Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Dr. Fang Liu and Deputy Director for Aviation Security and Facilitation, Mr. Sylvain Lefoyer visited Hactl recently, accompanied by Mr. Raymond Ng, Acting Assistant Director-General (Airport Standards), Civil Aviation Department, Hong Kong . Hactl Chief Executive Mark Whitehead and Executive Director Simon Fu extended a warm welcome to the visitors and gave an overview of the giant Hactl operation.
Hactl has once again participated as an exhibitor in Air Cargo Europe 2017 (part of transport logistic) held in Munich, taking the opportunity to meet customers and the media. For this year’s event, Hactl created a series of souvenirs to promote the culture of Hong Kong to visitors from over 120 countries. Among these were soaps in the shape of the well-known classic pastries of Hong Kong - “Pineapple Buns”, “Egg Tarts” and “Put Chai Ko”. There were also minibus destination board key fobs, crafted by the last minibus sign-writer in Hong Kong, Mr. Mak Kam-sang. The cute souvenirs proved a hit with the many visitors to the stand. The biennial Transport Logistic event is the world’s largest exhibition for the global logistics industry. This year it attracted over 60,000 visitors and over 2,000 exhibitors.
6 Hactl teams have taken part for the first time in the 2017 Tree Planting Challenge: one of the annual major events of Friends of the Earth (HK). Although the weather was hot and participants had to plant seedlings and hike a distance of 8-9 km in 5 hours, they all showed great enthusiasm in supporting the drive to improve Hong Kong’s environment. Two of the Hactl teams achieved 2nd and 4th places. Some 300 people took part in the event, planting about 2,000 seedlings in Tai Lam Country Park, restoring an area devastated by forest fires in 2012.
157 long-serving Hactl staff received recognition of their dedication to the company, at the latest Long Service Award Dinner at City Hall Maxim’s Palace. All those who received awards had worked for Hactl for over 20 years, and two – Choi Tak Wing and Ng Yan Chi - stole the show with over 40 years’ service each, having joined the company shortly after its launch in 1976. Chief Executive Mark Whitehead once again had the pleasant duty of presenting the certificates.
Hactl major customer DHL has presented Hactl with its Star Performance Award for Outstanding Handling Service in Hong Kong, for the third successive year. Executive Director Vivien Lau and Chief Executive Mark Whitehead were on hand to receive the honour at a presentation ceremony in Singapore.
Hactl’s Service Excellence Awards have once again recognized staff who have given outstanding performance. The latest awards covered the second half of 2016, and rewarded team work, innovative ideas, preparedness for emergencies and professional knowledge. Hactl customers Cargolux, Air Canada, and Emirates were among many guests attending the event, and presented the awards to 37 staff.
Hactl staff and families have enjoyed an afternoon of rock-climbing, thanks to Hactl Sports Association. The event was a new activity for the club, designed to bring workers and their families together in a fun and healthy pursuit. Most of those who took part were also first-timers: but that didn’t hold them back as they learned new skills and successfully scaled the 7-metre high wall. Several participants said they would now like to try a more difficult wall!
Hactl has once again been honoured with the Corporate Safety Performance Award, at the 2016/17 Airport Safety Recognition Awards, organised annually by Airport Authority Hong Kong. At the ceremony, a total of 20 awards were presented to Hactl, its individual staff members and teams for their contributions to airport safety throughout the year – the most awards received by any company.
Hactl’s Men’s Relay Team bagged first place at this year’s Walk Up Jardine House fundraising event, scaling 49 flights of stairs in just 3 minutes 45 seconds. Leanne Szeto once again took the Women’s Individual prize, completing the 49 floor course in just 6 minutes 33 seconds. This fun event has a serious aim: to raise funds for MINDSET, Jardine Matheson Group’s in-house charity, whose goal is to make a real difference in the area of mental health.
A group of VIP delegates from Thailand visited Hactl on 3 March. Hactl Chief Executive Mark Whitehead extended a warm welcome to the visitors, who were led by Mrs. Chanintorn Rimcharone (Director – Division of Agricultural Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand), and joined by Mr. Witt Maneenetr (Trade Commissioner & Consul, Thai Trade Centre, Royal Thai Consulate General, Hong Kong). The delegation was clearly impressed by the world-class facilities, highly efficient operation and innovative technology throughout SuperTerminal 1.
Hactl is staging its annual Blood Donation Day twice in 2017, in order to allow more staff to participate. The first 2017 Blood Donation Day, held in early March, drew the usual solid support from Hactl’s big-hearted staff. The event will be repeated in August. Hactl’s Blood Donation Days are organized in conjunction with the Red Cross.
The Hactl Inter-departmental Bowling Tournament once again received an overwhelming response, with all departments entering talented contestants. To ensure fair competition, participants were only allowed to use bowling balls provided by the venue this year. Following an exciting contest, Service Delivery-GSA team was crowned Champion of the departmental competition. The Men’s Individual Champion title went to Lam Wai Hong (Service Delivery-GSA), while the Ladies’ Individual Champion was Yip Fung Chun Jenny (Hacis).
Charity CareER has presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Hactl in recognition of its support for graduates with disabilities in Hong Kong. Hactl’s Senior Manager - Human Resources, Jason Lee, received the certificate at CareER’s annual reception on 18 February. CareRE is a local non-profit organization which aims to maximize the capabilities of disabled students and graduates in the work force. Hactl has already employed two CareER students and was a Gold Sponsor of the CareER fund-raising walkathon in 2016.
A Hactl team of four once again took first place in the Aviation and Airport Service Cup, at the Green Power Hike 2017 - breaking Hactl’s 2016 record, with a time of just 6 hours 19 minutes to complete the challenging 50km Hong Kong Trail course. In the 24 year history of the annual event, over 120 organizations have raised more than HK$83 million for environmental education programmes.
SF Airways has given the award for “Best Outstation Performance & Best Business Partner of 2016” to Hactl, which has provided ground handling services to the airline since 2010. The airline said it had been impressed by the professional one-stop shop service provided by Hactl. “Hactl also appreciates this long-term partnership, and the confidence in us shown by SF Airways,” says Executive Director Simon Fu.
Teams from 8 international airlines competed in the International Forklift and Pallet Building Competition 2017, demonstrating their skills to panels of expert industry judges. Among those attending the event were VIP guests Mr. Yau Shing-mu (Under Secretary for Transport and Housing), Mr. Wu Wai-hung (Assistant Commissioner for Labour (Occupational Safety)) and Dr. Winson Yeung (Principal Consultant, Occupational Safety and Health Council). The competition, launched ten years ago by Hactl, promotes serious messages about aviation safety and safety at work.