The Antwerp company Manuport Logistics, which arranges the transport of goods worldwide, has opened ten new branches in less than six months. The new offices are spread across the world, from Antwerp to Italy, Japan and Colombia. Alcohol plays an important role in the expansion.
“We are a travel agency for goods,” says Wietse Aerden, spokesperson for Manuport Logistics. “We ensure that goods reach their destination efficiently. For example: a chemical company from the Kempen makes products for a customer in Brazil. For example, we ensure that these products first reach the port of Antwerp by barge, are stored there in a warehouse, then put together with other goods on a large ship to Brazil and from the port in Brazil by truck to the customer. from that Kempen company into the Brazilian interior.”
750 people employed
Until recently, Manuport Logistics employed 680 people worldwide. “Today there are 750, because in the past six months we have opened ten new branches,” says Wietse Aerden. “These branches are located in seven countries: Spain, Italy, the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Colombia and Belgium. For Belgium, this concerns a new office in Noorderlaan in Antwerp, because our head office in Vosseschijnstraat has become too small. So we now have two offices in Antwerp, where together 280 people work.”
“The new branches abroad were created because we could acquire more local knowledge. The local employees know the local regulations well and will also attract more local customers. This way we can continue to grow as a company”
Wietse Aerden
“The new branches abroad were created because we can acquire more local knowledge,” says Wietse Aerden. “The employees on site know the local regulations well and will also attract more local customers. This way we can continue to grow as a company. That happens very quickly: a new colleague starts with us almost every week.”
Wine and sake
Alcohol plays an important role in the expansion abroad. “Our new branch in Hong Kong is particularly important for the import of Spanish, Italian and French wines to China,” says Wietse Aerden. “Partly for this reason we have also opened new offices in Spain and Italy. With our new branch in Japan we can grow again in the transport of sake (an alcoholic drink made from rice, among other things, ed.).”
But Manuport Logistics also takes care of the transport of other goods, such as food, liquids, fertilizers and electronics.
The Antwerp company now has 37 offices around the world, from South Africa to Brazil, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. It has an annual turnover of 425 million euros. The company was founded in 2007, from a merger between the Belgian company Hamann International and the Belgian-French Norfram.
Subsidiary of Euroports Group
Manuport Logistics is a subsidiary of the Euroports Group, which has its head office in Kallo, on the Left Bank of the port of Antwerp. Euroports offers various terminals in the port of Antwerp, including for the transhipment of paper, fruit and sugar.
Euroports is 53 percent owned by the Monegasque Monaco Resources Group and 47 percent owned by the Belgian investment companies PMV and FPIM.
Tags: Antwerp travel agency goods opens ten branches months week colleague starts
