Meeus Group, Gebroeders Hoefnagels Transport, and Verheul Transport will now be known as H.Essers
The chemical companies of Meeus Group and the Dutch logistics service providers Gebroeders Hoefnagels Transport and Verheul Transport will officially continue as H.Essers. This was announced by the Belgian company today. With this move, H.Essers instantly becomes one of the leading brands in multimodal chemical and infrastructure logistics in the Netherlands. By uniting the previously acquired companies under one strong brand name, H.Essers emphasizes its power and geographical presence in the logistics market. André Vermaat will lead the new Dutch branch as country director.
The official transition of the Dutch companies to H.Essers marks a significant new step in the successful series of acquisitions in recent years, aimed to strengthen H.Essers’ position in the Dutch and European markets. The company is known in Europe as a leading logistics player in the chemical, healthcare, and infrastructure sectors. With the recent acquisitions of the chemical cluster and the moving companies of Meeus Group, as well as those of infrastructure logistics specialists Gebroeders Hoefnagels Transport and Verheul Transport, H.Essers now holds that role in the Netherlands for chemical and infrastructure logistics as well. The third pillar of the company, healthcare, will also become part of its further international growth plans in the Netherlands in the future.
Strategic location for chemical logistics
The most recent acquisition, that of the Dutch Meeus Group, was also the largest in the history of H.Essers. The focus was on Meeus’ activities in and from Bergen op Zoom, encompassing advanced chemical logistics including hazardous goods. This allows H.Essers not only to realize its growth ambitions in the chemical sector but also to further shape its expansion plans in Bergen op Zoom.
H.Essers regards Bergen op Zoom as an ideal hub for container transportation to the hinterland due to its strategic position between the global ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp, along with its direct access to the Schelde-Rijn Canal. Consequently, the company is undertaking the construction of a new, expanded Markiezaat Container Terminal in this area to replace the existing inland terminal. The terminal is expected to be operational in 2026.
The new terminal, with a capacity of 250,000 TEU/year, will be easily accessible for larger ships due to its off-dock location and will therefore serve as a consolidation hub. By bundling freight, as well as by using renewable energy and battery containers, H.Essers is further committed to sustainability. In addition, 220,000 square meters of warehouse space will be built. This will provide H.Essers with transport solutions by water as well as warehousing and added value activities for companies in the region that want to import and export via seaports.
With the acquisition of Meeus and the construction of the new terminal, H.Essers is working towards a broader positioning in the Netherlands. The company is not only seeking growth but also aims to have a more customer-oriented services portfolio. H.Essers aims to provide total solutions, from storage and multimodal transport to value-added services such as filling activities.
Pascal Vranken, CCO of H.Essers: “Within our growth strategy, we are looking for sustainable solutions that fit our synchromodal vision of transport. We want to transport freight in the most efficient way possible and make optimal use of different modes of transport. By focusing more on transport by water, we contribute to a more sustainable logistics network in the Netherlands, with fewer containers unnecessarily transported by road.”
Market leader in the infrastructure segment
With the name change, the successful acquisition processes of Gebroeders Hoefnagels Transport in Asten and Weert and Verheul Transport in Twello also officially come to an end. Thanks to these acquisitions in the Dutch infrastructure segment, H.Essers is now the market leader in the Benelux in terms of logistics services for all construction, infrastructure, and utility companies.
“Customers are increasingly asking for logistics partners with a broad range of services and a wide geographical spread. The acquisitions and investments enable us to expand our services and fleet and to work more customer oriented. We can now offer customers warehousing activities and a multimodal transport and distribution network with a large international reach. In addition, we combine the various skills of H.Essers and the acquired companies, allowing us to offer a very extensive service portfolio,” says Pascal Vranken.
Further unity under one flag
Together with the name change, the appointment of André Vermaat as country director sharpens H.Essers’ ambitions. “I am looking forward to leading the new Dutch company composition,” says Vermaat. “The acquisitions have gone very well, and the teams were already well on their way to bring together the company cultures, customers, and expertise to further create connection with H.Essers. I am delighted to continue shaping that process under one flag. Under this name, our unified Dutch team of almost 700 employees also wants to be known as the country’s one-stop shop for warehousing, logistics, and transport where customers and sustainability are central.”