Forward Solutions is celebrating the expertise and achievements of two of its team, as they transition into new roles.

Nigel Smith and Kevin Bell have held key roles at the company for over three decades having overseen a great deal of change over that time at the company.

Nigel, a Customer Success Manager, joined Forward Computers, as the company was then known in 1996, before it rebranded in 2021 as Forward Solutions, having initially been a customer.

He joined the firm to add his extensive freight industry experience to the ranks, which has formed a huge part of his 27 years with Forward Solutions. Based in Maidstone, Nigel has worked flexibly – “even before it became the norm!” and supports the company’s southern based clients.

Integration Specialist Kevin was a former customer of the company when he joined in 1998. He was one of the first users of Forward Office, the flagship freight management solution in 1986, the year Forward Solutions began its operations. He has mostly worked in the integration of EDI (electronic data interchange), a very technical process, within which he is an industry-renowned expert.

As they look to the future, both Nigel and Kevin are beginning to switch their focus to providing help and support to the rest of the workforce. They are administering training to the entire team at Forward Solutions, to ensure their combined knowledge is passed to the entire business.

Nigel said: “I have enjoyed a great career so far here at Forward Solutions. We have seen lots of innovation and improvement in our time at the company. I know from working so closely with our customers that they truly enjoy and see the benefits of using our products, and we have always remained at the forefront of adopting new technology to help improve our offering.

“Having worked in the freight industry for almost five decades, I want to pass on and impart the accrued knowledge I have gained in that time to my colleagues. It will only improve the level of service we will be providing our customers with – I’m excited about this next phase of my career!”

Kevin added: “I came to Forward for a new challenge in 1998, and I have definitely had that throughout my time here to date, as the industry and company has shifted with the times.

“We remain a forward-thinking, progressive company, and I know it’s energising for both Nigel and myself to be passing down our expertise to the rest of the team.”

Christopher Hewlett, Freight Software Group CEO, said: “Nigel and Kevin are both excellent and valued team players, and have been ever since they joined us. They have overseen a lot of change in both the technology and freight industries over that time, but have always stayed well informed, and continued to deliver our high-quality service to our customers.

“Now, as they look to the next chapter of their careers, we are delighted to have them providing guidance and support to the rest of our team, through the implementation of comprehensive training programmes in their specialisms.”