This year, the Dutch company Looije Group turns 25. The company, owned by Piet Looije, has changed considerably over the years, but shows no signs of slowing down. Its new facility opened its doors in April, and by the end of the year, staff will also be moving from Maasdijk naar Ridderkerk. Primeur took a sneak peek at the company’s new warehouse.

It houses 35 packaging lines. “We have three halls here with a combined area of 17,000 m²,” begins Piet. “The first two filled up quickly, so we’ll soon be moving into the third. We have space for 24,000 pallets.” The group offers a wide range of packing and sorting services, primarily for citrus, blueberries, grapes, and the entire exotic fruit category. The new Ridderkerk location also has eight ripening chambers for ripening mangoes and avocados.

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Limes being packed

This new warehouse means the company can consolidate its eight sites into four. Besides the two locations in Ridderkerk (17,000 m² and 6,000 m²), the group will keep its facilities in Waddinxveen (6,000 m²) and Strijen (1,000 m²). That brings its total capacity to 30,000 m². “Packing, repacking, and packaging,” Piet says, laughing.

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Piet Looije in the packaging hall, where 12 production lines are lined up one after the other

24 hours per day
The Looije Group used to also run a staffing agency. That has since been sold to a fellow agency, although most of its employees still work at one of the Looije locations. “They focus on staffing; we focus on packaging. We both have our hands full with that.” On a busy day, more than 800 people work at the Looije Group, including 125 permanent employees; the rest are casual workers. Staff work three shifts, 24 hours a day on weekdays. “Personnel is definitely one of our main challenges,” Piet explains.

“The economy is picking up everywhere, and it’s not as easy to bring people here from Poland anymore. Fortunately, we have loyal workers. The children of the first generation of Polish employees are, for example, now joining our ranks.” Looije cites increasing climate extremes as another challenge. “The peak periods for packaging products are getting shorter. We either get more inferior products, which requires a lot of hands-on work, or everything grows well, and we have huge volumes of produce to package,” Piet points out.

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Extensive automation
That creates a dire need for automation and robotization. “It slows down slightly in mid-October at Ridderkerk II, so we’ll be redesigning the facility. Earlier this year, we signed an agreement with Viscon as our strategic automation partner. Extensive automation, smart internal logistics, and integrated software mean we’re developing a business that’s less dependent on labor, easier to manage during peak periods, and capable of delivering consistently high quality.”

At the design’s core is a complete operational overview. Real-time data on order flows, inventory, quality, and line performance enables proactive operational management, reduces waste, and further improves clients’ delivery reliability. Starting in 2027, orders will even be scanned using VR headsets. During a visit to the new location, you can already see a real-time, on-screen schedule of all production lines. “Designed in-house by my stepson,” Looije says proudly.

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Anyone can follow the schedule at a glance

During the tour of the new facility, his pride in his staff is also clearly visible, and Piet happily praises them. “You never build a company on your own. Us celebrating our 25th anniversary is thanks to our employees’ dedication and the trust of our customers, suppliers, and partners. We can all be proud of that.”

That is typical of Piet, who loves to share his success with his team. “One good turn serves another. The last 25 years were never a straight upward trajectory. We’ve had our fair share of tough times. Still, we’ve grown alongside our clients in a produce sector where quality, speed, food safety, flexibility, and delivery reliability are increasingly important,” he notes. Piet does not like blowing his own horn, though. “You’ll never hear me say I’m the best. My competitors are welcome to make a living, too. Our four locations have sufficient capacity, but we can’t possibly package everything.”

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Various lifts are installed in the halls to transport packaged goods to the ground floor, where lorries are waiting at the docks to take them to their next destination.

Learning the ropes
Much has changed over the years, but the entrepreneurial spirit the Looije Group began with remains: stay close to your buyers, take a practical approach, and find solutions together. “Cor Disselkoen taught me the ropes. He started out flow-packing bell peppers; that’s how I got into the packaging business. I’ve been in the trade for 42 years,” says the CEO.

“The great thing about our work now is that we’re an independent service provider. We don’t have our own product, so we can serve anyone. And there will always be a need for packaging. After all, you work with products that must be packaged in a food-safe manner for supermarkets, whether they go into a net, a flow pack, or a punnet.”

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With this 25th anniversary, the Looije Group marks a new phase of further growth, innovation, and professionalization. Piet also has no intention of retiring just yet. “Two weeks of vacation is fine by me, but then I start becoming antsy. My job has always been one big hobby, and I love making my rounds at the various locations. That way, you can see how things are going right away. I’m a truly hands-on guy. And no matter how big we get, I hope we always keep that personal touch. We might become big on the outside, but we’ll stay small on the inside,” he concludes.

For more information:
Looije Group
Honderdland 177,
2676 LT Maasdijk
[email protected]
www.looijepacking.com