The family business Bongers Expeditie from Maasdijk, a trusted name in the logistics sector for 24 years, is preparing for a new phase in its rich history.
Michelle Bongers and Ralph van de Grijp have earned their stripes in the family business in recent years. With their fresh vision and deep roots in the corporate culture, they are ready to shape the future of Bongers Expeditie. For them, it remains a priority to combine strong family ties with technological progress, a combination that they believe is the secret behind Bongers' success.
The Westland region, known for its world-famous greenhouse horticulture, plays a crucial role in the Dutch export of fresh produce. Logistics is the lifeblood here, and companies like Bongers Expeditie ensure that the complex processes behind the export run smoothly. From Maasdijk, the company facilitates the transport of flowers, plants and vegetables to destinations worldwide, with a focus on customization and customer focus.
Van de Grijp, now general manager, explains: “Our goal is simple: we ensure that our customers can get their products across the border without any worries. We not only arrange the logistics, but also take care of the import and export documentation.”
Thea Bongers, who led the company for decades and built it into a stable player, is handing over the baton to her daughter Michelle Bongers and nephew Ralph van de Grijp. This step marks an important moment for the Westland company, which is known for its flexibility, reliability and personal approach.
The company stands out for its flexibility, even within the strict framework of international regulations. “Customs regulations are becoming increasingly complex, especially with destinations such as the UK after Brexit,” van de Grijp explains. “We make sure we stay up to date with all the requirements, so our customers don’t have to worry about that.”
Although the logistics sector is highly regulated, Bongers Expeditie has found a unique niche as a custom specialist. Every customer has their own needs, and the team at Bongers knows how to respond to them flawlessly. “The most important thing is to test and set up processes well, so that everything runs smoothly and there are no delays,” says van de Grijp.
In this way, the company responds to specific requirements for countries with strict import regulations, such as the United Kingdom. “It is not just about following the rules, but also about understanding the customer and anticipating possible obstacles,” he emphasizes. Thanks to this approach, Bongers Expeditie has built a strong reputation as a reliable partner in the export sector.
social
With the transfer to Michelle and Ralph, Bongers Expeditie remains true to its core values, but also looks to the future. Technological innovations will play an increasingly important role in making processes more efficient. At the same time, the human dimension remains an essential part of success.
“We are and will remain a family business,” says Michelle Bongers. “That means that we not only put the customer first, but also our employees. Everyone here is equally important in delivering the quality we stand for.” With this strong foundation and fresh leadership, Bongers Expeditie seems poised for a promising future. As the Westland region continues to flourish as an export hub, the company will continue to play an important role in supporting that growth.
By sponsoring the women's team, Bongers Expeditie shows that they not only have an eye for business, but also for social themes such as sports and equality. "Sports connects, and that fits in perfectly with our values as a family business," explains van de Grijp.
Bongers Expeditie has taken a new step to show its social commitment. The company has recently become a proud sponsor of Nieuwenhoorn Women 1, a football team that plays in the region. This collaboration marks a special milestone, because with the sponsorship Bongers not only wants to support local women's football, but also send a broader signal about the value of equality and sports in society.
Ralph van de Grijp, general manager of Bongers Expeditie, reacts enthusiastically to the new partnership: “We are happy to support the women's team of Nieuwenhoorn Women 1 with new away kits, complete with our logo. It is a wonderful team that inspires us with their dedication and perseverance. For us, this is a way to give something back to the community and to put women's football in the spotlight.”
carefulness
The strict requirements of customs require care. An incorrect declaration can be better withdrawn. “Then you are better off saying that something needs to be changed. So it just needs to be withdrawn immediately and then it will be fine. But the biggest delay is when you are checked,” Bongers explains. Where in the past the response time from two hours, it is now unlimited. “A customs officer can simply leave a vehicle for 24 hours, even if it contains fresh goods. So they don’t care.”
Van de Grijp says about the future of the company's digitalization: "Artificial intelligence is definitely something I've been working on for a while. Actually, I've been working on it for a year or two together with a number of partners and General Conditions of Purchase working on researching the market.” What started as a necessity to prepare for Brexit has grown into a partnership between AEB and Bongers and has set the Dutch customs agent on a whole new path of success and growth. “I've already put quite a bit of time into that and done a lot of testing. We are really coming from the times, which were not so long ago, when we actually did almost 80% of our input manually.” denotes the Grijp.
artificial intelligence
For Bongers Expeditie there are actually two streams, OCR and artificial intelligence. OCR is the scanning of documents and, according to Ralph, one can do a lot with it together with artificial intelligence. “We have come a long way with that, we already work with artificial intelligence to scan documents. We actually do this very customer-specifically, because what you see in the market, what is offered, is quite uniform,” says van de Grijp. “So then the customers all have to provide the same documents. That works very well if you have a lot of volumes from few customers. But we have relatively low volumes from many customers. So everyone has a different layout of their documents and their invoices. And then it becomes a completely different quest.”, concludes Ralph van de Grijp.
