Blue skies are on the horizon for freight forwarder!

(extract from 53 Degrees)

Colin Gore was so impressed with the service he got from air and sea freight specialist Skymart Worldwide that he now runs the company.

Colin comes from a background in retail having worked at the Marks & Spencer store in Stockport until 1991. From 1991 to 1998 he worked for Adidas (UK) Ltd where he first came across Skymart Worldwide as a customer. He later spent three years working for outdoor clothing company Helly Hansen in Holland, where he was again a customer of Skymart Worldwide. He returned to the UK in late 2000 and was headhunted to work for Sky Sports on a short term contract. He was later taken on by Skymart Worldwide, originally as a Far East Route Development Manager and became one of is Directors following a Management Buy Out in 2005.

Colin said;"It's quite unusual to have started out as a customer and then end up running the company. I was always impressed with Skymart Worldwide as a customer so it was great to get involved with it from the other side. It was a unique opportunity to really get involved with a company that had always given good customer service - and make it even better."

Skymart Worldwide was founded in 1993 by James Softley, Malcolm Knox and Rob Moore. The company employs 14 people in its offices near Manchester Airport and five people in London. Its main markets are as diverse as the Far East, the Middle East and the United States. It provides freight services for importers and exporters alike using all modes of transport by mainly sea and air.

Despite its name, today almost half of the freight Skymart Worldwide handles goes by sea because of the rising cost of air freight and environmental concerns with some of the larger clients.

Colin said; "Customers are becoming more concerned about their carbon footprint, hence the growth in the amount of freight being sent by sea. This side of the market is likely to increase as businesses try to show their 'green' credentials, a policy which Skymart is adopting at is Manchester and London offices to align itself with the clients."

"China is still a major market for us, but India has the potential to be an even bigger market and is working hard on its internal infrastructure. Skymart Worldwide is ready, willing and able to be in the best position when this area expands to take a major share of world trade."