Airforwarders Association intense surge in membership growth

The growth in the number of freight forwarding companies joining the Airforwarders Association (AfA) has reached unprecedented levels, with the organisation's regular membership rolls expanding by nearly 25 percent over the past year, the AfA announced today.

More than half of the increase in the association's regular membership – which is comprised of freight forwarding companies that focus on air cargo – has come in just the past few weeks.

The AfA now represents 230 such enterprises in addition to more than 120 other businesses and organizations, including major airlines that work with or serve freight forwarding operations.

Brandon Fried, the AfA's Executive Director said: "As they contemplate increased business in an improving economy, forwarders are likely realizing that the regulatory framework for air freight and other commonly used modes is now more extensive and complex than ever.

“So they want to make certain their voice is heard in Washington and that they have a way to keep current on regulatory and industry developments.”

As an alliance of indirect air carriers, airlines, truckers and affiliated businesses located throughout the global transportation community, the AfA currently represents companies ranging from small businesses with fewer than 20 employees to large global enterprises employing thousands of people, as well as business models varying from domestic to worldwide logistics operations.

Fried pointed out that that much of the cargo handled by the nation's air freight forwarders is transferred across two or more modes of transportation between shipper and receiver.  Accordingly, he said, the AfA has become increasingly active in legislative initiatives and regulatory issues that are present across the broad range of transportation modes, including trucking, shipping and railroads as well as air freight.

The association also represents air freight forwarders across more than a dozen government advisory boards and industry councils, including the Department of Homeland Security Aviation Advisory Committee and its Critical Infrastructure Protection Air Cargo Security Working Group, the Transportation Security

Administration Aviation Security Advisory Committee and the TSA Known Shipper Users Group, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commercial Operations Advisory Committee, the Department of Commerce Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness and the US Chamber of Commerce Global Supply Chain Security Group.

About the Airforwarders Association

The Airforwarders Association (AfA) represents more than 350 member companies dedicated to moving cargo throughout the supply chain. The association's members range from small businesses with fewer than 20 employees to large companies employing more than 1,000 people and business models varying from domestic to worldwide freight forwarding operations. In short, they are the travel agents for freight shipments, moving cargo in the timeliest and most cost efficient manner whether it is carried on aircraft, truck, rail or ship. For more information, visit the association's website at airforwarders.org.