SSM Group celebrates six years of activity

From a vision to grow to being a leading name in promoting the best working practices in the logistical and supply chain management sector both in the local and foreign market, Support and Supply Management Group (SSM Group), also known as the Logistics Foundation Centre, in Hamrun, is celebrating its sixth year of activity. The group is also better established with its new training centre which offers ongoing training and consultancy services.

The SSM Group officially opened its information and education centre in September 1998, after the approval and accreditation by the Institute of Logistics in the UK. The idea to open an information and education centre specialising in logistics and supply chain management was born when Alex Borg, founder and director of the group, evaluated the local industry operating in this sector and realised it needed to improve.

In the late Nineties, there were few educational institutions offering training in this field, and so there was a need of training awareness in the import and export sector and local distribution chain sector.

To continue promoting awareness, Mr Borg joined the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) training team and was, and still is, responsible for designing and delivering training schemes in supply chain management skills.

Meetings rooms, where training is conducted, and a library are available at the centre. The library contains books, magazines and supplements, and also videos and CDs on supply chain and logistics management, industry and environment.

Today, the Group has a network of resources in three countries - the UK, Malta and the recent office and training centre opened in the United Arab Emirates catering for the Middle-East and Gulf Region.

In the UK, SSM Group has an agreement with two leading training and consultancy groups - Woodward Group, based in Carlisle, Cumbria, and the People Development Group, in Leicestershire. Through this agreement, SSM Group resources are constantly updated in terms of training standards and professional services.

Through Woodward Group, SSM Group provides a high quality standard of training in various areas of management and health and safety.

The People Development Group is an international name in the training and professional services within the logistics and supply chain management.

Last year the Group joined ICTD - the International Centre for Training and Development - in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with the aim of setting up an institution to provide vocational training, education programmes and professional qualifications programmes in management and logistics management.

Mr Borg, director of the centre, graduated in Purchasing and Supply Management from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) in Stamford and in Stores and Inventory Management from the College of Professional Management in Jersey, UK. He also holds an international and recognised qualification in Logistics Management and continues to undergo training in the UK.

He has been involved in training since 1994 when he was entrusted by the ETC to deliver training programmes tailor made for the local industry. In 1997, he became a Member of the Malta Institute of Management (MIM) and devised a set of management programmes.

He is involved in various workshops, seminars and presentations on supply chain management and logistics and transport management held at Malta Enterprise and at University. Since 1999, Mr Borg has also formed part of the training team of EAN International (Malta) branch.

He is a member of the CIPS (Stamford), the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport in the UK, member of the Malta Institute of Management, member of EAN Malta, and a member of the Foundation for Human Resources Development (FHRD).

Mr Borg was recently elected board director of EAN and the FHRD and the E-Business Foundation.

For more information, phone the centre on 2123-1015/9942-9536, e-mail ssm@keyworld.net or visit the centre's Website at www.ssm-group.org.