Freshgard offers ‘one stop shopping concept’ in trade centre

Barendrecht has gained a new company, specialised in storage, transfer and logistics of fresh produce: Freshgard. On 1 January the logistics service provider moved into the former headquarters of Staay Food Group in Barendrecht, which has 5,500 m2 of conditioned storage, eight cold rooms and twelve docks. “We are perfectly equipped for the cross-docking of pallets as a ‘one stop shop’ for our customers,” Cees de Bruin explains.

The company originated from Van Ooijen Transport, which had grown out of its previous location. “We used to have a small transshipment area, but we grew faster than predicted and could no longer work there. By renting this property, we can further expand our business as a warehousing and transport service provider,” De Bruin continues.

Many transport customers were confident and within no time the warehouse on the Koopliedenweg was full again. The choice to start an independent company was an easy one. “We are an independent company and anyone can contact us. We will not get into trade ourselves, we want to help our customers during the logistic chain from A to Z. Additionally we naturally have a premium location in the heart of the Dutch fresh produce trade. We hope to be IFS Logistics certified by autumn.” 

Besides receiving, storing, transferring and order picking, Freshgard offers its customers the possibility to apply several inspections to the products. “As a bonded customs warehouse that transaction is also in good hands with us, and containers can also be transported from the ports by us,” De Bruin says. A new service is that the company will also start repacking and netpacking. To this end investments are being made into netting and flow pack machines. “Many customers supply to supermarkets, which caused an increase in demand for this service.”

“In our Warehouse Management System the current stock of products, equipped with bar coding, is managed. All data is similarly automatised, which means customers are kept up to date of the status of their product during the entire process, even if it is just a pallet that has been moved,” Clarinda Vogel explains. “In the web portal, which is currently being developed, customers can see what is happening with their product in real time. It is a stock keeping system and customers can start selling when their product arrives. In the future they can keep track of all of their sales in the system.”

De Bruin and Vogel look back with satisfaction on Freshgard’s first quarter. “Our network, which we had from our days in transportation, was, of course, a great advantage. That makes acquisition very different. It is, however, a completely different business than transport. In transport you could sometimes force things, but now it is more ‘all or nothing.’ Luckily reactions from the market are very positive. Our loading speed, service and short lines are appreciated by the market. Customers are always in direct contact with either us, or the warehouse boss. Now that we have all activities under one roof, we expect to continue expanding our customer base in the near future.”