IN D U ST RY N EW S Hilldrup rebrands Graebel service arm after acquisition Hilldrup has acquired Graebel Commercial Services, Inc. (GCS) and relaunched the business as WeSolve Workplace Environments (WeSolve). The newly named business unit will operate under the Hilldrup umbrella, providing planning and management services for workplace mobility projects around the world. GCS was founded in 1993 and has worked with a variety of organisations, including Fortune 1000 companies, hospitality properties, and healthcare facilities. WeSolve will continue operating remotely, with employees based across the US. Scott Snead, former President of GCS, will continue as President of the new business. This will be a new capability for Hilldrup, which will allow us to significantly expand our commercial, logistics and workplace services for our clients across the country and the globe, said Charles McDaniel, President and CEO of Hilldrup. The services provided, while complementary to our existing capabilities, are entirely different, positioning Hilldrup as the nations premier workplace mobility provider. Jimmy Murray, Executive Vice President and CFO of Hilldrup, said: The staff and clients joining WeSolve can expect that same mindset and a seamless transition. Same team, same process, same service. Cargo theft climbs to 10-year high Cargo theft has continued to rise in the US and Canada in the first half of 2023. According to cargo theft security network CargoNet, there were 582 thefts in the two countries in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023, a rise of 57 per cent against the same period in 2022. This follows rises of 61, 49 and 82 per cent year on year in January, February and March 2023 respectively. Q2 thefts represented more than US$44m, with the average theft value increasing nearly $100,000 to $260,703, as thieves sought out higher-value cargoes. Move volumes set to rise in 2023 Gosselin makes Frey & Klein purchase International moving business Gosselin has announced the acquisition of Frey & Klein Internationale Spedition GmbH. The deal includes Frey & Kleins new warehouse facilities in Simmern, Hunsrck, Germany, and is part of a strategy to bring further European haulage activities in-house. Marcel Jrg, CEO of Gosselin Moving, said: It has become increasingly challenging to find professional long-haul drivers who are skilled in packing and loading household goods. Frey & Kleins consistent high-quality services impressed us over the many years we have worked together. In addition, the acquisition allows us to substantially increase our local customer base in Germany, which nicely complements the activities we have been developing in Berlin since 2021. Frey & Kleins Managing Director, Stefan Klein, will continue to oversee the activities of this arm of the business. Around half of US moving businesses expect relocation volume and budgets to rise during 2023, according to Atlas Van Lines 56th corporate relocation survey. The annual report of small, medium, and large companies found that: 68 per cent of firms saw an increase in the number of employees relocated in 2022, up seven points on the previous year; 64 per cent saw relocation budget allocation rise (up six points); and 51 per cent reported an increase in international relocations (up two points). Just more than a third of businesses (34 per cent) cite economic conditions as the most significant external factor affecting trade, a decrease from 41 per cent in 2021. Recruitment continues to be an issue for many companies, with 27 per cent reporting that they have had difficulty finding qualified employees locally down slightly from 31 per cent last year. A quarter (25 per cent) of companies said they are dealing with increases in supply chain and logistics constraints, a doubling of 2021s percentage, while 26 per cent of companies said political and regulatory changes have had an impact on relocation. Full results of the Atlas Van Lines Corporate Relocation Survey can be found on the company website. 12 FF311 Sept-Nov 23 pp12-19 News.indd 12 14/09/2023 15:47 DBon