Dublin-based freight forwarder EFL International Distribution has appointed Kevin Blake as sales and development manager.

Blake, pictured below, was previously operations manager at Freighteam Ireland and over the last two decades had management responsibility for a number of the company’s areas of operation including a daily UK groupage trailer service, a Turkish road service, a bonded warehouse, as well as a forwarding department.

He has broad knowledge and experience of the Irish logistics market in both imports and exports and holds a FIATA diploma in Freight Forwarding.

EFL director Chris Radley comments: “Kevin joins us at a time when all the company’s operations covering airfreight, ocean freight, customs clearance, together with our pet and bike-on-board services are performing well.

“The Irish freight industry is seeing many opportunities arising from the UK’s exit from the EU and a change in some trading patterns as a result of the impact that exit has had on the traditional UK routing for much freight between Ireland and the rest of the world. EFL is aiming to capitalise on those opportunities and Kevin’s appointment is part of that.”

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.

It also has a motorbike transportation service - Bike on Board - whereby EFL moves bikers' machines in specialised cradles by freight transport to and from Ireland while their owners travel out comfortably by air to rejoin their machines and tour, allthough this is currently limited as a result of the travel restrictions caused by the COVID pandemic.

EFL has also represented the Hong Kong-based U-Freight Group in Ireland for over three decades.