In the wee hours of the morning, when the country is still asleep, APC Handling, located in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands, is bustling. From a 6,000 m² warehouse with different temperature zones and ten loading docks, the team at this logistics service provider ensures that fruit, vegetables, and herbs flown in from all over the world reach their destination on time. "What arrives today will be with customers tomorrow morning," begins general manager Peter Stafleu.
© APC Handling He knows the flower, vegetable, and fruit world inside out. "I spent 26 years in floriculture, working for various companies at auctions. I then moved to the fruit and vegetable sector via Best of Four, which later became Oxin Growers." Two years ago, he joined the APC Handling team. He has a clear, singular mission: to expand the parent company, IPHandlers', fresh produce department. "We're working hard at that, and everything is running smoothly," says Peter.
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24/7 fresh logistics
APC Handling handles all fruit, vegetables, and herb airfreight for both imports and exports. "We collect shipments from Schiphol and other airports in the Netherlands and neighboring countries. We have direct access to the facilities at Schiphol, so we're open 24/7, and our trucks shuttle continuously between Schiphol and Aalsmeer. All cargo is transported quickly and efficiently to our warehouse. There, we guarantee the goods are stored properly until clients come to collect their shipment. We can also deliver it to the final destination."
Peter says handling high-value perishables is not only about speed and cleanliness; it is about communication, too. "Thanks to our track-and-trace system, buyers always know exactly where their shipment is. We also keep them informed about customs formalities and tax and phytosanitary regulations," he says. Plus, quality control is strictly regulated. "We have national Quality Control Agency inspectors on site three times a day. Customers can, in consultation with us, send their own inspectors if they wish."
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Basil via plane
Environmental issues put pressure on air freight, but according to Peter, flying certain products is unavoidable. "Transporting basil by ship simply isn't feasible. It takes too long. When the Red Sea was blocked, air freight for, say, fresh Egyptian garlic spiked," he explains.
Schiphol handles around 1.5 million tons of high-value air cargo annually, with half of this volume carried on passenger planes. "These flights happen anyway, so they can bring that cargo along in their hold. Also, the aviation sector is working hard on cleaner fuels."
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Export is just as important as import for APC Handling. "We send pallets full of fresh products to places like Dubai and China. These are often combined shipments, possibly from different suppliers, which we collect here and prepare for shipment," says Stafleu. APC is active at non-Dutch airports, such as Liège in Belgium and Frankfurt in Germany, too. "As long as it's in Western Europe, we can arrange it."
Pressure on economic driver
The air freight sector is essential to the Dutch economy. "Air freight handling employs thousands of people in our country," Peter explains. Yet the government plans to reduce the number of flights at Schiphol Airport. The airport operator is not going along with that, though, even talking ambitiously about growth. They want to grow to two million tons of freight per year by 2035. "Quieter aircraft should keep noise pollution for local residents within limits."
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"Part of that expansion must happen via Maastricht Aachen Airport, considered Schiphol's seventh runway. We prefer growth to decline. Fewer flights at Schiphol would directly affect our efficiency and would be a major blow to the Dutch economy," Peter concludes.
Voor meer informatie:
Peter Stafleu
APC Handling
Noordpolderweg 13
1432 JH Aalsmeer
Mob: +31 (0)6 3429 3991
[email protected]
www.apchandling.nl
