IN THE COURSE OF ITS DUTIES AS OFFICIAL CUSTOMS BROKER AND FREIGHT FORWARDER OF THE 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES, CIRCLE INTERNATIONAL INC., A SUBSIDIARY OF SAN FRANCISCO-BASED THE HARPER GROUP, HAS HAD TO HANDLE SOME UNUSUAL PROJECTS.
CIRCLE RECENTLY ARRANGED THE SHIPMENT FROM BERN, SWITZERLAND, OF THE 125 FOOT “ATLANTA LAURELS” SUPER SWATCH PROMOTING THE OLYMPICS ON PEACHTREE AND FORSYTH STREETS, AN OPERATION THAT REQUIRED TWO SPECIALLY DESIGNED AIRLINE PALLETS AND THE USE OF AN INDUSTRIAL FORKLIFT AND A CRANE TO UNLOAD AND ASSEMBLE THE GIANT WATCH.
IZZY, THE OLYMPIC MASCOT, RELIES ON CIRCLE TO GET IT TO AND FROM ITS APPEARANCES AROUND THE WORLD, AND THE COMPANY ASSISTED IN IMPORTING THE OLYMPIC DISPLAYS FOR THE SLOVENIAN NATIONALITY HOUSE, WHICH OPENED JAN. 23.
CIRCLE ALSO TRANSPORTED EQUIPMENT FOR OVER 50 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING IN THE 1995 NATIONSBANK REGATTA IN SAVANNAH, AND OVERSAW SHIPPING AND QUARANTINE PROCEDURES FOR HORSES THAT COMPETED IN THE SPORT ‘95 THREE-DAY EQUESTRIAN EVENT.
TWO FULL TIME STAFF MEMBERS MOVED INTO ACOG’S LOGISTICS DEPARTMENT SHORTLY AFTER CIRCLE’S OFFICIAL STATUS WAS ANNOUNCED IN 1994, TO ALLOW THEM TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH ACOG OFFICIALS IN COORDINATING THE TRANSPORTATION, CUSTOMS CLEARANCE AND RELATED NEEDS OF NEARLY 200 NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES, 15,000 MEDIA MEMBERS AND ACOG ITSELF, TAMIE ZRECNY, CIRCLE’S MARKETING MANAGER FOR THE OLYMPIC PROJECT, TOLD GLOBALFAX.
MS. ZRECNY ADDED THAT THE COMPANY EXPECTS TO HANDLE OVER 80% OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTS RELATED TO THE OLYMPICS, IN ADDITION TO ITS REGULAR INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS. SHE SAID THAT CIRCLE PLANNED TO ADD PERSONNEL TO ITS MORE THAN 350 OFFICES WORLDWIDE TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXTRA BUSINESS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL MS. ZRECNY AT CIRCLE, (404) 763-1790; FAX, (404) 763-1219.