Company anniversary: 25 years a. hartrodt nederland airfreight

The champagne corks were popped in June to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a. hartrodt nederland airfreight, a subsidiary of a. hartrodt nederland. The company has a fully-fledged airfreight operation near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, one of the top five cargo airports in Europe. "With our team of six, we have a very good reputation in the industry," emphasizes General Manager Bouke Laan. Thomas Malecki, Managing Director at a. hartrodt nederland, highlights the "dedication and commitment to customers’ needs" of the "highly skilled and passionate" airfreight team.

Grounded to the daily business and team

Bouke Laan largely experienced the full 25 years himself. He completed his apprenticeship in 1999: "I have experienced all facets of the company, from truck driver, warehouse worker to rate negotiations and route development". He has continued to take on these tasks regularly since his promotion to General Manager Airfreight in 2015, "in order to keep in touch with the day-to-day business and to be at eye-level with the team".

Tailor-made solutions and trade lanes

"For our customers, we look for the best possible flight options. Direct flights where required, transit service if possible. In airfreight, it's all about speed and efficiency, not only in handling of the shipments, but also in communication. We are extremely flexible and make customers aware of alternatives," says Bouke Laan. The main trade lanes are Australia, South Africa, South-East Asia and the Middle-East. "We monitor airlines constantly with regard to their reliability," Thomas Malecki emphasizes. According to him, "we can offer the right solution for every demand – even with sea-air, or similar custom solutions".

"We want to continue to grow steadily in the coming years," announces Bouke Laan. More than half of the airfreight business in the Netherlands is already controlled locally. His objective is to further intensify sales efforts: "Together with our global sales teams, we also focus on specific route development on the main trade lanes." To achieve this growth "at the level of service we aim for", he plans to hire two additional employees before the end of the year.