Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

Dutch Logistics Special January 2015

t h g i l t o p S e h t n I

innovative logistics:

Turning bottlenecks into opportunities

foreword

light t o p S e h In t

Viewers of the reality TV show Deadliest Catch about the adventures of crab fishermen on the rough Bering Sea may have coincidentally spotted the name Kloosterboer on a warehouse in the background. In the aptly named town of Dutch Harbor - the home-base of Alaska's fishermen - this Dutch company provides logistics solutions. Chilled and frozen logistics solutions, that is.

Because regardless of how cold it may get in Alaska itself, the fish is next moved across the globe. Big business: the Alaskan fishing industry accounts for around 1 billion euros. Besides fish, potatoes, vegetables, fruits and other food products can nowadays also be transported chilled or frozen to any destination in the world without the cargo rotting or spoiling en route.

Certainly also from the Netherlands, which (with, among other things, the large greenhouse complexes in the Westland) is still a globally leading exporter of agri-cultural products; furthermore - and we owe this to Mother Nature - there is our excellent geographic position as a

transit country to the rest of Europe.

This climate control is available for all modes of transport, combined with an intermodal solution if necessary.

By truck, ship, train or plane: the optimum conditions for the food products in question can be guaranteed.

Various specialised companies which are active in this field are proud to introduce themselves to you in this Spotlight Food Logistics. Companies which are happy to think along with you about logistics solutions. Because perhaps your logistics could be faster. Or more environmentfriendly by reducing CO2 emissions.

Or more reliable, so that customers know exactly when their cargo will arrive.

Irrespective of whether this cargo needs to be transported over the Rhine, the A15 motorway, the Betuweroute or Schiphol. Or across the stormy Bering Sea. Brrr...

Mels Dees Editor-in-Chief Nieuwsblad Transport

In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

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contents

Rotterdam Fruit Wharf makes optimum use of location and facilities

Fruit and vegetables logistics - the need of evaluation

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10 |11

Hellmann's watertight Smart Visibility monitoring system

Eurofrigo scores with comprehensive inspection options

Seacon opens Europe with reefers

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Robinson Fresh: logistics service provider with roots in production

Broekman as agro-logistics expert

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otlight In the Sp

Blokland Cold Stores never tells its customers 'no'

Transbox United connects ARA ports through green inland shipping

Worldwide coverage with Centraal Beheer Achmea

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Jordex: ‘We persevere where others give up’

The many advantages of Zeeland Seaports

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21 Rainbow Kleinpak adds logistics value to fruit and vegetables

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Eimskip's dedicated reefer solutions

In the Spotlight Food Logistics is a publication of NT Publishers B.V., P.O. Box 200, 3000 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands General Manager: Michel Schuuring, Publishing Manager: Arie van Dijk Sales Manager: Yves Vermeulen, Design: Marijke Klos, Coordination: Diana Kamp Editors: Edo Beersma, Martin Dekker and Jerom Rozendaal Translation: Dean Harte, Printer: Platform P., Utrecht, The Netherlands Distribution: with Nieuwsblad Transport (Netherlands) and various trade fairs. © NT Publishers B.V. Rotterdam, January 2015, www.ntpublishers.nl Tel. +31 (0)10 280 10 25

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Fruit and vegetables logistics - the need o evaluation The Dutch fruit and vegetables sector has been through a difficult year. The challenge for 2015 is to turn bottlenecks into opportunities. Industry representative FrugiVenta sees market possibilities both within Europe and Asia. And the logistics too will need to be evaluated.

"The logistics should constantly be evaluated," says Peter Verbaas, responsible for the theme Logistics at FrugiVenta, the branch organisation of the Dutch fruit and vegetables sector (see box on page 9).

Similar to last year's edition of In the Spotlight Food Logistics, Verbaas reflects on the previous year and looks with us to the year ahead.

2014 was a difficult year for the Dutch fresh produce sector. Tighter EU rules on fruit imports from South Africa resulted in lower imports while the Russian import ban on fresh fruit and vegetables from Europe deeply impacted the Dutch growers and their European counterparts.

"The European exports of fruit and vegetables to Russia amount to 1.87 billion euros annually. You cannot simply compensate for this through other markets," says Verbaas. According to the logistics expert, prices in the industry have come under

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enormous pressure while margins have already been very low since the start of the financial crisis in 2008. Fruit and vegetables are very important to the Dutch economy. The sector is leading in terms of exports and contributes significantly to the positive trade balance of our country. Besides production, there is also the port of Rotterdam: an established fresh produce hub in Europe where an estimated 30 percent of European imports arrive.

Russia, China and Europe Russia's import ban has also substantially impacted logistics players in Europe.

Transport companies are less affected though as Russian shippers tend to collect cargo themselves in Europe. "But customs agents and European storage companies for example have been dealt severe blows, depending of course on the stake of Russian trade in relation to their total

activities," explains Verbaas. He emphasises that trade with Russia has far from ground to a complete halt. "Re-exports are still permitted. Products arriving from outside Europe can be further transported." These transit goods comprise a substantial percentage of the total trade; about half, estimates Verbaas. "And it's a good thing too that we still have these flows. They enable us to maintain contact with Russian importers and when the import ban is lifted we can pick up trading again. Moreover, this is a guarantee of sorts that money flows will also continue to flow and that Russian importers will not stop payments."

Offsetting the loss of the Russian market, there are also a number of positive developments in terms of international trade. For example, pears will be exported to China from the second half of this year.

Verbaas: "After a negotiation period of seven years, we finally signed an agreement to that extent this year."

introduction

es of

Verbaas and other experts feel that China as well as India can become quite interesting to the Dutch fresh produce and logistics sectors. Prosperity in these countries is increasing rapidly, fuelling a growing demand for fresh produce.

Logistics companies interviewed in this edition of In The Spotlight - Food Logistics are noticing an increase in the export of potatoes, fruit and vegetables to Asia, whereas in the past only raw materials were exported. Frugi足Venta is currently lobbying the Dutch and Chinese authorities to also allow the export of capsicum to China. Verbaas however is of the opinion that the sector does not even need to look that far. "The consumption of fruit and vegetables is declining year on year right here in Europe and for some products is even below the recommend health levels." He therefore feels that a substantial internal market can still

be gained in Europe. Partially for this reason, FrugiVenta opposed the marketing endeavours of some Dutch growers who in the wake of the Russian import ban promoted the consumption of Dutch products. "Encouraging people to only buy domestic products may backfire if other countries in the EU decide to follow suit.

Bear in mind that most of the fruit and vegetables produced in the Netherlands are bound for export."

Logistics evaluated High-quality, innovative logistics are vital to the success of the Dutch fresh produce sector, says Verbaas. "It must be possible at all times to supply your customers in a timely and proper manner. Logistics mistakes are detrimental to the quality of the product." According to Verbaas, numerous factors requiring innovative solutions stand in the way of optimum transport and logistics. The Dutch road

network remains a bottleneck for the fresh produce sector, although progress has been made in recent years.

According to Verbaas, the sector has little reason to complain. "After a significant expansion of road capacity recently, I can well imagine that the government is now pushing for a more effective use of the existing capacity. Why not transport more at night?" Verbaas realises that this statement may generate heated debate, but dialogue should never be avoided.

"We must always continue to evaluate every factor and keep on pursuing innovate changes. Why would you not collect a container in Rotterdam at night? The chances of ending up in a traffic jam are highly unlikely. On the one hand this means extra labour costs (overtime, ed), but the logistical savings might be worth it."

Traffic congestion on the roads in Europe and the Netherlands costs the Dutch fresh produce sector lots of money.

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Successful exporters know where opportunities and risks lie. 'Ins & Outs of Export' teaches beginners what to expect and helps them to make the best choices, but also gives more advanced exporters the confidence to continue their journey.

On the basis of true to life examples, personal experience and a clear layout, all aspects of export are discussed: 1. Marketing and positioning 2. Transactions and liability 3. Order processing and regulations 4. Delivery and Transport Modes 5. Insurance, documents and storage

The complete handbook for sTARTING AND EXPERIENCED EXPORTERS

A publication of:

www.insandoutsofexport.com

introduction "If you have to pick up twenty containers in Rotterdam, it is impossible to predict when they will arrive. One truck might be stuck in traffic forever, the other shorter or maybe even longer," says Verbaas.

"The uncertainties in terms of planning for example make it very difficult to effectively schedule warehouse staff and phytosanitary inspectors. These are enormous additional costs."

As a result of this, experts predict an important future role for intermodal transport. The advantages of intermodal transport can indeed outweigh potentially longer transit times. In contrast to road transport, inland shipping is much more predictable, meaning the logistics operation can be carried out more effectively and thus more cost-efficiently.

According to Verbaas, more and more shippers of fresh produce are abandoning their prejudices against intermodal transport. Two years ago, FrugiVenta was still the driving force behind Fresh Corridor, a project promoting the multimodal transport of potatoes, fruit and vegetables from the port of Rotterdam to thus avoid congestion. Although the project came to an end last year, Verbaas says that it has made a lot of members aware of the fact that intermodal transport does indeed offer possibilities.

Verbaas feels that there is also room for improvement in terms of IT. "Other sectors are seeing a huge development in this respect, but the fresh produce sector is standing still; they are for example not even using electronic invoices. The sector should work together and become global pioneers in the field of automation."

Strong together FrugiVenta notes that efficiency improvements have however been achieved in other fields. "There is more and closer cooperation within the chain and improved data exchange. Traders are in contact with producers before the harvest or even before planting and also want to play a role in terms of decision making.

Conversely, the ties between producers and traders have also become tighter.

Fifteen years ago, producers would simply bring their products to the auction and that was the end of it. Nowadays, they have more and more contact - and even real input - with the trader in order to get a feel for the market and gain insight into the product and sorting needs."

The closer cooperation in the chain has a positive effect on the costs. By coordinating production and market demand (insofar as this is possible for products such as fruit and vegetables, of course) a lot of costs can be eliminated from the supply

chain. Verbaas: "By having the right product available at the right time, you can save on logistics costs. The improved cooperation within the chain makes it possible to better plan the logistics in advance. Stock levels are constantly shrinking."

FrugiVenta FrugiVenta is the professional association of Dutch fruit and vegetables exporters. The organisation, which is based in The Hague, has about 420 members - importers, exporters, wholesalers and domestic companies which offer additional activities such as the processing of fruit and vegetables processing. Collectively, the members generate an annual turnover of about 10 billion euros. Companies from other related sectors, such as logistics companies, can join the organisation without receiving member status.

FrugiVenta represents the interests of the fruit and vegetables chain to thus facilitate the sale and consumption of these products and to strengthen the sector, including the logistics interests. The elimination of trade barriers is an important objective of the organisation. FrugiVenta acts as the industry representative in consultations with national and international governments. For example, it was involved in the seven-year trade talks with China on the import of pears. FrugiVenta works together with DPA in the Fresh Produce Centre.

Figures potatoes, fruit and vegetables In 2013, the Dutch fruit and vegetables sector accounted for a total turnover of 12.6 billion euros. The Netherlands imported 4.6 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables in 2013; exports amounted to 6.7 million tonnes, good for 7.3 billion euros according to Eurostat. This involves both Dutch produce (2.7 billion euros) and re-exports.

The figures for 2014 may end up substantially lower. The Russian import ban on fresh fruit and vegetables from Europe is greatly affecting the industry. All EU countries combined exported 1.87 billion euros worth of fresh fruit and vegetables in 2013. Russia was one of the main export markets outside Europe for the Netherlands as well.

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Rotterda makes op and facili If desired, containers can be transported directly to their final destination or first pass through the Quality Control Bureau/ Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority inspection station of RFW. But by far most containers are moved through one of the thirty cold stores of the company at Rotterdam's Merwehaven.

"Rotterdam is and remains a strategically sound option for both import and export," says commercial manager Peter van de Laar. "Especially here at the Merwehaven, on the north side of the port - the so-called 'golden triangle': very central to the auctions and horticultural clusters in the Westland, Bleiswijk and Barendrecht." Its location has already been one of the company's strong points for decades. Rotterdam Fruit Wharf can be easily reached by both water and road. General Manager Fred Krijnen: "We have our own quays with a depth of 9.50 metres. And the A20 motorway is only a three-minute drive away."

What makes Rotterdam Fruit Wharf unique is the fact that it receives specialised reefer vessels which are unloaded using the company's own cranes. Via the quay, the pallets with fruit are directly moved from the hold of the ship to the designated cold stores. At the same time, RFW however is fully equipped to handle the containers of fruit arriving in the port of Rotterdam as well.

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Always a customised cold store All facilities are available at RFW. The cold stores are located 12 metres from the quay and cargo can be stored immediately.

Divided across thirty cold stores of various sizes, all equipped with temperature control (from -2 to +14 degrees Celsius), there is room to accommodate some 20,000 pallets."The cells are furnished according to

am Fruit Wharf ptimum use of location ities the wishes of the customer and set at the right temperature," explains Van de Laar. "The quality standards are high.

The large number of cells makes it possible to separately store different kinds of fruit.

Kiwis and apples for example both need to be stored at zero degrees. Storing them together however is not a good idea; the ethylene gas produced by the apples will accelerate the ripening process of the kiwis."

SEA-Invest Group Rotterdam Fruit Wharf is part of the SEAInvest Group. The Belgian group operates terminals for dry bulk, liquid bulk and fruit in more than 25 ports. A strong network, in which the individual companies are able to operate independently and therefore effectively. "But where possible, we of course make use of each other's services and contacts," says Krijnen. "In the southern hemisphere, there is not a single player in

can also arrange customs formalities and documents and if desired we can organise sampling and quality inspections. Unlike many other companies, we are able to arrange fiscal representation for foreign clients as well. This way, they can rest assured that everything is done swiftly and properly."

Innovative solutions RFW aims to constantly innovate its facilities, which benefits the customer. For example, Rotterdam Fruit Wharf was one of the first companies in the fruit sector to offer 100 percent traceability. "If an importer or exporter approaches us, we try to find the best possible logistics solution together with him," says Van de Laar.

"The customer is king." In addition to the logistics and storage capabilities, RFW has been closely cooperating with ERP (Europe Retail Packing) for a number of years.

This professional company has a fixed location at RFW and handles all common repackaging activities; if necessary, it can however also supply and carry out the netting of citrus fruit or any other type of packing activity."We have flexible business hours," typifies Krijnen the company's strong service-mindedness.

"Officially, we work from 07:00 to 18:00. But we will continue until the work is finished.

If a customer wishes to load on Saturday, then we also make that happen."

Rotterdam. It fits in perfectly with the current and important environmental debate. Our customers applaud this initiative, firstly because it helps reduce their carbon footprints but secondly because waterborne transport is significantly more cost-efficient as well. But also important is the reliability in terms of planning. For ships unloading in the weekend, the containers are loaded aboard the inland barge shuttle on Sunday evening to be discharged at RFW Monday morning at seven o' clock."

This concept is proving so successful that more than 40 percent of the containers handled at RFW are now already transported by water. "Through this service, we are connected with all the terminals in Rotterdam. Including those at Maasvlakte 2 in the future.

According to the modal shift objective of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, 45 percent of all containers need to be moved by water. We are contributing to that," says Van de Laar. "In order to properly facilitate this, we already equipped an own container terminal at our site a number of years ago.

The inland barge shuttle is unloaded and loaded at our own quay using our cranes; next, the containers are put on chassis and transported to the relevant cool cell at our fruit terminal."

Inland barge shuttle

the fruit sector that we do not know."

Rotterdam Fruit Wharf offers various supplementary services which range from pre-transport and post-transport and the stuffing and stripping of containers to the packaging and labelling of fruit (but also other vulnerable products and consumer products). Van de Laar: "On behalf of importers and exporters, we

One example of an innovative solution is the barge shuttle for transport between the container terminals in the port of Rotterdam and Rotterdam Fruit Wharf.

Van de Laar: "Each call, one single ship delivers anywhere from a couple of containers up to even a hundred, which we next discharge and process here.

With this barge shuttle, there are no waiting times on the landside of the container terminals, no issues with traffic jams on the ring road around

Rotterdam Fruit Wharf B.V. Marconistraat 80, 3029 AK Rotterdam The Netherlands T +31 (0)10 221 50 00 F +31 (0)10 221 50 01 E info@sea-invest.nl I www.rotterdamfruitwharf.nl www.sea-invest.be

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Blokland Cold Stores never tells its customers 'no' Fresh produce specialist Blokland Cold Stores is a striking example of the fact that quality knows no compromise. One hundred years after its inception, the family company from Gelderland was awarded the status of 'Purveyors to the Dutch Court'. This underlines the solid reputation of the full service cold store.

"We must be doing something right, other足wise we wouldn't have lasted a hundred years," says managing director Jan Blokland modestly about the honorary title bestowed on the company at the end of 2013. "We never tell our customers 'no', that is our starting point." The thirdgeneration member of the Blokland family expanded the company's storage capacity to 100,000 m3, good for 22,500 pallets.

But Blokland Cold Stores does more than just chilling, freezing and thawing. The company near the German border also provides order picking, especially for the storage and processing of fruit juices.

Blokland started in Nijmegen in 1913 as a fruit farm with its own refrigeration facilities. Over the years, the orchard dis足appeared and the company shifted its focus to chilled and frozen storage.

Expansion made it necessary for the company to relocate to bigger premises in the town of Cuijk, where operations are carried out on a larger scale.

Trucks arrive daily with products such as frozen vegetables, fish and snacks and - especially - chicken meat and pork; both frozen meat from the region and fresh meat from local abattoirs. Each day, four freezing tunnels cool down about 200 tonnes of product to a core temperature of -18属C. There are also

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two tempering cells where products can be thawed and tempered (semi-thawed) in fully customisable and computercontrolled conditions. After having been packaged or repackaged and put on pallets, some product is transported to Eastern Europe by truck. Most however is moved by reefer, predominantly to Africa and Asia.

Fruit juice The company's own Juice House focuses on the processing of fruit juices. Concentrated juice, sometimes frozen, comes in from China or Brazil and is processed here according to the customer's specifications.

That entails: assessing the levels of sugars and solids and making adjustments to ensure a consistent quality. Thus, Blokland Cold Stores annually handles roughly 30,000 tonnes of fruit juice in Cuijk.

The company's situation on the A73 motorway is ideal for easy transport to the east.

Blokland: "From here, you can be in the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia within the hour." The company employs specialists who arrange the required customs documents for all inbound and outbound cargo flows. They also know everything about commodity codes.

To ensure a comprehensive track & trace process, each pallet receives a barcode

containing all relevant information. This means a consignment of fresh meat can be monitored from the moment it arrives through the packing department and the freezing tunnel up to the storage location.

Coordination in terms of the requested delivery time prevents dis足ruptions to the operations of the processor.

Blokland Cold Stores always finds a solution for their customers, even in periods of extreme busyness. Blokland: "If one option is not possible, then another one will be. But that is our concern, not that of our customers."

BLOKLAND COLD STORES B.V. Simon Homburgstraat 14, 5431 NN Cuijk The Netherlands T +31 (0)485 319 500 F +31 (0)485 372 674 M +31 653 326 229 I www.bloklandcoldstores.com

Transbox United connects ARA ports through green inland shipping The inland barge operators Transbox and United Container Transport have joined forces. Through the ensuing joint venture, a comprehensive range of services is created for intra-port traffic in the Benelux and container transport between the ARA ports.

The activities of the joint venture Transbox United, which started operations on the 1st of October 2014, include container transport between the ARA ports and intra-port traffic, including, for example, the Antwerp-Deurne connection. "We also offer a regular service to Terneuzen," says Marcel Hulsker, co-managing director of Transbox United, which is based in Antwerp.

"And we are always interested in new routes and projects." According to Hulsker, the two companies perfectly complement one another and the joint venture provides customers with additional options. The name Transbox United is a contraction of the names of the participating parties: United Container Transport from Antwerp and Transbox from Zwijndrecht. Both companies specialise in inland barge transport within and between the ARA ports and will also continue to offer their services individually.

European network Contargo Transbox is part of the larger company Contargo Waterway Logistics, which with a transport capacity of 2 million TEU is among Europe's leading barge operators.

Employing no less than 800 people, Contargo maintains a network of container barge services between the seventeen Contargo terminals and a large number of neutral inland terminals in Germany, France and Switzerland and in the seaports of Rotterdam and Antwerp.

The barge operator aims to shift as much transport as possible from the road to the cleaner alternative of inland shipping. "As a neutral barge operator, our range of services among other things includes scheduled services, dedicated barges, tramp services and so on. We provide

customised logistics," says Hulsker, also managing director of Contargo. "This customisation is for example reflected in our advanced fleet, which is fully equipped with reefer connections. Another example is the flexibility with which we can switch to other terminals in the hinterland," he explains. "Unlike trains, which transport cargo from A to B across fixed routes, our solutions can be utilised with a far greater degree of flexibility."

customers," said Hulsker. In short, Transbox and Transbox United combine flexibility and a good performance with the other advantages afforded by inland shipping, which for example is much cleaner and also safer than other modes of transport.

Reefer customisation and flexibility Transbox and Transbox United are fully equipped to transport reefers throughout the Benelux. They for example handle all of Bonita's imports in Antwerp. Containers with fresh fruit arriving aboard the MSC service are transported onward to the Belgian New Fruit Wharf, a huge operation.

Besides large inland vessels, Transbox United also operates a number of smaller vessels, for example to serve Antwerp's satellite ports of Wevelgem and Wielsbeke as well as Genk each week. "We are able to respond flexibly to the demand of our

Transbox Scheepmakerij 110, 3331 MA Zwijndrecht The Netherlands T +31 (0)78 625 46 51 E info@transbox.eu I www.contargo.net Transbox United BVBA Boterhamvaartweg 2 Unit 1B BE - 2030 Antwerp Belgium T +32 3 652 10 04 E jbijl@transbox.eu

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Worldwide coverage with Centraal Beheer Achmea Centraal Beheer Achmea insures transport from locations anywhere in the world to locations anywhere in the world. Irrespective of whether shipments need to be moved by road, sea, air, rail or inland shipping.

And the Dutch insurance company also has no limits as to the insured value.

Centraal Beheer Achmea is part of an international association of insurance companies: Eurapco. "Within Eurapco, we exchange knowledge and develop new services," says Paul Amoureus, Senior Account Manager Marine & Logistics at Centraal Beheer Achmea.

"This cooperation also allows us to swiftly meet large insurance requests. After all, a ship filled with grain or cocoa, for example, can easily have a value of tens of millions of euros. Where other insurance companies start shopping around to find numerous brokers and insurers who are all willing to cover parts of these amounts, we are able to directly arrange things within Eurapco. This is much faster."

In addition to the association, Centraal Beheer Achmea has a global network of support centres which can help policy holders on the spot should damage occur. "We use this active network of expertise very broadly. We have surveyors in almost every country; if necessary, they will stand on the quay when the goods are unloaded or loaded. Thus, we ensure that the freight is handled properly and we can offer advice if needed."

With the Cargo Insurance of Centraal Beheer Achmea, shippers can select

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a tailor-made policy for their cargo.

A policy which covers all forms of transport - road, river, air, rail and sea as well as unloading and loading.

Direct and clear Centraal Beheer Achmea operates as a direct writer. That gives the Apeldoornbased insurance company a unique position in the world of freight transport - especially in combination with its size, experience and know-how. "Direct contact with clients ensures speed and immediate clarity," cites Amoureus one of the benefits.

That contact can take place by phone, fax, email and, increasingly, online as well.

Smart online applications make administrative tasks easier. Furthermore, entrepreneurs also save time and can arrange their insurance matters when it suits them best. " This also means the client is in direct contact with the person who handles his claim. If transport-related damage is reported, we can immediately determine whether this is covered or not. If yes, then in theory we pay out within two weeks.

Next, we contact the responsible transporter - the shipping line, road haulier or other parties - in consultation with the client if applicable. But by then, the shipper

will have already received his funds so that he can continue his operations. Anyone can sell insurance. But it is not until actual damage arises that such a transport policy becomes concrete. What matters then is how fast a company can be assisted.

And not many insurance companies can match us in that respect. Brokers and intermediaries do not handle damage claims themselves; they pass them on to the insurance company in question. And that process is simply more time-consuming."

Cargo application Using a convenient Cargo application, a client can submit a request for each

< Paul Amoureus: "Direct contact with clients ensures speed and immediate clarity."

individual transport. Useful for companies which handle diverse shipments and products and serve various destinations.

One transport may for example have a deductible whereas the other is carried out at the risk of the recipient. "As long as the terms of the policy are adhered to, clients can enter the information online from behind their desks. With a few clicks, the shipment is insured by us and the company can print out the insurance policy itself.

Really convenient and highly appreciated by our clients."

Prevention Shippers can turn to Centraal Beheer Achmea to insure all their risks. They can also count on the insurance company for advice on such matters as transport conditions, Incoterms and other relevant

issues. "In the case of food and other delicate cargoes, humidity and incorrect temperatures are the most frequent causes of damage," knows Amoureus.

"There are technical solutions, such as vacuumising an entire container load.

As Centraal Beheer Achmea, we also have solutions developed which we make available to clients."

It is clear that Centraal Beheer Achmea looks beyond just the actual insurance: damage can be avoided through good prevention. "We opt to play an active role. We for example evaluate the entire process from production to delivery to the customer, both for imports and exports. In consultation with our clients, we identify the risk moments and next advise them on how these risks can be avoided or minimised. Together, we

systematically go through the entire logistics process: how will you transport the cargo (or have it transported), how will you package the goods, at what temperature?"

Centraal Beheer Achmea P.O. Box 9150, 7300 HZ Apeldoorn The Netherlands T +31 (0)55 579 54 69 I www.centraalbeheer.nl/zakelijk

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Hellmann's watertight Smart Visibility monitoring system An uninterrupted logistics chain is crucial to the transport of perishables. Hellmann Worldwide Logistics bv introduces an innovation that accurately maps every bottleneck. With Smart Visibility, fresh produce can be tracked and traced at all times.

The clever device with sensor is attached to the pallet or container and records every­ thing the perishables may encounter en route: temperature, humidity, CO2, shocks and GPS location. "Should anything go wrong in the chain, then we can pinpoint exactly where this occurred," says Marco Vink (export manager Hellmann Perishable Logistics). The small device has already been successfully in use in the container sector for a year. It can easily be attached inside a reefer with a magnet. At the Fruit Logistica fair in Berlin, the logistics service provider will introduce a version for air freight. Should any irregularities occur, then the device, which was developed

by Hellmann itself, immediately notifies the shipper by email. It also enables the customer to keep track of the location and condition of their perishables in real-time.

Smart Visibility is the latest innovation from Hellmann to unburden the customer.

The company has high expectations of the device. When transporting perishables, any disruption to the controlled conditions can have major consequences. The smart sensor therefore constitutes a major step forward as it facilitates quick intervention. Previously, Hellmann also pioneered the door-to-door concept for perishables: basically, the company never relinquishes control of the fresh product - from loading point at the grower up to the supermarket. Coupling this with an advanced track & trace system offers the customer control over his product. Furthermore, a flat organisational structure enables the specialist in perishables logistics to swiftly react to and flexibly anticipate unforeseen circumstances. Hellmann Perishable Logistics is one of the leading verticals within the Hellmann group - represented

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in 157 countries, with over 10,000 employees.

Perishables handling is a strategically important product within the organisation and is solely carried out by specialists.

Perishable Logistics makes use of the advantages of the global network but the small scale of the operations allows it to retain its autonomy in terms of strategic decision-making. The 'fresh group' is headed by Jost Hellmann, a member of the famous family which founded the company in Osnabrück in 1871.

The company has two branches in the Netherlands. The Rotterdam branch entails 10,000 m² of cold storage space for sea freight, mainly frozen products.

The Hoofddorp branch has some 5,400 m² of storage space available for perishables.

From here, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics bv transports fruit, vegetables, dairy products and meat to destinations in 25 countries via Schiphol airport.

Conversely, this is also where fresh produce from, for example, South Africa, Asia and South America is received under controlled conditions. Especially in the winter, when

Dutch exports mostly come to a standstill, Hellmann handles substantial volumes of imported products here such as soft fruits, exotics, beans, herbs and asparagus.

Later in the year, Hellmann will also present its Smart Visibility system at trade fairs elsewhere in the world. In the coming months, the system will be tested on the route Australia - United States. Smart Visibility will be available in the Netherlands from early 2015.

perishable logistics Hellmann Worldwide Logistics B.V. Hoeksteen 157, 2132 MX Hoofddorp P.O. Box 7606, 1118 ZJ Schiphol The Netherlands T +31 (0)20 446 99 50 F +31 (0)20 446 99 40 E mvink@@nl.hellmann.net I www.hellmann.net

Eurofrigo scores with comprehensive inspection options More and more customers of Eurofrigo make use of the possibility to have their goods inspected. This was already possible for meat and fruit at the company's Maasvlakte branch.

But since the autumn of 2014, fruit inspections are also offered at the Abel Tasmanstraat (Distripark Eemhaven). Thanks to the long opening hours of Eurofrigo, inspections can be carried out in the evening as well.

For many years, Eurofrigo has already been offering options for veterinary inspections at its cold store at the Maasvlakte. In 2012, phytosanitary inspections were added to this service, which proved very successful. In order to increase the capacity, importers and exporters of fruit can now also turn to Distripark Eemhaven for inspections. This is not only interesting to parties who store cargo at Eurofrigo or have cargo cross-docked there.

Companies that just want to have goods inspected can also benefit from the service.

"The location makes things extra interesting," says Derk van Mackelenbergh. "For most customers, we are on their routes; they do not need to drive back and forth or take a detour to visit a different inspection station," says the CEO of Eurofrigo.

Complete logistics concepts Eurofrigo has almost 70,000 pallet spaces for chilled and frozen products at the Maasvlakte and Distripark Eemhaven combined. From fruit juices to meat and from chocolate to cheese and butter.

In addition to storage, Eurofrigo also

provides numerous logistics activities and services. At its own cold stores, but also beyond. Eurofrigo holds a trump card in the form of its sister company Thermotraffic. In partnership with this forwarder which specialises in temperaturecontrolled transport, it is able to offer complete logistics concepts. "We are fully geared to one another and make optimum use of each other's strengths." Both are part of the Nichirei Logistics Group from Japan, one of the largest players in the field of climate-controlled storage. Hiwa Rotterdam Port Cold Stores, the fruit specialist at the IJsselhaven, is also part of the group.

products, which seamlessly follow on each other throughout the year." At present, the transport between Rotterdam and Venlo is still exclusively carried out by trucks.

Eurofrigo is working on sustainable alternatives. Van Mackelenbergh "We are investigating the possibilities to have reefers transported by rail and water. In Venlo, we are directly adjacent to the ECT terminal, which has rail connections. And there is a barge terminal at the end of the street." He expects that these alternatives will not only result in lower carbon footprints but also in lower transport costs.

Venlo Under the name Eurofrigo Limburg, the company operates branches in Venlo and Roermond as well. The three cold stores there (397,000 m3 in total) are for example used for the storage of fruit, vegetables, French fries and ice cream. "For several large German food producers, who store part of their inventory there," explains Van Mackelenbergh. "This especially entails seasonal

Eurofrigo B.V. Abel Tasmanstraat 1 3165 AM Rotterdam-Albrandswaard, Port nr.: 2783, The Netherlands T +31 (0)10 491 31 09 I www.eurofrigo.nl In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

17

Seacon opens Europe with reefers Climate-controlled transport in containers is booming.

Seacon Logistics coordinates container transport all over the world and offers innovative and sustainable solutions for reefer transport. Since early 2014, the logistics service provider has been connecting Poland and the UK through an intermodal reefer service.

"We added a large number of agricultural clients to our customer base in 2014," says Frank Hermans, director Forwarding and Transport at Seacon Logistics. The Dutch logistics service provider, which is based in Venlo and coordinates container flows around the world, has noticed a strong growth in the transport of refrigerated containers or reefers.

All the necessary ingredients for intermodal reefer transport are available at a stone's throw from the Reeferium in Venlo. The Reeferium is a service facility where reefers can be cleaned and repaired and where pre-trip inspections can be performed. "As a result, reefers which are unloaded in Venlo no longer need to be moved to Rotterdam first for these services. This is also interesting for export flows," says Hermans.

Venlo is a European hub for fresh fruit and vegetables. Besides horticultural products from Limburg, hundreds of reefers from all over the world arrive at Fresh-park Venlo. Here, cargo is

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In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

consoli足da足ted, repackaged and moved by truck to the German hinterland and Eastern Europe. With its excellent infrastructure, Venlo offers easy access to numerous densely populated areas in Europe. This is also partially why the VenloVenray region was once again elected as the number one logistics hotspot in the Netherlands in 2014. Furthermore, Venlo has an intermodal connection with the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp.

Since its inception in 1985, Seacon has steadily evolved into a logistics giant with 800 employees and an annual turnover of around 200 million euros. Hermans: "We can do everything transport-related: from pre-transport, customs formalities and sea transport to warehousing and post-transport." Seacon's own customs department allows the company to flexibly arrange customs clearance in Europe.

And as an AEO-certified company, simplified declaration procedures are in place.

The latest ICT systems are used to opti-

mally track container flows and constantly monitor key performance indicators.

Global The company started out in Venlo but now足adays its activities span the globe. The supply chain manager works together with 75 agents worldwide. This global network enables Seacon to consolidate cargo flows and therefore offer its customers added value. Despite the tremendous growth, Seacon has remained true to its principles.

As a family company with three board members, the lines of communication are short and operations are conducted in a transparent manner.

With its network of 12 branches in Europe and 200,000 m2 of warehouse space in total, Seacon Logistics serves the whole of Europe. The branches in the Netherlands, Germany and Italy as well as in Hungary and Russia are strategically located at key road, rail and/or waterway junctions.

"Intermodal transport is the future," says Hermans. Due to its maritime background,

Venlo bargeterminal

Venlo Railterminal

Seacon always considers the intermodal options; the company thinks along with shippers about optimised transport and reduced CO2 footprints.

Poland One such innovative and green transport solution is the reefer service between Poland and Great Britain, which Seacon has been coordinating since early 2014.

Hermans: "We consolidate the cargo flows of four large multinationals which produce food products in Poland for the Western European market." The goods are transported in reefers by train from the Polish town of Swarzedz near Poznan to Rotterdam. Some reefers are unloaded here while the rest is transported onward by ship to England, where the containers are further distributed by truck. According to Hermans, many other variations are possible to the current service, which has so far handled 1500 reefers. "Dutch shippers can jump aboard in Rotterdam for England-bound cargo or go along with us to Poland."

Plans also exist to further expand the Poland-UK connection. With a turnaround time of 22 hours, the shuttle link between Rotterdam and Poznan is competitive with road transport in terms of time. "Furthermore, the service enables companies to make their transport chains substantially greener," says Hermans.

handling export containers from Europe.

"Prosperity levels are growing and the emerging middle classes increasingly want Western quality products such as Swiss and Dutch cheese, Belgian chocolate or olive oil from Italy," concludes Hermans.

Conditioned Export Shifting production and consumption patterns mean a huge boost for reefer transport. Hermans anticipates this trend to continue: "Europeans are increasingly consuming fresh produce year-round rather than seasonal vegetables and more and more vegetables and fruit are imported from South America and Asia. And not just exotic fruits, but for example also asparagus, which are widely cultivated in Peru nowadays." Seacon's director Forwarding and Transport has not only noticed an increase in imports from South America and Asia; exports to these regions are also growing and Seacon is increasingly

Seacon Logistics Celsiusweg 60, 5928 PR Venlo The Netherlands T +31 (0)77 327 55 55 E info@seaconlogistics.com I www.seaconlogistics.com

facebook.com/SeaconLogistics linkedin.com/company/seacon-logistics twitter.com/seaconlogistics

In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

19

Jordex: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We persevere where others give upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

EG Photography, Emma Groenenboom.

"On Friday evening we received a call from a customer who specialises in onions. He urgently needed a reefer container in Antwerp, but this proved impossible to find. His account manager immediately started calling all our shipping line contacts; he had to use all his powers of persuasion, but that very same evening a reefer was waiting."

Sales manager Casper Schilperoort uses this example to illustrate the lengths Jordex Shipping & Forwarding will to go for their customers. "We persevere where others give up." This perfectly typifies the culture at the Rotterdam-based company. Jordex is an all-round specialist in global transport management. Using an exclusive network of agents, the company arranges the entire logistics chain for customers; from door to door and for both imports and exports.

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In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

The company has all the disciplines necessary for this: sea freight, air freight, (multimodal) inland transport, logistics services including local handling.

Jordex is AEO-certified and, as a founding member of the Europe Asia Alliance, has many direct contacts in the Far East. Using a client portal and an app that was developed in-house, the communications with customers are direct and transparent. They can track their cargo from minute to minute.

Perishables Desk

Potatoes, vegetables, fruits and other perishables constitute a growing product group for Jordex. "We handle all sorts of fresh products: from onions to peppers and mushrooms," says Renate Vastbinder, responsible for business development.

"That requires specialist knowledge. Each food product has its own specific requirements and conditions for transport.

We have a dedicated Perishables Desk where the products and markets have been segmented. As a result, customers always deal with the right specialist. Growth is not always related to turnover or the number of employees; we have opted for growth in the form of superior quality and extra output for the customer."

Intact and on time Due to the large volumes of containers

Jordex handles annually, customers can benefit from sharp tariffs. "But tariffs are not everything," explains Schilperoort the philosophy of Jordex. "We turn things around: our starting point is to ask what is truly important to the customer. Flawless logistics in which the cargo arrives at its destination safely, intact and on time.

We limit risks, advise the shipper and look for the best solution. If the transport is delayed or something else goes wrong en route, then the joy over that low tariff is soon forgotten."

Customised solutions require attention to the customer, says Vastbinder. "We want to get to know their company and their business. Only then can we truly offer the best logistics solution. Irrespective of whether that customer handles ten or ten thousand containers a year. Everyone feels their container is the most important.

And Jordex shares that sentiment."

Jordex Shipping & Forwarding Ambachtsweg 6, 3161 GL Rhoon P.O. Box 55640, 3008 DC Rotterdam The Netherlands T +31 (0)10 303 73 03 E info@jordex.nl I www.jordex.nl

facebook.com/JordexShipping linkedin.com/company/jordex-shipping-&forwarding-bv?trk=tyah twitter.com/JordexShipping

The many advantages of Zeeland Seaports The port of Vlissingen has much to offer for the logistics of potatoes, onions, vegetables, fruit and other foods. But unknown means unloved. The port company Zeeland Seaports is therefore heavily promoting the many advantages of the port, both domestically and internationally.

Zeeland Seaports bears responsibility for the economic development, management, maintenance and exploitation of the ports of Vlissingen and Terneuzen in the province of Zeeland. Both are strategically located on the Western Scheldt between Rotterdam and Antwerp and have an open connection with the North Sea.

No traffic jams In his capacity as Commercial Manager Food at Zeeland Seaports, Leo Lagendijk feels fortunate that Vlissingen in particular can boast a comprehensive range of facilities to accommodate companies active in the trade in and/or logistics of potatoes, onions, vegetables and fruit.

Facilities which are increasingly being used: from bananas from South America to seasonal fruit, fish and butter.

"Many customers cite speed and flexibility as advantages for choosing the Zeeland ports. The tariffs, which are lower across the board here than in large ports, also attract companies."

In 2015, Lagendijk expects new cargo flows in the food segment; the result of two years of promoting Vlissingen and Terneuzen.

For example to make interested parties

aware of the excellent accessibility by sea and the central location in Western Europe. Lagendijk: "We have outstanding hinterland connections as well. By road and rail, but also by water.There are no traffic jams here in Zeeland, also not on the road. Cargo that arrives here can quickly and smoothly be further transported to its final destination.

With the recently extended A4 motorway, transit times to Rotterdam are now even shorter."

count on a warm reception here." One of the things still on Lagendijk's wish list is a container terminal. Important, because more and more food products are shipped in reefer containers.

"We are in talks with various parties to get a terminal off the ground. This could start on a modest scale and then further expand over time. An independent container terminal open to all users.

If all goes well, that terminal could be operational as early as 2016."

Warm reception Vlissingen and Terneuzen have modern throughput terminals, cranes and cold stores. There are many specialised companies to quickly help traders.

"We are closely involved with the existing customers in our port area. We for example think along if they are in talks with a potential client."

Space is not an issue for companies looking to set up operations in the Zeeland port area. "We mainly focus on niches: special products or logistics concepts. And small cargo flows which might be less interesting to other ports are also more than welcome. They can

Zeeland Seaports N.V. Schelpenpad 2 - Port nr. 1151 4531 PD Terneuzen P.O. Box 132, 4530 AC Terneuzen The Netherlands T +31 (0)115 647 400 F +31 (0)115 647 500 E port@zeelandseaports.com I www.zeelandseaports.com

In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

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Eimskip,s dedicated reefer solutions Over the years, the traditional shipping company Eimskip from Iceland has developed into a globally operating all-round logistics service provider. Through an extensive network of offices and agents, it offers worldwide door-to-door logistics solutions for fresh products such as fruit, vegetables, seafood and meat.

“We want to be the leading company in our field, provide outstanding services through a dependable transport system in the North Atlantic and offer extensive worldwide reefer logistics services. This is a clear vision," explains Óskar Sveinn Friðriksson, Head of Eimskip Logistics.

Eimskip, which marked its 100th anniversary this year, started out as a shipping company in 1914. In the decades that followed, it mainly focused on transport between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, Newfoundland and Norway. Today, the company operates two revenue segments: the liner services in the North Atlantic and international forwarding, which focuses on perishable cargoes.

Seafood was - and still is - a very important cargo flow. In 2004, the company however decided to embark on a new course and started to diversify its operations and geographical focus. “We noticed that many of our clients were starting to move their seafood to China for processing. We decided to follow them; we followed the fish and began to organise their transport to China as well,” says Friðriksson.

The company added several branches to its network and globally expanded the number of agents. Friðriksson: "We

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In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

currently have 19 offices and a network of 67 agents in 38 countries." In 2013, the company had 1,450 employees and generated a turnover of 434 million euros.

Exploding global growth Thanks to its extensive global network and vast experience in reefer transport, the company's freight forwarding volumes exploded overnight. Starting out with 4,000 TEU in 2004, Eimskip's forwarding division handled 104,000 TEU in 2014.

"Traditionally, our orientation has always been on seafood. We used our knowledge and network and applied it to the logistics of vegetables, fruit and other perishables," explains Friðriksson. In 2014, perishables accounted for 40 percent of Eimskip Group's volumes; 70 percent of this entailed seafood and 30 percent meat, vegetables and fruit.

The underlying philosophy of the freight forwarding division is the one-stop-window concept. It covers the entire logistics chain, from collecting cargo and loading ships to transport, warehousing, distribution, stock management and customs formalities.

Friðriksson: “We want to take care of the entire logistics chain for our customers.

To give an example: if a European company buys pineapples in Costa Rica, our local

agent collects the reefer and we book space on a ship to, for instance, Rotterdam.

From there, we arrange the customs clearance and delivery of the reefer to the client or organise further distribution.

We are also increasingly integrating and exploring different modes of transport, e.g. combining sea, road and air transport solutions. The best example on this integration is the transport of fresh salmon from the North Atlantic to the USA and Asia. We are now capable of delivering fresh products from the North Atlantic regions, Iceland and the Faroe Islands to Shanghai in less than 6 days: 3-4 days on the water, 1 day on land and 1 in the air."

As the shipping branch of Eimskip uses its own equipment (it for example has a fleet of 16 vessels), the freight forwarding division cooperates independently with reliable partner carriers. Frequently dealing with container shipping lines like Yang Ming, Cosco, Maersk and CMA-CGM and moving huge volumes offers Eimskip the leverage to negotiate attractive rates.

Bright Future According to Friðriksson, transporting seafood, meat, fruit and vegetables in

reefers has a bright future. Overall, the market will grow 3-5% this year. More fresh products will be moved in reefers rather than conventional reefer ships. “And sea shipping will increase its stake at the expense of air freight." Moreover, he expects exports to China to rise considerably.

“Europe is stagnating and I think everyone in logistics is noticing a slow and fragile recovery in the Eurozone, whilst China is rapidly growing. In general, I expect this trend to continue; Europe will slowly recover but China will generate an upswing in imports."

In 2013, Eimskip moved 57,000 TEU of frozen and chilled goods to and from China; almost half of its total reefer freight forwarding volume. Friðriksson has noticed that the trade in fresh goods between China and Europe is more and more in balance, whereas in the past China almost exclusively imported raw materials for re-exports. "China's increasing wealth, supported by a growing middle class, will continue to grow, powered by labourmarket and policy initiatives that push wages up. Inevitably, the growing demand for consumer products and services will fuel the demand for imports and freight trends for increased consumption will follow (the imports of seafood probably

being the closest example),” explains Friðriksson. "The intra-Asia trade is currently the fastest growing trade within Eimskip and we believe volumes will increase following the further establishment of the ASEAN–China Free Trade agreements. Other emerging market areas are also developing, i.e. seafood and meat imports to Africa. It has actually been interesting to see how the Russian import ban on agricultural products has affected our organisation, as the ban has created more opportunities than challenges. I think it is fair to say that when one door closes, another opens."

The Icelandic logistics giant does not idly wait around to see what the future will bring. Friðriksson: “If you don’t develop and innovate, your competitors will overtake you. We are therefore constantly developing, constantly inventing new solutions for our customers. We want to make everything as easy as possible for our clients.” In anticipation of the expected growth within Asia, Eimskip has been and still is expanding its logistics network in Asia. The company has for example entered into a joint venture with the Qingdao Port Authority to operate a 50,000-tonne cold store in Qingdao.

"There, we will be building a new and

modern Border Inspection Point (BIP) station which will surely stimulate the flow of new commodities to the cold store. But this is not the only initiative though.

To strengthen our network we will be opening three new offices in 2015, respectively in China, North America and Europe. The shipping of perishables is a people’s business," concludes Friðriksson.

"At Eimskip, we employ a team of strong individuals with industrial and product knowledge, many of whom have worked in the fresh fruit, seafood and/or meat industry; they know exactly what it takes to deliver the competitive edge needed for success."

Eimskip Nederland B.V. Port City Building I Waalhaven Z.Z. 21 (5th floor) 3089 JH Rotterdam The Netherlands T +31 (0)10 751 77 77 E info@eimskip.nl I www.eimskip.nl

In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

23

Robinson Fresh: logistics service provider with roots in production With a global share in fresh produce and over a hundred years of experience in the logistics of perishables, C.H. Robinson is clearly all about fresh. Robinson Fresh, the company's dedicated perishables brand, perfectly embodies the company’s focus on fresh produce and stands out as a clear identity within the produce industry.

“We know fresh produce. Working in tandem with the larger C.H. Robinson network, we transport fresh produce.

In that respect, we can fall back on more than 100 years of experience offering innovative solutions and specialised know-how in refrigerated transport services, such as the transport of LTL perishables and intermodal solutions," says Marianne Myburgh, marketing & communication manager for all service lines in Europe at C.H. Robinson. In an effort to raise visibility for their expertise in fresh produce, C.H. Robinson has created a new global business brand called Robinson Fresh, unifying the produce, sourcing and logistic entities of the company under a single name.

Global presence C.H. Robinson operates a global network of over 10,500 employees. With service centres that offer consolidation, repackaging services, cross-docking capabilities and the handling of imports and exports to offer dedicated, clientbased logistics solutions.

In the Netherlands, Robinson Fresh operates a terminal in Maasdijk, strategically located near the port of Rotterdam; this port serves as a major hub in the

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In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

European imports and exports of fresh produce. Over the years, Robinson Fresh has gained a solid reputation in Europe as a year-round provider of highquality fresh products, specifically from Central and South America.

Due to the role it plays in fresh produce and sourcing, Robinson Fresh perfectly understands the logistics requirements of fresh growers, importers and exporters.

“Robinson Fresh is a global market share leader in key categories such as asparagus, melons, grapes, and tropicals," says Myburgh. “Robinson Fresh’s proprietary brands - such as the Happy Chameleon® brand of mangos, limes and pineapples and MelonUp!® mini melons - have been hugely successful within Europe."

clear insight into every link of the supply chain." Robinson Fresh’s substantial share in global fresh produce, combined with over a century of experience in temperature-controlled logistics and the global network of C.H. Robinson, make the company a truly unique and particularly strong all-round logistics service provider.

“You can rely on our high-quality European network for all of your transport needs and rely on our vast expertise to move your refrigerated, frozen or temperaturecontrolled freight with excellence", concludes Myburgh.

Information: info-europe@chrobinson.com

Perfect mix In addition to logistics services, Robinson Fresh also provides marketing and consultancy services. Myburgh: “From growing strategies and proprietary seeds to category and inventory management: we can help companies succeed throughout their entire supply chain. Using the customer's data, we can offer advice on such matters as pricing, merchandising, quality service issues and more, offering

C.H. Robinson Europe B.V. Parnassusweg 821, 1081 LZ Amsterdam The Netherlands E info-europe@chrobinson.com I www.chrobinson.com

Broekman as agro-logistics expert "We can take care of the entire agro-logistics chain, from pre-transport, sea transport and clearance to delivery to the customer," says Remon Geeraths, General Manager International Freight Forwarding Netherlands of the Broekman Group.

Broekman provides a logistics turnkey concept in which growers anywhere in the world can be supplied with greenhouses on-site. Geeraths: "Once the greenhouses are standing, we continue to serve their every need, for example by supplying equipment, crop protection products and the hourly delivery of rockwool. And if they want to, we can eventually transport their crops across the world too."

Greenhouse logistics Timing is also extremely important in greenhouse logistics, another specialty of Broekman. "We have already been doing this with great success for more than fifteen years," says Geeraths. After the customer has specified the project data, Broekman develops a plan for the total logistics of the greenhouse. Through constant communication with both suppliers and greenhouse builders, various parts can be supplied just-in-time.

Broekman furthermore distinguishes itself through the tailor-made, just-in-time delivery of rockwool, a product used as a substrate in horticulture. Broekman is one of the logistics service providers of the global market leader in rockwool for greenhouses. Using the Broekman DC in Breda (33,000 m2), the company caters to all the needs of growers during the planting season. "We ensure that growers receive a consignment of pallets every hour.

They prefer to be supplied throughout the day."

Chain manager of fruit Fruit transport in reefers accounts for approximately thirty percent of the volumes of Broekman International Forwarding Netherlands. The Rotterdambased chain manager can arrange inspections, customs clearance and direct delivery to the customer for grapes and citrus fruits from South Africa, but also for other fresh products from South America. Due to the limited shelf life of such products, speed and good planning are essential. Knowledge is of vital importance within the Broekman Group and a key instrument for the company to distinguish itself from other players.

"We for example have dedicated teams, one of which focuses exclusively on the logistics of fruit. As a result, they know all there is to know about the logistics of this cargo segment," explains Geeraths.

Local partners, with which Broekman enters into long-term relationships, fit in perfectly with the philosophy of Broekman. Geeraths: "They have a wealth of knowledge about the local market and know exactly what's going on."

Collaborations between local partners and the Dutch chain manager mean logistics costs can be kept low, among other things through the consolidation of cargo.

Broekman Group Waalhaven Z.z. 21, Port number 2235 3089 JH Rotterdam The Netherlands E info@broekman-group.com I www.broekman-group.com Team Greenhouse logistics T +31 (0)10 487 32 56 Team Fruit transport T +31 (0)10 487 18 72

linkedin.com/company/broekman-group twitter.com/broekmangroup

In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

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Rainbow Kleinpak adds logistics value to fruit and vegetables With 13,000 m2 of warehouse space, several cold stores and sorting and packaging equipment, Rainbow Kleinpak provides importers and exporters of fruit and vegetables with various customised logistics options. The logistics service provider is able to arrange the entire cool chain.

"We can offer exporters, importers and producers of fruit and vegetables a variety of logistics services. From cargo clearance, repackaging, labelling and inspection to storage, groupage, stock management and distribution," says Chiel Mostert, director of Rainbow Kleinpak from De Lier.

In some cases, the logistics service provider even serves as the dedicated distribution centre of producers from overseas. Like the capsicum growers from Israel, for example, who transport their containers to De Lier where Rainbow takes care of all the further logistics.

Storage and stock management At that point, the perishables have often not yet been sold. "We handle the clearance and prepare the products for distribution.

We have several cold stores where vegetables and fruit can be stored at different temperatures," explains Mostert. The logistics service provider boasts its own packing facility of 13,000 m2 with 27 docks; furthermore, it has two sorting lines where it can sort capsicum based on size. An extensive flowpack department also enables Rainbow to meet the packaging

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In the Spotlight Food Logistics 2015

requirements of the customer and provide truly tailor-made logistics solutions.

Each year, some 150,000 pallets - 14 million packing units - are handled by the logistics company. "In the summer, we mainly handle Dutch products, supplemented by imports. In the winter, when Dutch growers have a production stop, we mainly work with imported fruit and vegetables," says Mostert.

Perfect mix A stone's throw from Rotterdam and right at the heart of the Westland, the horticulture epicentre of the Netherlands, the geographical location of Rainbow is ideal to serve as a European hub for fruit and vegetables. Containers with perishables from, for example, South America which have arrived through Rotterdam can be blended with Dutch products in De Lier. After Rainbow has performed its value-added logistics, the trucks depart for all corners of Europe.

Rainbow Kleinpak, which is fully certified, is part of Rainbow Growers Group Holding BV. Until recently, the holding also included the sales organisation Rainbow International BV

but the trade activities have now been shed.

"We are now purely an independent and neutral logistics service provider," concludes Mostert.

Rainbow has certified quality managers who know everything there is to know about the requirements of the European retail and wholesale sectors. By adding high-quality logistics value to top products, Rainbow has earned a solid reputation among European purchasers of fresh produce.

Rainbow Kleinpak B.V. Poortcamp 9, 2678 PT De Lier The Netherlands T +31 (0)174 524 151 E info@rainbowgrowers.nl I www.rainbowkleinpak.nl

facebook.com/rainbowkleinpak

Trends, analyses &

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