On Friday, 15 February, the new Cold Store of Luik Natie was officially opened and taken into use. Customers, suppliers, Luik Natie’s employees and family were present at the party that was held in the middle of the new cold store.
Luik Natie’s complete team
Six thousand additional pallet places are available in three different cooling cells in the new Cold Store. The cooling cells have been set up to store bananas and other exotic fruit, such as pineapple and mango. “We’ve already had a few trial runs, and we’re very positive about that. We can now also handle much more in a shorter time. We no longer have a lack of space either, and that makes it possible to work much more safely than in the past,” says Jakob van Poucke of Luik Natie.
William Willems of Central Fruit, Heinz Huttges of Huttges Transport Service, Kurt Coudeville of Luik Natie Coldstore, Raymond Westmaas and Angela and Rob van Bekkum of Huttges Transport Service
Dirk Willemsen, Andrew van Winge and Perry van Mierlo of Coccinelle
Seventeenth-largest exporter in the world
“Belgium needs entrepreneurs like you,” minister Kris Peeters of Work, Economy and Consumers told Luik Natie. “We have to be completely dedicated to the Port of Antwerp, which is a moving force behind the Belgian economy. Belgium only has 11.5 million inhabitants, but we’re one of the largest trade countries in the world. Our country is the 17th largest exporter globally. That’s not thanks to the government, but thanks to entrepreneurs and companies. By building the Cold Store, this success story can continue.”
Speakers Kris Peeters and Annick de Ridder
“Becoming the largest port in Europe”
Port alderman Annick de Ridder thanked Luik Natie and congratulated the company with its new cold store. “Antwerp is currently the second port of Europe, but it’s the largest banana port with 10 million bananas per year, and 150,000 households put bread on the table by working in the port. With this new building, Luik Natie is an inspiration for other companies.”
Stefaan Verhelst, managing director of Luik Natie
Managing director Stefaan Verhelst thanked the speakers for their kind words. “We’ve reached a milestone today, with this new cold store. We believe in the future of Antwerp as the largest fruit port in Europe. With this new building, we want to attract new customers, and we’re hoping Antwerp will become Europe’s number one unloading port in future. Not just for bananas, but for other exotic fruit as well. In ten years, we went from 75 to 135 employees, but we’re also working hard on becoming greener. By collecting rain water, installing solar panels and using wind energy, we want to contribute to the environment.”
One of the new cooling cells
Special guest of the evening was the band Cookies and Cream
For more information:
Jakob Van Poucke
Steven Beuselinck 
Luik Natie Coldstore
Kruipin haven 1145
9130 Kallo – Belgium
+32 3 561 63 14
jakob.vanpoucke@luiknatie.be
+32 3 561 63 55
steven.beuselinck@luiknatie.be
www.luiknatie.be