Meet our people: 

Bruno Verlinden, Commercial Director ID Logistics

‘The intensive collaboration of recent years had already made ID Logistics an important partner to GVT. And, GVT was the biggest transport partner of ID Logistics. The takeover enables us to combine exceptional strong warehousing with fantastic transport. The employees of both companies are a good fit. They seem to be cast in the same mould. Would that maybe be the “Tilburg” factor? I'm fully confident that we, with GVT within our ranks, will realise substantial growth as a logistics service provider. We've already secured the first mutual client.’

Evelien Eigeman, CFO GVT

‘GVT and IDL complement each other beautifully in respect of activities. They represent two different disciplines with each boasting their own speciality. For us that means transport, for IDL contract logistics. We have found a business partner in ID Logistics who is very appreciative of our distribution network, which we built in the past years, and who wishes to join forces in further expanding and strengthening it. Together with IDL, we will be able to fulfil the growth ambitions that we, as GVT, have.

Personally, I consider it a great new challenge to be part of a bigger organisation with international connections, while simultaneously enjoying many aspects that will remain familiar. With regard to reporting, GVT has seen many developments in recent years and it’s fun showing IDL the manner in which we organised things. Conversely, it is also very interesting to experience the way in which a corporate organisation such as IDL deals with this. In this way we can learn from each other's best practices enabling us to raise our service provision to an even higher level.’
 

Roland Prenen, Director Transportation IDL

‘Right from the start, our relationship with GVT and my relationship with Stan Hamers has been based fully on trust. When I joined ID Logistics in 2018, their transport turnover was zero; it became my job to change this around. As I didn't originate from this region, I first explored the market where GVT became impossible to ignore. They have an extensive distribution network in the Benelux and a good reputation. At that time, IDL was dealing with a transport request by Makro and I asked Stan to help me realise that. Initially, he wasn't that keen because of the, as he saw it, rather sloppy way in which IDL had handled transport up to that moment in time. I promised him that things would change and we started working on it together. And successfully so. Later on, the Makro deal was followed by contracts with Intratuin, Maxeda, Nespresso and other smaller clients for which GVT became the exclusive transporter.

The fact that we already had a good relationship based on mutual trust has most probably made matters regarding the initial impetus for a takeover somewhat easier. In a later stage as well, the assessment went fairly smoothly as we already regarded GVT a good fit for IDL. Apart from that, a due diligence process was obviously required to ensure a thorough investigation, but it was the trusting relationship that had already existed for many years that laid the groundwork for the merger. This makes this takeover a win-win for all parties concerned.’
 

Erik van Engeland, General Manager Warehouse GVT

‘The takeover by IDL opens up a great range of opportunities for us where warehouse operations are concerned. It will make us grow smarter together! At GVT, we are quite accustomed to order picking at pallet and box level. At IDL, it's more about fine picking and collaborating with clients who demand just that bit more of the daily warehouse process. Because of this, much has been automated and great innovations put in place. I find it fantastic to see how their logistics engineers have further defined certain processes down to the smallest detail. They really invest a great deal of time in this. It is my opinion that the combination of their innovative way of working and our hands-on mentality has resulted in a perfect match. A match that will allow us to serve a great variety of clients.’
 

Ahmed Youra Boudbouda, Operations & Implementation Director IDL

‘We started the collaboration with GVT from our premises in Willebroek in 2016 when they became one of the two transporters for our client, Maxeda. The collaboration as well as the communication was excellent from the start. Also on a personal level, we clicked well with Wil Versteijnen and Stan Hamers. Together, we managed to achieve many improvements for the client. The relationship was converted to a fixed contract in 2019, where GVT became our official transporter for Belgium. It marks the time where the first GVT trucks were sporting the lettering of IDL's house style.

I've always been a great supporter of a collaboration with GVT as, together, we form the strongest of teams. We offer substantial added value for clients in the Benelux who are in search of a single point of contact for their logistics operation. Now, thanks to the integration of our businesses, we have an even stronger position in the market enabling us to grow further. Our ambition is to rank ourselves among the top 10 logistics service providers of the Benelux in the short term. With GVT's transport knowledge and knowhow to support us, we will definitely make that happen.’
 

Armand Schuffelers, General Manager Transport GVT

‘ID Logistics and GVT are a perfect match, enabling us to offer our clients a great total solution for their logistics. At IDL the focus is on everything taking place within the four walls of a warehouse; from storage to fine picking for B2C deliveries, and from returns to e-commerce and customised solutions for big clients. We, at GVT, are experts in the transport of all those consumer products. Thanks to the seamless alignment of our Transport and Warehouse Management systems, a client gains insight in each order processing phase and the ensuing transport. In this way our clients benefit from optimal transparency across the entire process.’