new video clip - cost efficient logistics

Shipping a sea container full of onions from the Netherlands to Brazil is cheaper than sending a truck full of onions to the south of France. This is due to the fact that the distances between the cultivation areas, the onion processing packing centres and the Read more »

keeping the bulb sustainably cool

The Dutch onion sector leads the way when it comes to new initiatives for sustainable transport and stimulating containerization. Through the use of the latest developments with respect to post-harvest technology the modes of transport used for the export of onions, such as trailers and reefer Read more »

export growth stopped by nature

Halfway through the export season 2018/2019 the expectations have all become a reality. For the first time in the past four years the export of the Holland Onion is lagging behind by 17% compared to the impressive export numbers of the previous season and even the Read more »

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‘If you’re trapped in your history, this often blinds the sight on the future.’ A beautiful quote from Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History at the Oxford University. In his widely acclaimed book ‘The silk roads’ he praises the Dutch as the inventors and founders of modern global logistics.

By consciously keeping away from the constant, military conflicts taking place in Europe four-hundred years ago, we could freely sail away and build up dominant positions on other continents. Our first-class shipbuilding industry generated ships capable of carrying more cargo with a smaller crew. And our detailed descriptions of trade routes, harbours and local conditions resulted in accurate sailing directions with comprehensive vocabularies for as much effectiveness in foreign parts as possible. With common sense and hard work we laid down a cooperative structure on a global scale. Not one ship set sail empty or returned empty.

This cooperative structure thinking still exists today. Through virtuoso network management the Dutch onion chain uses all available transport modalities as efficiently and sustainably as possible on a daily basis. The ‘Vlissingen barge concept’ alone takes one and a half million kilometres of the road and reduces the CO2 emissions by 65%.

I am pleased to present you with a video demonstrating this remarkable concept. For this you can view our newest video ‘cost efficient logistics’.

With pleasure!

Gijsbrecht Gunter
President