When Trofi and Van der Helm first announced their plans for a new distribution center in Den Hoorn back in 2019, Harry van den Hout of Trofi Pack never imagined the packaging operations would grow so quickly.

This year, the company’s packaging space has expanded from 23,000 to 32,000 square meters, thanks to the addition of Van der Helm’s section of the facility. And there’s more to come; next year, the final 12,000 square meters are scheduled to come online. Once completed, Trofi Pack will be making full use of the entire distribution center in the Harnaschpolder business park, conveniently located alongside the A4 highway.

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Moving train
“I didn’t expect this kind of growth either, but we’ve grown alongside our customers,” says Harry. “It’s like being on a train, either you jump off or ride along. Given the growth of our existing customers, we had full confidence in taking this next step.”

He continues, “We’ve always stuck firmly to our philosophy: We’d rather serve a handful of customers really well than try to handle dozens at once. But those customers get our full support, from A to Z. That means everything from container transport and customs clearance to ripening and the full range of packaging options we offer.”

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Thanks to the expansion, Fresh4U Packing, which mainly focuses on packing sweet potatoes, will move to the other part of the building next year, covering 6,000 square meters.

“We offer a carefully selected range of fruit and exotics,” Harry explains. “Our biggest growth has been in mangoes and avocados, but grapes have also long been one of our strong suits, even though the overseas season is now wrapping up. On top of that, we’ve built a solid position in limes, passion fruit, and pomegranates. At this point, we’re supplying to 21 countries.”

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35 ripening chambers
Ripening capacity is also seeing a major boost. “We started out with ten ripening rooms, now we’ve got 25, and soon that will increase to 35,” says Harry. “On top of that, we’ve expanded our cold storage by 1,200 pallet spaces, and the packaging area, where 36 packing lines are set up, has grown to 4,000 square meters.”

Automation is becoming an increasingly important part of the operation. “We recently invested in our first SmartPackr from Greefa for packing avocados,” Harry shares. “This packing robot streamlines the process, handling up to 100 pieces per minute, and produces trays that look supermarket-ready, while still treating the fruit gently. I was so impressed that I ordered a second one right away.”

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According to the director of Trofi-Pack, automation is no longer optional—it’s a must. “Temporary labor is getting more expensive, and it looks like costs will go up another 10% next year,” he explains. “We now have 85 employees, and our core team still has that old-school work ethic. But finding new people with the same mindset is going to be a real challenge. That’s why we’ll need to offset some of that labor demand through automation and robotics.”

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“One of the biggest advantages of expanding within our current building was that production could continue uninterrupted,” Harry says. “We kept the renovation separate from the packing department, so after just two months, we were able to open the doors and carry on without disrupting operations.”

Further expansion within the building isn’t possible. “This is it. I’m not moving to another location,” Harry, now 62, confirms. That said, he still plans to stay actively involved in the business for years to come. “As long as I keep enjoying it, I hope to stick around for a while. The good thing is, the organization is rock solid. I’m still involved in everything, but I can also head out for a round of golf on Wednesday afternoons. And if my health allows, I could keep that up for another five or ten years.”

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For more information:
Trofi Pack
Harry van der Hout
Harnaschdreef 10
2635 BT Den Hoorn
Tel: 0174-266100
[email protected]
www.trofipack.nl