Amsterdam, 12 April 2012. GLS is the new logistics partner for the European Film Awards. In future, the parcel service will be responsible for distributing the selected films to the members of the European Film Academy (EFA), transporting the prize statuettes to the award ceremony and delivering the stars their own personal copy.

The EFA will be awarding the "European Oscars" for 25th time in December. For the first time, the sponsor GLS will be responsible for the parcel logistics surrounding the most important awards in European cinema. "As Europe is our core market, the European idea has a special significance for us", said Rico Back, CEO of the GLS Group. "We are, therefore, delighted to be supporting the best of European film with what we do best - delivering parcels reliably and safely".

 

The EFA has approximately 2,500 members in 37 different countries and includes many celebrities from the world of cinema among its members. In September, they will each be receiving their DVDs to view for the nominations. Each parcel must arrive on time. It is only in this way that all the judges have the same opportunity to cast their vote.

Film parcels by land and by air

In Europe, the GLS Group connects dense national distribution networks with precisely co-ordinated long-distance road transport. Modern information technology supports all business operations and the delivery of parcels is constantly monitored and assured in compliance with uniform quality standards.

 

Around the world, GLS ensures rapid processing of deliveries with its own air freight office. The GLS airport office at Frankfurt airport in Germany handles all import and export matters. GLS is also registered as an IATA air cargo agent and as a regulated agent of the German air freight authorities.

Safe delivery of small works of art

The EFA is also entrusting its logistics partner with the delivery of the statuettes. Prior to the award ceremony, GLS will collect the silver female figures on their granite base from the London jeweller's Theo Fennell and transport them to the award venue.

 

The whole GLS system is designed with security in mind. Parcels are scanned at all important interfaces and this, together with security and alarm technology, allows GLS to forestall all eventualities systematically.

Delivery to the very door of the celebrities

As the names of the European film award winners are kept strictly secret, the statuettes are not engraved at the time of the awards. It is only after the award ceremony that they are individually engraved. It is then that the final phase in the whole process begins - the delivery of the statuettes to the stars.

 

As with the shipping of the DVDs to the members of the EFA, this demands a high degree of flexibility - celebrities don't necessarily have their names displayed at their address. "We will work closely together with the Film Academy and the celebrities to ensure that each European Film Award reaches its proper destination", says Rico Back.

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The GLS Group in Europe

GLS, General Logistics Systems B.V. (headquartered in Amsterdam), realises reliable, high-quality parcel services for 220,000 customers in Europe, complemented by logistics and express services. "Quality leader in European parcel logistics" is GLS' guiding principle. In this context, sustainability is emphasized at GLS: its Europe-wide Think Green Initiative bundles activities aimed at protecting the environment. Through wholly owned and partner companies, the Group provides a network coverage of 42 European states and is globally connected via contractual agreements. 38 central transhipment points and 642 depots are at GLS' disposal. With its ground based network GLS is one of the leading parcel service providers in Europe. 13,100 employees handle 363 million parcels per year. Every day 17,100 vehicles are on route for GLS. In the financial year 2010/11 GLS achieved revenues of 1.75 billion euros.