The staff at Move One's global offices greeted the New Year's across several time zones, bidding farewell to a year that saw the international moving company go through a period of unprecedented change.

With the expansion of the company's global office network in Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, 2003 saw Move One handle more household good shipments than in any previous year. The secret to our success is the hardwork and dedication of our staff and, of course, the faith that you – our partners and clients – place in our services. So, from all of us here at Move One, thanks for making 2003 such a success! We look forward to working with you again in 2004.

Moving company builds on previous experience from the Balkans and CIS

While much of the media attention on the international presence in Iraq has focused on the efforts of American and British troops, other coalition members are playing important roles in the stabilization of that country. One of the more unique contributions has come from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) which sent a contingent of 30 officers to assist with the training of Baghdad’s new police units. Based in Baghdad over a period of three months, members of the SPF undertook the training of some 1,500 local Iraqi officers, covering such basic policing skills as carrying out patrols and guarding key installations.

When the mission was completed in the fall of 2003, Move One handled a job that was truly out of the ordinary– the demobilization of the SPF! From its Baghdad office, Move One packed up and shipped out the personal effects and equipment of the SPF contingent. It’s not the first time that Move One has assisted with the demobilization of a police or army force. From Canadian peacekeepers in Kosovo to anti-terrorism training units in Georgia, Move One has been involved with similar operations the world over.

Despite these past endeavours, the SPF officers were nonetheless reportedly surprised that a moving company was even operating in Baghdad. It's not an altogether uncommon reaction… After all, Move One is not your ordinary mover.

The 41st Annual Meeting of the Household Goods Forwarders Association of America (HHGFAA) took place in Hawaii this past October and, as in previous years, Move One took the opportunity to catch up with its global partner network and forge new alliances with other Association members. Congratulations to the city of Honolulu for once again playing host to a successful Annual Meeting. Move One looks forward to seeing all of you in 2004!

Decision to expand spurred by a sharp increase in demand for household goods forwarding and relocation services in Russian market.

A land mass that covers 6.6 million square miles and stretches from the White Sea in the East to the Pacific Ocean in the West, the facts of Russian geography are mind-boggling to say the least. The sheer size of Russia is enough to make most moving companies balk at the thought of providing country-wide moving services, to say nothing of Russia's less-than-ideal transportation infrastructure.

However, international moving and relocation companies Move One and the Expat Relocation Center (ERC) have never been the sort to turn their backs on a good challenge. During 2003, the companies celebrated the 10-year anniversary of their joint operations in Russia with the opening of a newly renovated Russia headquarters located in downtown Moscow, a stone's throw away from Red Square. John Heisler, a veteran Move One employee with extensive experience in CIS markets, is currently based in Moscow to oversee the expansion of operations.

The expansion of services is being carried out at a time when demand for relocation services is on the increase, particularly in the Moscow and St. Petersburg markets. Indeed, with the Russian economy continuing to strengthen, international corporations are making a return to the country's business centers. The expansion of services will allow Move One and ERC to better serve a fast-growing customer base.

The recent expansion is further proof of the Move One - ERC commitment to CIS markets. It's a commitment that dates back a decade. In 1993, Move One's sister-company, AES Cargo, began providing premium freight forwarding services in Russia. Since then Move One and ERC have expanded their services throughout the CIS and Central Asia with regional offices in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. If you have any questions about Move One or ERC services in Russia or the rest of the CIS contact John Heisler at john.heisler@moveone.info.

The address remains the same but the look has changed. Our IT department has overhauled the Move One website and the end product is definitely worth a visit. www.moveone.info is easily navigable and will feature new tools designed to enhance communications with our partners and clients. The chief vehicle for this is Intrack, our soon to be unveiled online tracking system that will allow our customers to view the current status of any household good shipment in transit. Other changes include an upgraded news forum that features all the latest company information and news from the global moving industry.

Getting involved with the local community is a big part of being a member of the Move One team. The past few months were typically busy for our staff who got involved in a wide variety of community events and charities all over the Move One map. Here’s just a sampling of some of the things that have been keeping us busy outside of the office lately:

AES Group employee participates in South African conference

Zurin Moses, the AES Group's Manager of IT Development, recently participated in a roundtable meeting entitled “Integrating South Africa's Education System” in Budapest, Hungary. The discussion, sponsored by the South African embassy in Budapest, gave an overview of South Africa's transition to a desegregated education system. The forum used Hungary's attempts to integrate its Roma population into the education system as a point of comparison. Zurin was well suited to offer his views on the issue. A native of Capetown, Zurin attended school under the segregated education system that existed in South Africa under apartheid.

Move One delivers charitable donations to Salvation Army

As in previous years, Move One was busy over this holiday season with a variety of charity functions. Of all the world's charity organizations perhaps none is more recognizable than the Salvation Army. Move One was proud to assist in the work of the local Budapest chapter of the Salvation Army by handling the delivery of over 400 bags of gifts and clothes to the organization's Budapest office. The gifts and clothes will be distributed to underprivileged and vulnerable communities in and around Budapest.

"Make A Child Smile" 2003 Charity Drive

It's better to give than receive is a phrase heard often during the holiday season. This holds particularly true when the recipients are children in need. With this in mind, Move One and the Expat Relocation Center organized a charity drive that benefited two groups of children truly deserving of some cheer. Move One collected donations of toys, books, and clothes that were then given to children spending their holidays away from home at Budapest's Semmelweis Cancer Clinic for Children and the Debrecen refugee camp. With help from our partners and clients this charity drive went a long way towards brightening a child's day.

Erik Hemphill, Middle East Operations

Part of the AES Group's considerable Canadian contingent, Erik has been overseeing the company's Iraq operations since July 2003. The Baghdad posting is hardly for the faint of heart but Erik's previous stops on the AES map made him an ideal choice for the job. Having joined the company in early 2002, Erik originally cut his teeth with the company's operations in Afghanistan.

While Erik looks back fondly on his "tour of duty" in Afghanistan, from hearing him speak it's clear he relishes the challenges presented by doing business in present day Iraq – a fact that may come as a surprise to many given the current security situation in that country. Erik readily acknowledges that the security environment has deteriorated since his arrival in Baghdad in June 2003. "As it currently stands, the situation on the ground demands a constant process of assessment and reassessment", Erik remarked. "We rely heavily on our communications network to ensure that security threats have a minimal impact on our logistics operations."

And, while Iraq's current security environment offers a number of challenges, Erik notes there is one positive aspect. "A lack of customs regulations means that so far we have been able to avoid the kind of bureaucratic nightmares that can bog down shipments in other countries."