This spring, Varekamp Coldstores moved into a new, climate-controlled facility at the Honderdland business park in Maasdijk. "We started operations here in May, and from the very beginning, significant volumes came in. It's incredible how quickly the cold rooms fill up again. Over the past few weeks, we've been very busy with citrus, among other things. Meanwhile, we've received the first grapes from Lebanon, and the first grapes from South America are already on the water. Soon, we'll lower the temperature a few degrees again and get ready for the grape season," says warehouse manager Daniël in 't Veld.
The new building features 14 cold rooms and a dozen loading docks. The facility can cool down to -3 degrees and includes specially designed cells for drying ginger. The transition to the new premises went smoothly, without major startup issues. "We established a project team following the construction team to ensure a smooth implementation. Besides Pascal and me, it included Arend Solleveld, Luco Overvoorde, and Sander Jansen, so IT, operations, and commerce were well represented. That certainly contributed to the seamless transition," says Daniël.
© Varekamp Coldstores Holland
In addition, the new Maasdijk location offers clear advantages, Pascal notes. "We're now closer to the port, and we've noticed that we can handle more containers in a shorter time. Moreover, we're also closer to the routes used by most transporters, who are based here in Maasdijk. We stay in constant contact with them, even when orders are ready for pickup. Because the warehouse is cleared of pallets at the dock sooner, it ensures a smoother flow."
A new branch of activity for Varekamp Coldstores in this facility is packaging. "Where previously products were sent to Europe Retail Packing sites, we can now handle packaging on our own site. We'll start doing that here from September onwards, fulfilling a key customer need. We already have several clients for whom we do flow-packing, netting, and repacking," says commercial manager Pascal Kouwenhoven. The integration of ERP and Varekamp has also created valuable synergies in the new premises. "For Varekamp, packaging is a completely new business line, so we're drawing on the expertise of our ERP colleagues."
© Varekamp Coldstores Holland
Another new development, following the example of ERP colleagues, is Varekamp's connection to Jem-ID's GreenCommerce system. "This does impact operations, but the implementation went smoothly," says Daniël. "The great thing is that customers log into the Customer Portal via a unique link to their own environment, which is configured according to their specific needs. This allows us to provide transparent information to our customers while saving both them and us dozens of contact moments per day about status updates, logistics schedules, and stock overviews."
"It also shows that Varekamp and ERP have increasingly become one company. We work from a single system and can more easily exchange staff, allowing us to respond perfectly to customer needs. In addition, we now have all the facilities in-house to completely unburden the client from start to finish," says the warehouse manager. "Meanwhile, we're proud to share that Varekamp Coldstores Holland has achieved IFS Food certification at a Higher level. This is a true moment of confirmation, hopefully ending with a great score for both ourselves and our customers. 2025 was marked by a flawless move. Our key focus for next year will be to make the entire operation even more efficient!"
For more information:
Pascal Kouwenhoven
Europe Retail Packing/ Varekamp Coldstores
Tel: +31 (0)174 412 790
Mob: +31 (0) 6 20657831
[email protected]
www.varekampcoldstores.com
