AIT: “The lines of communication with Van Duuren are always clear. It’s important, because our work is complicated enough”
‘AIT is an intermediary in logistics, and we focus our services completely on partners that we ourselves select,’ says Robert Jagtman. In Europe this originally American company goes “that extra mile” together with Van Duuren. ‘The solution that they found in Vianen for the transport of our e-bikes is ideal’ states AIT’s Operations Manager.
‘The service that Van Duuren provides is the final element of a complex supply chain that we designed to completely meet the needs of one of our clients, a supplier of e-bikes,’ explains Robert Jagtman. ‘The bikes are manufactured in Asia and arrive via sea freight in our partner’s warehouse near Amsterdam. Van Duuren collects the bikes there and delivers them to the dealers and users throughout Europe.’
Logistics consultant
Their strong European network was a decisive argument for Robert and Sales Director Laura Eijsbroek to choose Van Duuren. Laura: ‘We work out our clients’ supply chain to the finest detail. We then entrust the transport to our partners. In order to guarantee the quality of our logistical solution we only work with companies that can deliver on their promises.’
Out of the box
A packaged SUPER73 e-bike is almost two metres long, 30 centimetres wide and 90 centimetres high. Unusual dimensions, with a size that lies somewhere between a parcel and a pallet. Furthermore, the forty-kilogram bikes are too heavy to be picked up by one driver. Creative, ‘out of the box’ thinking produced the answer, recalls sales responsible Ed Kooiman. ‘We fitted sturdy feet to the underside so that can the driver can lift the bike just like a pallet, a sort of fork lift system.’
Hazardous materials
Another challenge in the transport of e-bikes is the battery. As a result, the bikes fall in a classification of hazardous materials to which separate legislation and regulations apply. ‘This is something that we have to take into account especially for the ferries to England and Ireland,’ says Jeroen van Duuren. ‘AIT provides us with the documentation and our planners in Vianen check these carefully before the bikes go into our network.’
Easily damaged
Robert Jagtman is happy with the care with which Van Duuren handles the e-bikes. ‘Of course we are talking about an easily and expensive product, but the number of claims that we receive is negligible. And I think it’s really fine that the lines of communication with Van Duuren are always clear. It’s important, because our work is complicated enough.’
Flexible
In the Benelux Van Duuren delivers the bikes not only to the dealers but also to the private individual. In the other European countries the deliveries involve only B-to-B-transport.
The departures are more or less frequent, depending on the destinations. In this regard, the flexibility of the European network is great, summarizes Ed Kooiman. ‘Every day we deliver numbers of e-bikes to end-users in countries such as Germany or France, but it can also be the case that we take a single bike to Ireland. As far as volume is concerned, everything is possible.’