Varekamp ColdStores’ Expansion and Management Transition
MAASDIJK – May 22, 2024 –
Varekamp ColdStores announced a notable expansion, including a new Maasdijk, Netherlands, facility while also restructuring its leadership. The move signifies Varekamp ColdStores’ commitment to growth by expanding its operations and better serving its customer base. The new facility’s advanced features and the expertise of the new management team further solidify the company’s reputation. This strategic move is set to enhance the company’s service offerings, attracting new clients, and solidifying the company’s market position.
Varekamp ColdStores Embarks on Expansion and Leadership Transition
May 22, 2024
New Facility, New leadership
Varekamp ColdStores is gearing up for a period of meaningful growth, marked by a move to a new, state-of-the-art, air-conditioned facility in the Honderdland industrial park in maasdijk, Netherlands. This transition coincides with the introduction of a new managerial team,setting the stage for enhanced operations and customer service.
A Fond Farewell and a Warm Welcome
After years of dedicated service, Willem Nowee, affectionately known as Mister Varekamp,
has retired from daily management. Though, his expertise will remain invaluable as he transitions into an advisory role. Pascal Kouwenhoven, the commercial manager, emphasized Nowee’s lasting impact, stating, Therefore it will never be completely absent and will certainly never come out of our thoughts.
Experienced Hands at the Helm
Stepping into leadership roles are Stefan Boer, the strategic account manager, and Daniël in ‘T Veld, the head of the warehouse. Both bring decades of experience at Varekamp ColdStores to their new positions, ensuring a smooth transition and continued excellence in operations.
phased Transition to the New Headquarters
The new Maasdijk plant commenced receiving its first pallets in week 21, with container arrivals expected in week 24. The relocation to the new headquarters will be carefully orchestrated in phases, tailored to each customer and product. During June and July, operations will be managed from both the new and existing locations. The Polydijk refrigerated warehouse is slated to be completely emptied by mid-July.
Did you know?
The honderdland industrial park is strategically located to provide easy access to major transportation routes, enhancing Varekamp ColdStores’ logistical capabilities.
Seamless Construction and Setup
The new facility was rapidly transformed from a raw building to a fully operational refrigerated warehouse between January and May. Daniël in ‘T Veld, who serves as a liaison between customer service and warehouse staff, highlighted the efficiency of the construction process: From January to May we passed from a raw building to a fully equipped refrigerated warehouse. Every Thursday we met all the parts involved in the new construction and I can say, on behalf of all of them, that the entire process took place without hitches and with few problems.
The workstations, refrigerated cells, and plants are now ready for use.
Adopting New ERP System
Varekamp coldstores is also implementing a new enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in the new building, adopting the Greencommerce package from Jem-ID. This software is already widely used in the Europe Retail Packing sector. Daniël in ‘T Veld emphasized the thorough preparation: in recent months, we have met weekly to talk about our needs and identify the most suitable IT system. We have carried out numerous test tests, so I am confident that everything will work perfectly.
Facility Specifications
The new building spans 6,000 square meters and features 14 chilled cells with a capacity of at least 4,000 pallet spaces, along with 12 loading docks. The facility can cool down to -3 degrees Celsius and includes specialized cells for drying ginger.
Expanding Service Offerings
Varekamp ColdStores will also offer packaging activities in the new building,including re-reimalting,flowpack,and retine packaging. Pascal Kouwenhoven explained the logistical advantages: While before the products were delivered to the Europe Retail Packing office, now we can pack them in our office, which represents a great logistical advantage. This allows us to further expand our activities as a service provider, from the arrival of the fruit here to the port up to the retail delivery.
Pro Tip
Optimizing your supply chain with integrated packaging services can significantly reduce transportation costs and handling times.
Customer Confidence and Extensive Solutions
Stefan Boer noted the increasing trust customers place in Varekamp as a service provider: We note that customers put more and more confidence in us as a service provider. many customers face the same lack of staff and are happy to entrust specialists to all those activities that can outsource, so that they can focus on marketing. More and bigger customers require a complete package and, thanks to the synergy between Varekamp and the ERP system, we are able to offer it to him.
Looking Ahead
The new team is preparing for a busy period. We are still engaged with table grapes and shell fruit, the over -part citrus season has not yet started and this week the last flower bulbs are leaving the building,
Stefan Boer stated. This transfer marks another milestone, after the acquisition of Varekamp by Europe Retail Packing, with the aim of better responding to the needs of customers, thanks to a new location with an advantageous geographical position and equipped with all the necesary structures. further lighten the customers’ workload.
Reader Question
How does temperature control impact the shelf life of perishable goods?
