Located at Business Centre Treeport, on the border with Belgium, the Treehub features a state-of-the-art cold storage facility. BCT Treehub Cold Store BV specialises in cooling often delicate products, such as those from the tree nursery industry. The cold store was built with the tree nursery industry as its primary target audience and will present itself as such during trade fair GrootGroenPlus. Here, participants and visitors learn more about the extensive services offered by the cold store. source: Heidi Peeters

BCT Treehub Cold Store has just completed its second cooling season. During this season, the 22 cooling cells have become increasingly filled, primarily but not exclusively with products from the tree nursery industry, such as forest and hedge plants, as well as tree cultivation. "Providing customised solutions has always been our priority," says Director Chantal van Kuyck. "To achieve this, we offer various types of cells and all the necessary additional services. We focus on what the customer needs."

Neutral storage

To meet these needs, it's important for the cold store to know the quantity of plants, the type, the period they’ll be stored, and the length of storage. Additionally, it’s crucial to understand the packaging type and, of course, the temperature range the product requires and the desired final temperature. "The type of packaging is important information because we have different types of cells: with and without shelving, various surface areas, and heights. They’re suitable for all types of packaging, such as CC trolleys, pallets, or boxes," Van Kuyck explains. "We then ask if the customer intends to check on their products regularly. Everyone is welcome to visit, and we accompany them to the cell. The cold store has access control in place: entry is only granted with a tag or by ringing the doorbell, and there are cameras inside and outside, along with an alarm system. The goods are, therefore, secure. It’s also important to mention that this is neutral storage; we don’t disclose what else is stored or which grower it belongs to." The grower can inspect their products whenever they wish, but the cold store staff also carry out continuous checks and manual tests.

Order requests and registration via app

For each customer, a group app is set up where information is exchanged. The customer can easily request or register plants through this app, and the observations of the cold store staff are also shared here. "This is a simple solution to ease the customer's burden, and it is, of course, connected to a very advanced warehouse management system. However, they don't need to worry about that; we handle it for them," says Constance van den Berg, who has been the logistics and administrative coordinator at the Cold Store since 2024, responsible for the WMS and TMS. "If someone informs us on Monday, or even on Sunday, that box 12 needs to get back the next day, all they need to do is notify us through the app, and we take action and arrange the rest."

Oranges and lemons

In the short time the cold store has been operational, there has already been growth in both customers and products. To compensate for the seasonal lull, the cold store also accommodates primarily foreign vegetables and fruits. Van Kuyck explains: "This comes with additional requirements and services. For instance, in October 2024, we will receive the ISO 22000 certification, and thanks to a partnership with an internal partner, customs storage and handling all customs formalities are also possible." This provides the Treehub with a solution for unnecessary transport movements and opportunities for consolidation. In addition to dry storage space, six of the 22 cooling cells are designated for customs goods and food products.

Check, check, double-check

Although the cold store is equipped with advanced software for analysis and record keeping, manual checks are still performed. Warehouse manager Martin van Malsen inspects the goods in the cold storage units daily and conducts manual measurements twice a week. Additionally, an independent external refrigeration expert regularly checks the conditions in the cold storage, both digitally and physically, as needed. Offering (unsolicited) advice is encouraged to ensure the products remain in the best possible condition. Van Malsen explains, "Each unit has product sensors—temperature gauges that go directly into the product. So we monitor not only the temperature of the unit but also that of the boxes. I also perform manual checks, not at the customer's request, but on my own initiative. I share my findings with the customer via the app. I rarely encounter surprises."

 "Our cold store is equipped with the latest software, and we also perform manual checks."

Thanks to the modern software, the cold storage units and inventories can be monitored both on-site and remotely. In case of discrepancies or emergencies, an alert is sent to the phones of three employees. This will continue to signal until the situation is addressed. Screens in the office and hallway continuously display the status of the units and any alerts. Sensors placed among the products show the temperature inside a box or cart, so not only the unit temperatures are monitored but also the core temperatures of the products, allowing for adjustments if necessary.

Multiple types of cold storage units

Customers of the cold store can rent space for a few carts or boxes, but it is also possible to rent an entire cold storage unit. BCT Cold Store has 22 cold storage units. Some of these are expedition units equipped with two rolling doors and are located directly behind the docks. These seven units are 6 meters high and are designed to quickly cool down products. There are cold storage units equipped with racks for boxes and pallets, which are 11 meters high. Additionally, there are 8-meter-high units without racks, primarily used for storing stacked nursery products. These units also have high cooling capacity, making them suitable for cooling down products. Two of the 11-meter-high cold storage units, intended for the storage of crates and pallets, offer the option of misting during the cooling process, allowing for humidity control.

Flexibility with in-house partners

BCT Treehub collaborates with partners located at the BCT, including those in the same distribution centre. This allows for services such as transport to the tree nursery or a customer in France to be arranged through very short communication lines. A simple message about what needs to be shipped is enough for the team to handle the rest. Order picking, repackaging, labelling, inspections (NVWA/KCB), or stamping are also possible. Van Kuyck notes that service and flexibility are the most important factors for customers: "We often get questions about available space, the temperature in the cold storage facility, or what temperature can be achieved. Pricing is rarely the first topic of discussion; service proves to be more important."

Strategic location

Located on the border along the A16/E19, BCT Treehub is perfectly situated for (cold) storage and the consolidation of partial shipments. This means fewer kilometres travelled due to reduced transportation movements. It is now up to Van Kuyck's team, together with crossover partners, to increase awareness of the opportunities at this prime location. The primary target group remains the tree nursery industry, and they can provide you with all the details during GrootGroenPlus.

NL Plants, early adopter

Marc Lodders of NL Plants has been using BCT Cold Store since its opening two seasons ago. As director of Lodders Boomkwekerijen and NL Plants, as well as board member of the Coöperatieve Vereniging Treeport Zundert, he contributed his knowledge and experience to the development of the cold store. Lodders is pleased with the result: “The immense flexibility that BCT Cold Store offers is a major advantage. Three employees from NL Plants are in a group chat with a team from BCT Cold Store, allowing everyone who needs to know about incoming and outgoing goods to see the updates immediately. It's very convenient. We don’t need to input anything into a system; we simply assign a number to the boxes and indicate which ones we want to retrieve. We can request a current inventory overview at any time, specifying what remains in each box by type. Additionally, we have access outside of office hours, which is crucial for a trading company given the fast pace of the plant trade. “BCT Cold Store offers a wide variety of cold storage units, both in capacity and storage options. Whether it's carts or boxes of various sizes, all kinds of pallet carriers can be stored under refrigeration. We use units with different temperature settings. Since various transporters are located on the BCT premises, transport is always arranged quickly. In short, I have nothing but praise. The team is so flexible: you can request something at 12 o’clock and pick it up at 2 o’clock. No other cold storage facility can match that.”