NDQ opens brand new warehouse with rail connection

Investment of 11 million euros in port of Zeebrugge

The West Flemish trailer operator NDQ, specialized in transports to the United Kingdom, opened today in the port of Zeebrugge a brand new warehouse with rail connection. During an official moment - in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the North Sea Vincent van Quickenborne, Bruges Mayor Dirk De fauw and Infrabel CEO Benoît Gilson, among others - the first train drove into the 12,000-square-meter building. 11 million euros NDQ invested in the new infrastructure. "We want to use this investment to fully continue the growth we have experienced in recent years." says Nicolas Dehaemers, founder and business manager of NDQ. "Our connection to rail makes our transportation even more efficient and sustainable. It is also an answer to the acute driver shortage."

In 2004, Nicolas Dehaemers and Elke Quaegebeur started their company NDQ with three old trailers. Today, the company, nominated for this year's Transporter of the Year award, has no fewer than 600 trailers. In the three years following the Brexit in 2020, NDQ managed to double its shipments to the United Kingdom. As many as 100 trailers now leave for the UK every day. From food products to packaging materials, from FMCG to automotive: NDQ provides transport of goods for very different sectors.

Investments in new trailers, integrated IT systems and the warehouse with rail connection totaled 15 million euros. "We have invested as well as further expanded our expertise," says a proud Nicolas Dehaemers. "Our focus on exports to the UK has generated growth and we want to build on that." Into that growth story fits the brand new state-of-the-art warehouse, where goods can be transhipped and where storage can also be done.

Efficiency gains

Thanks to the rail connection - the track literally runs inside the warehouse - goods can be delivered by train to Zeebrugge to be loaded onto trailers, which are then shipped to the UK. Conversely, goods coming from across the Channel can also be loaded onto trains, which can then be transported by rail across Europe.

"We make huge efficiency gains that way", said Dehaemers, who is currently in talks with several new partners who are also connected to rail. "This connection also gives us the opportunity to attract customers whose warehouse itself is also connected to the railroad. This allows us to process even larger volumes and fulfill our further growth ambitions."

The first train drove into the warehouse today in the presence of, among others, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the North Sea Vincent van Quickenborne, Bruges Mayor Dirk De fauw. the CEO of Infrabel Benoit Gilson and the chairman of Cewez/APZI Marc Adriansens.

Vincent Van Quickenborne, deputy prime minister and minister of North Sea: "The Brexit has created a large additional administrative workload in terms of customs. Many manufacturers and transporters are at a loss as to how to do business with the United Kingdom and then drop out. NDQ is filling that void because it has been agile and creative. For example, they leave the many extra workloads to artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, the added value they create for the West Flanders, Belgian and European economy is enormous. The connection of the railroad to the brand new warehouse will only increase the added value. And it has so many other positive effects: fewer trucks on the road, fewer emissions and fewer traffic problems. More efficient, cheaper, healthier and safer, in other words." 

Mayor of Bruges and vice president of Port of Antwerp-Bruges Dirk De fauw:"A lot of goods are transported to or from the port of Zeebrugge by rail. Rail is therefore already an indispensable ally there for the transport of all kinds of goods to the European inland. With the expected growth of port traffic and the ambitions of Port of Antwerp-Bruges to transport more of it by rail, the importance of rail transport is only expected to increase. NDQ's brand new warehouse with rail connection will contribute to the dynamism and innovation that already prevails in Zeebrugge. We can only benefit from that as an ambitious world port."

Rail supports, strengthens and grows our economy. More than that, it also does so in a sustainable way. Something they understand very well at NDQ. I would therefore like to congratulate all the people at NDQ on their first rail connection. A crucial link in the company's future. Welcome to the Belgian railroad", said Benoît Gilson, CEO of Infrabel.

"As president of APZI-VOKA, the association of the private sector in the port, I congratulate Nicolas and wife Elke on their entrepreneurial ship they have shown with this wonderful realization with NDQ. They strengthen Zeebrugge in their spearhead activity gateway to UK", echoes Marc Adriansens.