New blueberry packaging line at LBP

The number of services at LBP continues to expand. This being some eight new ripening chambers were installed - mainly for ripening mangos and avocados - and now the logistic service supplier has also purchased a packaging line for blueberries. "The demand for the various packagings is increasing and we offer the South American sellers more flexibility on the European market with this line. This is where the future is," explains Hans Janssen of LBP.

Anton Filippo in front of the new ripening cells

"You can't survive on traditional agent work any more," says Anton Filippo. "We had a fantastic year in 2012, but we saw the turnover decreasing in the fourth quarter. We hadn't lost any customers, but the volumes were shifting. The import of overseas fruit to Europe is under pressure, not just due to the upcoming local economies, but also to the rising Asian market. The increasingly strict phytosanitary rules also don't make it easy for us. This is why we have decided to focus on services with added value, as well as taking care of the arrivals for air and sea containers, declaring, quality control and storage, which have belonged to our services for twenty years."

But it's not all doom and gloom for the import. "Take for example a country like Colombia, the most quickly growing economy in South America. The export of Colombian avocados, and physalis, is increasing hugely. We have also been focussing on Chilean blueberries and this has resulted in us having most Chilean berry exporters as customers," says Hans.

The Russian boycott is not having any ill effects on the logistic service supplier from Maasdijk. "Our volumes for the Russian market are only increasing, as the import fruit with the necessary phyto certificates is allowed," says Anton. LBP is more bothered by the 'Black Spot' measures placed on South African citrus by the EU. "Sales people are taking what they can get. If this continues there will be hardly any South African citrus coming to the EU."

For more information:
Anton Filippo
L.B.P. Rotterdam BV
Honderdland 50,
2676 LS Maasdijk
Tel: 0174 - 530545
afi@lbprotterdam.nl
www.lbprotterdam.nl