Hallowed Hauliers: What it takes to become an ICEFAT Member
- Company News
Inception and early years
Back in 1977, a meeting of art specialist shippers identified the growing need for a thread that connected them internationally. The global nature of their business meant they were routinely required to navigate complex requirements to ship priceless works of art from A to B, but without a network of trusted associates it was hard to know who to trust with transporting the irreplaceable.
Unravelling the mystery of membership
Prospective members then enter the audit process undertaken by EY (Ernst & Young) introduced across the whole membership in 2023 in what was a first for the industry. Currently, there are 181 standards across 13 categories, forming a living document that evolves with the times as new technologies and techniques emerge. The audit process covers everything from facilities and equipment, data security, staff and operations, taking up to three months to complete. Only once this has concluded to the satisfaction of the auditors is a vote taken by the membership committee. One may ask who are these mystery members that make up the committees which hold so much sway over applications? They comprise a wide range of members who, through transparency and neutrality, seek to represent the interests of the membership as a whole.
The standards and audit process set ICEFAT apart from other similar organisations and are the reasons that several major insurers recommend their clients to use members of ICEFAT to ship high value objects.
Global growth and the power of the network
Since the launch of ICEFAT’s standards in 2023, the body has seen a surge of applications for membership. Given the stringent requirements, it is quite usual for only a handful of new members to be admitted annually. Four new members have joined the organisation since – Bovis Fine Art and Kunsttrans (2023) and Mobull and Kortmann (2024). ICEFAT has also welcomed three new countries to its membership in the form of Museum Complex in Hungary (2020), GWC in Qatar (2022) and Mobull in Belgium (2024). As of July 2024, ICEFAT has 81 member companies in 38 countries. As the art market grows, so does demand for ever greater quality control in the services that support its expansion…. As the art market grows, so does demand for ever greater quality control in the services that support its expansion. ICEFAT’s stringent membership criteria and standards provide reassurance and value for both the membership and their clients. Business is frequently referred within the membership, which is encouraged to collaborate on complex, multi-country shipments where local market specialists are needed. A recent example of this was during the Venice Biennale set up where Italy’s Apice provided services for the final installation process, navigating the challenging waterways to install the national pavilions after multiple ICEFAT members had shipped to the mainland.
A further value of membership is the annual ICEFAT convention which brings together all members in the autumn for three days of industry related discussions and collaboration. Last year’s convention attracted 210 delegates to Amsterdam from 76 companies, and this year that number is expected to increase further as members congregate in Montreal to network and share best practise.
The recognition that comes with ICEFAT membership is why it is the most coveted of industry bodies serving the art logistics sector. As Mendez puts it, “membership of ICEFAT is no easy or straightforward accomplishment. We don’t harbour ambitions to increase our membership exponentially and we will never compromise our standards or service quality levels.”
ICEFAT has become the byword for excellence, attracting the cream of the art market to its members. If you’re transporting the irreplaceable, why wouldn’t you work with the best?
