A Busy Year Ahead For AGRO Merchants Group
AGRO Merchants Group was established with one goal in mind: to build a strong worldwide network of family-owned cold storage and logistics companies and with their experience and capabilities provide world-class solutions to their clients. All of AGRO’s companies have a long history of success behind them and AGRO helps them build on the amazing potential they have, at the same time as helping their customers grow.
Global Cold Chain Network
AGRO Merchants Group was founded in 2013 and has since built a presence in 8 countries worldwide – UK & Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Austria, the USA, Brazil and Chile, with more locations coming soon. AGRO is always on the lookout for new opportunities to develop infrastructure that improves the cold chain. Operating more than 750,000 sq. meters of refrigerated and dry warehouses, AGRO has become one of the top players in the world.
AGRO’s state of the art facilities provide cold chain management integrity and accurate temperature control for all major food commodities including beef, pork, poultry, seafood, bakery products, fruits and vegetables. AGRO is certified across a variety of international product handling and governmental standards. In Lough Egish, Ireland, they operate the first and only 3rd party packing line approved by the local authorities.
The Full Package
When producers decide to pack and store their produce locally in any of the facilities of the network, AGRO can help them save immense costs for logistics. Some of the packing line services include product quality inspection & testing, pre-portioning, metal detection, UV treatment, re-packing & bagging, store-ready labelling and coding.
First Class Integrated Services
AGRO’s focus on integrated and value-added services makes the company stand out the most. Quality inspections, tray washing, import and export management, cross-docking, order picking, blast freezing or product tempering are just some of the services AGRO can offer their customers and since having acquired the Northern-Ireland based Sawyers Transport, refrigerated and ambient transport are part of the comprehensive services in the UK, Ireland and Europe. AGRO is always open for innovation and dialogue with their clients so that they can tailor the services based on each individual customer’s needs. AGRO work very closely with existing and potential partners to determine how they can influence and improve opportunities for trade and create global trade flows rather than just follow them.
AGRO Merchants invest in strategic port-proximate locations, which enables them to serve ports, distribution hubs, and production locations via ship, rail, truck, and air – providing comprehensive “one-stop” services and support from booking to final destination delivery.
AGRO’s Growing Further
There are several projects on the way and to be finalised this year, as AGRO keeps adding to its capacities and developing their capabilities to support them in their ambitious plan for growth.
A massive expansion in the port of Algeciras in Spain, which will increase the current facility’s capacity by five times, will be finalised in August 2016. Algeciras is optimally positioned, being the first Mediterranean port of call for most ocean services from South America, Asia and other regions.
Construction works are also on the way in Maasvlakte – Rotterdam, where AGRO is building the first European greenfield. The facility of the capacity of 18,000 pallet spaces is expected to be operational in December 2016. Environmental sustainability is one of the key elements of AGRO’s business strategy and the new warehouse was designed based on the latest standards to be environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
Another expansion project is on the way in Rotterdam, which will add 5.500 pallet spaces and 13 additional loading bays to the fresh produce-focused ADB Cool Company, a proud member of AGRO Merchants Group since 2015.
AGRO has many more exciting projects coming up over the next few years, as they are not only strengthening their presence in Europe, U.S. and Latin America, but exploring new opportunities in Asia Pacific and Africa.
