Orbit Moving & Storage Co. Ltd.

Formed in partnership with Orphee Beinoglou International Forwarders SA - itself established in Athens in 1923 and already by then Greece’s leading international removals and freight forwarding concern – the new company’s primary objective was to introduce the single concept of International ‘Door-to-Door’ Removals into Cyprus.

Merging the multiple elements of export packing services, national and international transportation, freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and delivery services into a single seamless product, controlled by one single service provider, this innovative concept overrode tradition.

Until then, individual shippers, each with their very specific and individual needs, could only rely upon separately contracted services for each and every stage of their move. Professional, and so, legal, responsibility remained very much fragmented, every individual contract subject to that particular industry’s local or international terms of trade and any overall liability for loss or damage remaining poorly established.

The new alternative offered by Orbit was quickly recognized for its main benefit, eliminating any need for the shipper to be directly involved with the interim services required. Consequently, neither the ‘shipper’ not the ‘consignee’ - for most household removals shipments, normally, one and the same person – had to concern themselves with mastering the complex terms and language of Freight Forwarding, developed specifically to establish legal transfer of responsibility and ownership of pure commercial ‘ cargo’.

Resultantly, the shipper truly became ‘The Client’, fully empowered to hold one party, alone, responsible for handling their personal and household effects (no longer treated as mere ‘ cargo’), from point of packing and pick-up, through to its delivery and unpacking at final destination.

Today, this same ‘Door-to-Door’ concept has become the internationally accepted standard of service within the International Household Removals industry, often imitated by others , but never equalled.

With sister companies in Greece, The Lebanon, Bulgaria, Romania, and FYR Macedonia, the Orbit brand has become recognized throughout the region as a group dedicated to supporting the professional ethics and principles of our Industry - First & Foremost

From its first foundation in 1982, Orbit has always striven for and achieved full and active participation within the International Removals Industry’s leading professional associations, regardless of the additional associated costs incurred for provision of continuous financial guarantees. Regular attendance, by one or more members of staff, at annual overseas Trade Congresses and Conferences has been considered a vital requirement, in exchanging professional viewpoints on an international level, in actively representing Cyprus’ commercial interests and in taking a direct role in the development of industry specific Quality Standards

First and foremost, came Orbit’s successful application in 1984, for affiliation to FIDIFederation Internationale des Demenageurs Internationaux / International Federation of International Removers). This was considered a very necessary step, having promoted this association’s own concept of full Door-to-Door Service on a trusted Agent-to-Agent basis, from its very own inception.

Now, with FIDI requiring all members and future applicants to meet the stringent Quality Standards of its own FAIM ( FIDI Accredited International Mover) program, Orbit was one of the first affiliates within the Eastern Mediterranean region to voluntarily apply for, and receive certification in 2001. In January 2004, the Company undertook a scheduled requalifying Audit for which notification has been received of its success.

During the course of Orbit’s establishment, further applications for membership of National Associations with significant International representation were made, and currently include BAR (British Association of Removers), HHGFAA ( Household Goods Forwarders Association of America), NMSA & AMC, now AMSA (American Moving & Storage Association), LACMA (Latin American & Caribbean Movers Association).

In best recognition of Orbit’s continuous market leadership, its application for Membership / Shareholding Partnership of OMNI (Overseas Moving Network International Ltd) was accepted in 1999. Again, requiring a substantial financial performance guarantee, Orbit remains the only company in Cyprus to have been admitted to this elite group of International Removals Companies, all, by statutory requirement, FIDI-FAIM qualified.

In the ongoing development of the FAIM Quality Standard, Orbit, together with other interested affiliates around the World, continues in active dialogue with the Faim Steering Committee, in redefining the qualification criteria for future applicants seen by many as set too low. With a minimum qualification of 10 International Household Removals per annum, many members consider that this cannot be truly representative of active international experience, within an industry where well-qualified members may undertake in excess of 100 removals per month.

Orbit owns and maintains a purpose-built Headquarters Office, Operations Centre, and Storage Facility, situated in Ayios Athanasios, Limassol and set adjacent to the main Nicosia-Limassol-Paphos Highway. Officially opened in 1999 by the then Minister of Communications and Works, Mr Averoff Neophytou the entire facility was described, in his own words, as “State of the Art”

Of concrete and steel construction, and with an earthquake resistant structure, the facility is set on 3 levels, with 720m² of dry secure closed storage facilities at sub-level, utilizing industry standard 250ft³ wooden Storage Vaults, stacked 2-high. At ground level, 250m² of dry secure closed storage is available for goods in transit and short-term storage.

At the building rear, a permanent concrete and steel load platform abuts on to the container yard and allows for the positioning of up to 9 20’/40’/45’ ISO Shipping Containers, for direct crossloading to / from delivery vans and for drive-in devanning / vanning of containers for shipments ‘in wood’.

To the front, at ground level, Reception and office facilities for the Group’s TNT courier service, lead up to a suite of first floor offices, those at the rear directly overlooking the container facility and occupied by Orbit’s operational management.

The entire complex has full Zoned Security and Fire Systems installed, all monitored on a 24hr/7day basis and with CCTV coverage.

Additional storage facilities are maintained in Limassol, Nicosia, and Larnaca.