The Meyer Group of Companies is rebranding its shipping business through its Meyer Freight division. And one of the first steps they've taken is to rehire well known shipping representative George Butterfield.

Mr. Butterfield, 43, from Warwick, worked for Meyer Shipping as a ship agent from 1992 to 2000, when he left to work as a Customs officer.

Recently, he left HM Customs to return to Meyer, where he is now responsible for sales and marketing, reporting to Stephen Paynter, Meyer Freight's new vice-president.

The company officially announced Mr. Butterfield's return yesterday. "With more than 18 years of experience in this field George Butterfield brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team," said Mr. Paynter.

"We are glad to have him back on board and I know our customers will benefit from interacting with him as well."

The father of one started out in the shipping business as a freight manager with John S. Darrell & Co. Ltd. "I learned quite a bit from them," he reflected.

"Then I came over to Meyer back in 1992 where I worked for eight years before shifting to HM Customs where I worked for nine years and now I'm back at Meyer.

"Basically as a Customs officer you're still involved in shipping because of the fact that everything that comes into the Island is shipped — via container ship or air freight."

Cheryl Hayward-Chew, president of Meyer Group of Companies said Mr. Butterfield's experience as a Customs officer is a benefit to the job.

She added: "We have welcomed George back, he was a very good ships agent and people have to expand and grow and the fact he went into Customs — that was a huge value added in terms of the way he can service Meyer Freight clients. It's because he understands another aspect of what they're having to deal with so, from a service point of view, it's great and George comes up with all sorts of ideas so he's a force to be reckoned with."

Meyer Freight acts as the local shipping agent for cargo vessel the Bermuda Islander, which sails from Salem, New Jersey and the Somers Isles which operates from Fernandina Beach, Florida.

"When it comes to the Bermuda Islander we not only ship from New Jersey, but worldwide. New Jersey also serves as a transit point," Mr. Butterfield pointed out.

"We also ship containers from the far east. This week we have a container from South Africa, so we ship containers from all around the world."

Asked what the company specialises in, "full container loads" he noted. "Or (large bulk) shipping. That can be cars, tractors, things that can't fit inside a container.

Bermuda Islander is owned by Bermuda International Shipping Ltd. (BISL) and Somers Isles is owned partly by BCL and BISL.