For The World’s 50 Best Bars, we handled the transport to Palazzo del Ghiaccio in Milan. A trailer and a rigid truck delivered the bars and event materials to the venue. Behind that delivery lay a preparation in which vehicle choice, load distribution, transit documents and coordination with the client were closely intertwined.
A suitable plan starts with the right questions
The first request came in as early as August. The overall schedule was fixed, but the venue and the final list of materials were still being developed. Our client expected to bring several bars, small equipment and flight cases. For our project team, the work therefore started with questions: where can we unload, how much space will the goods take up and which vehicles can access the site?
Once Palazzo del Ghiaccio was confirmed as the venue, we could work out the plan in more detail. We discussed accessibility, shared the dimensions and indicative loaded weights of our vehicles and aligned unloading with the organisation’s schedule. The stay in Milan and the night-time return loading were also planned in advance. After all, at an event the dismantling also has to fit into the transport planning.
The full load did not fit into one trailer. We therefore opted for a trailer with a tail lift, supplemented by a rigid truck with a tail lift and a pallet truck. The bars were on wheels, so a truck-mounted forklift was not needed for this job. The combination also offered a practical solution for the last few metres: if the trailer could not unload directly at the venue, the rigid truck could shuttle from a nearby car park.
The loading plan grew along with the preparation. During packing, it turned out that some bars consisted of more trolleys than first thought. The client then split the packing lists and invoices per vehicle: one set for the seven bars in the trailer and one set for the other materials in the rigid truck. This gave us a load distribution that matched the goods as actually packed.
This choice of vehicles gave our drivers sufficient loading capacity as well as the flexibility to bring the goods right up to the venue. It was precisely that combination that mattered for this job.
The paperwork travels too
Both vehicles were scheduled to travel via Switzerland. We therefore included the T2 transit documents in the preparation from the start. These required a commercial invoice and a packing list per vehicle, matching the goods to be loaded in that truck.
To help our client on their way, we provided templates for the invoice and packing list. We then checked the details together: the VAT numbers of the sender and recipient, the HS codes of the goods and the net and gross weights. The details on the invoices and packing lists had to match. By aligning this before departure, the documents for the transit application could be prepared.
Coordination with the customs agent was also part of this. Representation required a power of attorney and up-to-date company details. We guided the collection of the necessary documents. At the same time, we requested the documentation for the return shipment, so that this application could also be prepared before the outward journey.
In addition to the transit documents, the CMR consignment notes are part of the transport file. They record the transport details, such as the sender, recipient and description of the load. The load distribution per vehicle forms the basis for these as well. This is how the loading plan, packing lists, invoices and transport documents are all connected.
Together, all the way to the right spot
Shortly before departure, we shared the vehicle and driver details with the client. The unloading time was also finalised: on 6 October, unloading on site could start from 07:00. This gave the organisation and our drivers clarity about the arrival and execution in advance.
In Milan, all the preparation came together. Our drivers assisted each other with unloading and helped bring the goods inside. Where necessary, the rigid truck made it possible to move the materials from the trailer closer to the venue. A practical interplay between planning, drivers and the people on site.
For visitors, an event is all about what happens inside. Our work starts weeks earlier, with the first list of materials and the questions about accessibility. On this job, the added value lay precisely in that interplay: thinking along about the transport, supporting with the paperwork and then also rolling up our sleeves on site.
Thanks to our drivers for their commitment and to our client for their trust and this great assignment!
Do you have an event or project where the transport requires extra preparation and attention? Our Schotpoort Project Management team is happy to think along with you.
Get in touch via spm@schotpoortgroup.eu.
See this project on LinkedIn as well.