newsletter SPRING 2017 PRINTREADY ARTWORK crop printing

GBA Newsletter - Spring 2017
Welcome
Welcome
to the spring edition of the GBA newsletter
Welcome to GBA’s first Newsletter of 2017. Let me wish all of you and your
families a Happy New Year.
2016 was GBA’s most challenging year in the 29 years since I started business in
1987. As I have shared with you many times the impact of the Brexit uncertainties,
the weak European economy and the increased levels of competition meant
that we have all had to work harder and smarter than ever just to keep standing
still. Last year our UK company was the same size as 2015, however the great
news is that our Polish and Austrian companies grew strongly which means that
GBA as a European group will grow around 10%. I fully recognise the efforts in
every country, every depot and every department and I want to thank you for the
Dedicated hard work you have done over the last 12 months.
You all know that I am an optimist by nature. GBA could have never grown to
the size it is without us seeing opportunities in every challenge. This value of
“Enterprising” will be especially needed in 2017. I want to challenge each of you
to find new opportunities every day. This could be a way to sell a new service to
an existing customer, or a new customer lead to pass to Sales department, or a
quicker way of processing paperwork that cuts out duplication. Everyone has a
part to play in our Profit Improvement Plan that will bring long-term job security
for us all.
We have recently had good news with the Sales team bringing in some new
contracts and the depots finding new ways to generate revenue from our current
customers. But one swallow does not make a summer, and I want us all to work
more closely together to build on this positive start.
This year we will celebrate our 30th birthday under the name of GBA. I am
extremely proud of this achievement and I want to mark the occasion with some
type of celebration as our funds allow. I would like this to be the year when our
Family value really shines through and helps us stride towards our 2020 Vision.
David J Birkbeck
Managing Director
2017 is now firmly with us, it has been a strange start to the
year. Article 50 will soon be invoked, Brexit negotiations will
commence. President Donald Trump is at his desk in the
Oval office at the White House. I can’t remember another
year starting like this one, with so much discontent and
disharmony throughout our Nation and the USA. The world
for us all is changing I hope it will be for the better, but we
do face a voyage into the unknown.
In the Gospel of Matthew 6 verse 33 & 34 Jesus says “Seek
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all
these things (your needs) shall be added to you. Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Jesus was not telling us that we shouldn’t plan for the
future, but rather we shouldn’t waste energy by worrying
about things that may or may not happen.
In GBA we are continually planning for the future, there
is a team who are looking into the potential markets
that the changes in the UK’s relationship with the global
communities will bring to us, and as part of the wider team
I pray that you will join me asking for God’s wisdom and
guidance as we grasp the opportunities that will be coming
our way, both personally and as a Company, as Brexit
implications becomes clearer and our relationship with the
USA and the many other new markets develop.
With every blessing for the coming year. Looking forward
with hope and anticipation, with no time for worry.
David W Birkbeck
Chairman
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