The Belgian logistics service provider Fresh Connection opened an office in the Port of Rotterdam in April. That is in addition to its office in Antwerp. "Being present at the fruit and vegetable sector's two main ports lets us respond quickly to all our customers in both countries," says Wouter de Koning.
"This hadn't been our plan until recently. However, when an opportunity presented itself, we had to choose. Do we step in or let the chance pass us by? Early in 2023, we decided to seize the opportunity because we think it has added value for us to offer our service from a branch [in the Netherlands]."
Fresh Connection handles container arrivals as soon they get to port. They operate in the ports of Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Vlissingen. "We were already very active in the Netherlands. I think about 50% (around 3,000) of the containers in our refrigerated warehouse in Belgium come from the Netherlands," explains Wouter.
"We were supplying many customers in the Belgian market from Rotterdam, so it was a natural step to have a presence there too. We also used to sometimes have to outsource some services in the Netherlands; now we offer these ourselves."
"We can also respond quicker if shipping companies suddenly switch ports. For instance, a shipping company would sometimes decide to dock in Rotterdam first, eliminating plenty of volume for us. Now as one of the few logistics service providers operating in both the Netherlands and Belgium, we're less affected by such changes," Wounter concludes.
For more information:
Wouter de Koning
Fresh Connection
Email: info@freshconnection.be
Website: www.freshconnection.be