Broekman sells out of bulk

SHIFTING FOCUS

ACQUISITION • BROEKMAN HAS DECIDED TO GET OUT OF THE BULK CHEMICALS GAME, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS FOR VAN MOER, AS IT HAS BOUGHT FOUR SITES THAT WILL COMPLETE ITS SERVICE OFFERING IN ANTWERP

VAN MOER LOGISTICS has acquired Broekman Logistics Belgium Antwerp (BLBA), which operates four Seveso-rated sites on the right bank of the River Scheldt in Antwerp, offering integrated bulk chemicals solutions, including the drumming and filling of intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) from tankers and the repackaging of powders and granulates.

The four BLBA sites offer a total of 106,000 m2 of storage space for hazardous and non-hazardous goods, with space to store up to 680 loaded tank containers. The business, which was acquired by Broekman Logistics from Gadot-owned VLS Group in 2019, employs 130 people and achieved revenues of €33m in 2021.

“The circle in our one-stop-shop story is now complete for both left and right bank,” says Jo van Moer, founder and CEO of Van Moer Logistics. “With the takeover of Group Van Loon earlier this year, we already allocated depot, cleaning and repair activities on the right bank. Thanks to the addition of BLBA we now also manage an additional filling line and extra storage capacity for both dangerous and non-dangerous goods.”

As part of that one-stop-shop concept, Van Moer can now offer the entire supply chain for tank containers on both banks. Transport, storage (full and empty), heating, filling, cleaning, checking and repair of tank containers can now be provided in-house and on both banks.

Van Moer also notes that this level of vertical integration will provide further optimisation of its own activities and internal processes. “All current flows will be analysed and adjusted where possible. In this way, the service provider will also actively fight useless kilometres and tunnel costs, and thus also achieve a large environmental profit,” the company says.

GET OUTTA BULK The acquisition follows Broekman Logistics’ decision to redefine its strategy, which includes an exit from the bulk chemicals sector. It plans now to focus on its freight forwarding business and asset-based value-added logistics services for the specialty and packed chemicals, agricultural and construction machinery and spare parts markets and the industrial equipment and breakbulk sectors.

Broekman says the change is designed to answer current and future demands from its clients and the market. By doing so the company aims to strengthen its position as a leader in the European and Indian markets. Its very successful and continuously growing freight forwarding operations in India, Poland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Belgium will be expanded, while its breakbulk terminal in Rotterdam will continue to serve long-term clients with shortsea operations in the metals, power and renewable energy sectors. Broekman has begun construction of a new 20,000-m2 facility in Weert, in the eastern Netherlands, to handle end-assembly and manufacturing, and will continue to operate warehouses in Rotterdam, Born and Venlo. The other bulk chemicals warehouse in Antwerp, also acquired from VLS, is no longer part of its core business. www.broekmanlogistics.com vanmoer.com