TCC and OW Bunker
OW Bunker was a client with TCC for five years. Our last event project for OWB was six months before the company’s unfortunate bankruptcy. During the years of our client-agency relationship, OWB was a well respected and successful global company. TCC dealt with the Director of Global Sales who managed approx 250 traders (sales reps) working out of 30 offices around the globe.

During the years TCC worked with OWB, the company went from being the third largest supplier of bunker oil in the world to being #1.

Background for the events
O.W. Bunker is an international marine fuel supplier. The management team wanted to invite the company’s traders for a two-day trader meeting in order to evaluate the results of the past year, present the vision and strategy for the years to come, and generate buy-in and support among the employees. In addition, the purpose of the meeting was to strengthen the relations between the traders across national borders and unify the organization. An important part of the trader meeting was to integrate the organization’s vision and strategy, as well as challenges and opportunities, into all aspects of the meeting and activities around the meeting

Solution
Two meetings were held – one in Bangkok for the traders from Asia, Oceania and South America – with 85 traders – and one meeting in Zagreb for the European and North American traders with 130 traders. TCC suggested that the meetings be held in countries without O.W. Bunker offices, so that the locations would be “new and unknown” to all employees. Additionally, the locations should be easily accessible from all over the world.

The structures of the two events were identical. The meeting activities, however, were tailored to the surroundings, climate conditions, and the language at the two destinations.

The traders arrived by plane Friday afternoon from their respective locations. A welcome reception was arranged at the hotel upon arrival. The atmosphere was informal and enabled the traders to network and socialize with colleagues from remote offices.

Saturday morning started with a presentation by the O.W. Bunker management team. The presentation was followed by a workshop during which all employees actively expressed and submitted their ideas and inputs.

Before lunch, the traders were introduced to the afternoon’s teambuilding activity. TCC had produced a high paced video with footage from Bangkok and Zagrab respectively. The videos served to motivate and prepare the traders for the afternoon’s competitions and activities. See the Bangkok video and the Zagreb video.

O.W. Bunker River Race in Bangkok
The teambuilding activity in Bangkok was a River Race. Divided into teams, the traders had to solve five teambuilding tasks along the Chao Phraya River. An important part of the River Race was that the teambuilding tasks should reflect the everyday challenges and opportunities faced by O.W. Bunker and the traders.

O.W. Bunker City Race in Zagreb
The City Race in Zagreb took place on foot, but otherwise it was identical to the River Race in Bangkok.

The concluding dinner took place at a nearby restaurant Saturday evening. The winners of the teambuilding activities were awarded and celebrated, and pictures taking during the day circulated on monitors all over the restaurant.

Sunday, the traders returned to their respective locations.

TCC Tasks
In connection with the O.W. Bunker trader meetings, TCC developed, planned and executed the following:

• Development of the overall event concept in accordance with O.W. Bunker’s corporate strategy
• Development of event program and execution of the event
• Research and selection of locations
• Site visits to Bangkok and Zagreb
• Selection of hotels and meeting facilities in Bangkok and Zagreb
• Selection of restaurants and locations for activities outside the hotel
• Continuous coordination with the hotel and development and updating of rooming lists
• Design of all event venues
• All stage and A/V elements
• Branding of all venues with O.W. Bunker logos and slogans
• Transfers between venues
• Catering
• Production of seating plans and place cards
• Ideation and production of motivational videos for kick-starting the teambuilding activities
• Development and execution of the O.W. Bunker River Race teambuilding activity in Bangkok
• Development and execution of the O.W. Bunker City Race teambuilding activity in Zagreb
• Coordination with photographers