 2018 includes 90 speakers.
     “Ten percent are women and conferees are arriving from all over the world – Asia, Europe, and, of course the Americas.
     “We will top off the amazing Expo and Conference with a fun event Wednesday night on the expo floor sponsored by Miami International Airport, our host for the 2020 ACF with live dancing, food and drinks and a tribute to our 2018 Hall of Fame winner, Chris Leach.
      “It’s going to be a great week for air cargo and I hope everyone can join us,” Warren Jones said.
Geoffrey