Our history
Our history
Entrepreneurship, growth and confidence are key to our history and we are very proud of it. Our knowledge and experience, combined with our solid foundation, enables us to innovate continuously. We respond to the logistical challenges of today and tomorrow. We do not stand still, but literally bring you further.
This is how it started
Just after the first World War, in 1918, Cornelis Kuijken founded Kuijken Transport in Luyksgestel. In 1947, Kuijken Transport handled their first international transports.
In the early 80's, the company made a clear choice by specialising in two market segments: container transports and groupage consignments to France. At the time, an unusual move.
Ten years later, there were several acquisitions: V.T.E. bv in Venlo and Bradford, Hessinex Group in Goirle and Kwinten Transport in Eersel. We also opened a branch in Rotterdam, to position our container transport close to the port of Rotterdam.
Further growth
In 2005, we changed our name to KLG Europe. We continued to grow. In 2006, we opened six new branches in Romania. In 2009, we opened our first office in Beijing, China. In 2013, we opened offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai, both in China. We also made a number of strategic acquisitions: Martens Logistics and the company Schutte in Venlo, which further stimulated our growth. We took over the Balkan activities (non-European countries) of the Van Doesburg company in Waardenburg and the France activities of the Van Hooijen Transport company in Tilburg. In 2010, we also opened a branch in Istanbul, Turkey. Which we subsequently sold to our logistics partner in Turkey. Over the years, we opened our seventh and eighth branche with crossdock facilities in Romania and responded to market and customer demand with innovative services. The most recent new service is Simplify; an e-fulfilment service developed and integrated in response to the extreme increase of online orders and Strongo for fast distribution and delivery to the door, of heavy products with abnormal dimensions.
The rail service under the name of joint venture NSWL, was launched in 2015. In 2019, the European branches were acquired by Sinotrans Limited. In 2019 and 2020, we became Brexit proof in Bradford (UK) and significantly expanded our in-house customs departments. In addition, we expanded our branches in Venlo and Rotterdam and started a distribution center in Waalwijk for a customer project in 2021. In the spring of 2022, we will put the foundation stone and start building our new location in Eersel. Here, we are building our future, an ultramodern new building including our own garage for the maintenance of our modern fleet and a larger crossdock facility for the further growth of our organization.
Sustainability and modalities
Investing in sustainability is here to stay. As a major international logistics service provider, we take our social involvement, responsibility and influence more than seriously.
We have one corporate goal and that is to reduce our CO2 emissions. We have already achieved the first step we wanted to take before 2025, namely reducing the CO2 emissions of our trucks by 15%. There are also many sustainability gains to be made in the area of modal shift and we have invested heavily in this area in recent years. We have a door-to-door logistics service on train transport between Europe and China and vice versa. In addition, we review the current logistic solutions with our customers and continuously adapt our tailor made service to the changing market demand with an eye to sustainability, modalities, transparency and flexibility.
We are very proud of this
In 2011, we received the Graydon Award for a financially healthy company and the Lean & Green award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In the same year, we received the certificate for the highest credit rating from Dun & Bradstreet. In 2013, we received the SQAS certificate and were named “Best Managed Company” by Deloitte for the first year. In the recent years we have received many more certificates in the areas of safety, innovation and sustainability such as the ISO 9001-2015 certificate in 2019 and the ISO 26000 certification.
We could not have achieved all these results without the commitment of the team behind KLG, our employees. Our KLG employees who are ready to serve our customers every day. From cleaners to managers, from receptionists to drivers and from order pickers to directors. We are all members of the KLG team and radiate that. In 2019, we are named the “Most Attractive Employer” for the first time and we are one of the “Best training companies”.
A history, with many choices, opportunities and lessons, and a future with many titles, awards and certificates that we carry with great pride and are grateful to each other for.
This is KLG Europe, a company where history and passion are our key points and the joint creation of the future is our goal.
Timeline
| 1918 | Kuijken Transport in Luyksgestel (NL) is founded by Cornelis Kuijken |
| 1947 | Kuijken provides the first international transport |
| 1963 | The second generation takes over the steering wheel: C.S.J. Kuijken becomes director |
| 1993 | Kuijken International Transport B.V. takes over V.T.E. B.V. This provides the company with offices in Venlo (NL) and Bradford (UK). The company name V.T.E. will be maintained. |
| 1994 | Kuijken International Transport strengthens its activities on the French market by taking over the France activities of Hessinex Group in Goirle (NL). |
| 1999 | Ad and Kees Kuijken take over the management of Kuijken International Transport from their father C.S.J. Kuijken |
| 2000 | V.T.E. becomes shareholder within ‘24plus Network’ (German groupage network) |
| 2001 | Kuijken International Transport B.V. becomes a shareholder within the “Astre Network” (French groupage network) |
| 2001 | To further stimulate ocean freight, Kuijken opens a branch in Rotterdam (NL) |
| 2002 | The company Kwinten Transport in Eersel (NL) is taken over by Kuijken |
| 2002 | The activities in Luyksgestel (NL) are moved to Eersel (NL) |
| 2005 | From now on, all activities will take place under one banner: KLG EUROPE the names Kuijken International Transport and V.T.E. will disappear with this |
| 2006 | Six branches in Romania are realized under the name KLG Srl |
| 2007 | KLG Europe takes over Martens Logistics in Venlo (NL) |
| 2008 | KLG Europe becomes member of the global networks WCA and IGLN |
| 2008 | KLG Europe is one of the first logistics service providers in the Netherlands to receive the AEO certificate |
| 2009 | KLG Europe receives ISO 9001 – 2008 certificate |
| 2009 | Opening of an office in Beijing, China KLG Beijing Rep. office is born |
| 2009 | KLG Europe takes over the firm Schutte in Venlo |
| 2009 | KLG Europe receives TAPA A certificate |
| 2010 | KLG Europe takes over Balkan activities (non-EU countries) of the company van Doesburg in Waardenburg (NL) |
| 2010 | The Dutch branch of KLG in Eersel takes over the international activities of Hooijen Transport in Tilburg (NL) |
| 2010 | KLG Europe opens KLG Lojistik TR office in Istanbul, Turkey |
| 2011 | KLG Europe receives the Graydon Award for being a financially healthy Company. |
| 2011 | KLG Europe wins the Lean & Green award for Corporate Social Responsibility |
| 2011 | KLG Europe receives the Dun and Bradstreet certificate for the highest credit rating |
| 2012 | KLG Europe start intermodal services via train to and from Turkey |
| 2012 | KLG Europe Logistics SRL opens the 7th branch in Romania (Bacau) |
| 2013 | KLG Europe starts with trucking service in Romania under the name KLG Trucking Srl |
| 2013 | KLG Europe opens an office in Hong Kong (CN) with the Chinese partner under the name KLG-ITM Logistics Hong Kong |
| 2013 | KLG-ITM opens an office in Shanghai (CN), under the name KLG-ITM |
| 2013 | KLG Europe is awarded Best Managed Company by Deloitte |
| 2013 | KLG Europe receives the SQAS certificate |
| 2014 | KLG Europe expands the warehouse capacity in Bucharest from 35,000 m2 to 50,000 m2 |
| 2014 | KLG Europe is awarded by Deloitte again for Best Managed Company |
| 2015 | KLG Europe is awarded by Deloitte again for Best Managed Company |
| 2015 | KLG Europe expands again in China with a total of 3 new branches, divided over Qingdao, Xiamen and Shenzhen, and expands the existing branch in Shanghai from 5,000 m2 to 11,000 m2 |
| 2015 | KLG Europe becomes main sponsor of the Dutch soccer club Roda JC |
| 2016 | Opening of the 8th hub in Romania |
| 2016 | KLG Europe is again awarded as Best Managed Company by Deloitte. This 4th nomination provides KLG Europe with “Gold status” |
| 2017 | The joint venture New Silk Way Logistics – NSWL – of KLG Europe and H. Essers is founded |
| 2017 | KLG Europe is again awarded Best Managed Company by Deloitte |
| 2017 | KLG Rotterdam (NL) moves to a new premises |
| 2018 | KLG Europe celebrates its 100th anniversary with a 2-day event with employees, customers, partners, suppliers and its network |
| 2018 | KLG Europe is again awarded as Best Managed Company by Deloitte – Status: Gold |
| 2018 | KLG Europe wins the election “Most attractive Employer” of region Nord Limburg (NL) |
| 2019 | KLG Europe is again awarded by Deloitte as Best Management Company – Status: Gold |
| 2019 | KLG Europe expands current crossdock of Venlo branch by 50% |
| 2019 | KLG receives the ISO 9001-2015 certificate |
| 2019 | Sinotrans Limited takes over KLG Europe (only the European branches) |
| 2019 | KLG Europe is awarded as “Most Attractive Employer” |
| 2019 | KLG is Brexit Proof (Brexit is added as an extra service by means of advice and service) |
| 2020 | KLG Europe markets the new concept Truck-Rail-Truck, a new unique concept between China and Europe |
| 2020 | KLG sets up an internal Sinotrans team to boost the growth on rail and air |
| 2021 | KLG opens a distribution centre in Waalwijk (NL) |
| 2021 | KLG is ISO 26000 certified |
| 2021 | KLG received Lean & Green star and reduced 20% CO2 emmision |
| 2021 | KLG is certified by Ecovadis; the most reliable and business-friendly sustainability rating system |
| 2022 | KLG Europe puts the shovel in the ground for the new construction site for the branch KLG Eersel (NL) |
| 2022 | KLG Europe builds its future, including the purchase of 50 new DAF XG+ trucks |
| 2022 | In December, we reached the highest point of the new construction of KLG Eersel |
