Dublin-based freight forwarder EFL International has ensured that customers of one of the city’s last independent airfreight agents have had a smooth ride when the owner decided to call it a day.

Ex-Aer Lingus employee Eddie Byrne, who founded Byrne Air Freight in the early 1980s, retired in December 2019 after many decades of successful trading. But it was very important to him that his staff and customers found a worthy new home.
The answer was EFL International, who's director Chris Radley explains: “With the long relationship between our two companies over many years, Eddie decided to direct all his customers and overseas agents to EFL to ensure continuity for the business, staff and, above all, customers. And, I am pleased to report, just about every customer has decided to come over to EFL.”
June Shaw took up her employment with EFL at the start of January and Darren Greene will follow shortly, from Byrne Air Freight. The new recruits will help to further strengthen EFL’s already substantial airfreight activity, where it has represented the Hong Kong-based U-Freight Group in Ireland for over three decades.
Crucially, it will also add customs expertise as the Irish freight industry gears up for impact of the UK’s exit from the European Union whereby much freight between Ireland and the rest of the world transits the UK, and Brexit could potentially have major implications.
EFL will maintain Byrne Air Freight’s existing  relationships with its overseas agents to maintain continuity. Chris Radley adds that there is ample space at EFL International’s offices and depots to accommodate the new recruits and business.
EFL International, like Byrne Air Freight, has itself been an IATA (International Air Transport Association) member since 1986. It has also recently gained membership of the FIATA international freight forwarders association and is of course a member of the Institute of Freight Forwarders of Ireland (IFFI). It is also a member of the WCA and EGLN global forwarding networks.
EFL International offers a complete range of sea freight, overland trailer and airfreight services to the Irish market, as well as operations in a couple of niche areas. These include Pets on Board, a pet and animal transportation service; with staff that include a fully qualified veterinary nurse and others trained to IATA Live Animal Regulations standards. The pets service handles the furred and feathered friends of people coming to live in Ireland – of which there appear to be ever-increasing numbers, says Chris Radley - as well as animals being moved for breeders and the like.
It also has a motorbike transportation service - Bike on Board - whereby EFL moves bikers' machines in specialised cradles by freight transport from Ireland to locations in Europe – or further  afield- while their owners travel out comfortably by air to rejoin their machines and tour around the continent. The service is also offered in the return direction, particularly for German bikers wanting to travel around Ireland. EFL International also offers a similar service to people importing bikes into Ireland from abroad.