ARAMEX, a total transportation and logistics solutions provider, has reinforced its reputation as an innovator in the field by winning the Retail Project Award at this year's World Mail Awards held in London.

Against stiff competition from two industry giants ' Swissport (for its Ymago program) and the US Postal Services & IBM (for the Automated Postal Center), Aramex's open to all, convenient and affordable service triumphed.

In simple terms, Shop&Ship is a mailbox service which allows users to enjoy all the benefits of having a US or UK mailing address, without actually living there. The service offers its customers a personal mailing address in either country where they can receive correspondence as well as business packages and goods ordered via the internet where the provider will only ship to one of those two countries. Aramex then forwards the contents of the mailbox to its customers at highly competitive rates ' saving them time, money and effort.

"This is a tremendous accolade," says Aramex' VP Logistics and Ground Services, Iyad Kamal. "We have long been convinced of the merits of this service which has grown at an incredibly rapid rate since its launch. This international recognition of our global expansion strategy is a testament to the way we are creating, developing and implementing new products ' worldwide. Now it has been recognized by a judging panel of our peers in the mailing industry and we are thrilled to have been selected.

"More than ever this award goes to show our global credentials and the scope of services we are now able to offer our customers wherever in the world they are located," he adds.

The citation from the judges says: "The service conceived and developed by Aramex has filled a huge void in the provision of delivery centers, especially in the Middle East. Their innovative solution for customers of on-line retailers demonstrates how a customer-centric company can influence positively service performance, business growth and significant reduction in costs for the customer. The attention to customer needs greatly impressed the judges."

The World Mail Awards are now in their 8th year and are designed to encourage and publicize best practice within the mail industry worldwide.

Aramex' Senior Vice President, Camille Nasrallah, was presented with the trophy in London by Round-the-World yachtsman, Pete Goss.