How Constellation is Enhancing Cold Storage Services Across Belgium, The Netherlands, and France – Geert Liefhooghe, BENEFR Managing Director

With nearly 30 years in the cold chain and logistics industry, I’ve learned that people, robust infrastructure and cutting-edge technology are the foundations for success. Our acquisitions of high-quality assets in the past 5 years have delivered us this foundation. However, at Constellation, we further build upon this with strong pan-European collaboration, balanced with local market expertise. 

As our presence in Belgium, the Netherlands and France continues to grow through acquisitions and expansions, this means seamlessly integrating individual legacy businesses into our professional network. Customers benefit from our expertise, technology, and capital, which allow us to devise solutions to meet their specific needs while retaining the agility and local knowledge they’ve come to trust.

Constellation’s core values – Trust, Excellence, Entrepreneurship, and One Team – guide everything we do. They help us blend insights from across our network with local leadership to deliver innovative, responsive, and sustainable cold storage solutions for our customers. 

In this article, we’ll look at how our initiatives in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France are tackling today’s cold logistics challenges, driving future growth, and enabling us to provide an even better service for our customers across Europe.

Belgium: Innovation and Local Expertise

In Belgium, our fully automated high-bay 1 and high-bay 2 facilities in Mouscron, launched in 2019 and 2023, set new standards in automation and efficiency.

We have already strengthened our presence in Belgium through strategic acquisitions and investments. In 2020, acquiring Stockhabo added 155,000 pallet positions to the Constellation Cold  network, solidifying our foothold in the region. Further investment in Mouscron led to the development of high-bay 2, a fully automated high-bay warehouse with 28,500 pallet places, highlighting our commitment to innovation and sustainability. In 2021, the acquisition of Frigologix added 77,000 pallet positions – 54,000 across two Belgian sites – and a €2.1m upgrade at our Lommel site introduced an automated system for storing both fresh and frozen produce from a local partner.

Looking ahead, Belgium remains a key focus for growth. We are actively exploring new acquisition and expansion opportunities that will expand our capacity and extend our service offering. Our goal is not just to increase storage but to create a fully integrated logistics ecosystem – enhancing efficiency, connectivity, and sustainability across our network. 

Investment in automation will continue, with further development of high-tech, energy-efficient cold storage solutions that help customers reduce costs and improve supply chain resilience. Additionally, we are looking into expanding our value-added services, particularly in food processing support, to provide even greater flexibility for our customers.

The Netherlands: Agile Expansion and Expertise Sharing

Our operations in the Netherlands, currently centred on three key sites, showcase our agile approach to growth. Our entry into the Dutch market began with the 2020 acquisition of Lintelo, adding 60,000 pallet positions to our network. In 2021, acquiring Vrieshuis Lagemaat contributed another 54,000 pallet positions, followed by an investment that added an extra 41,000. At the start of 2024, our Nijkerk facility underwent an 18,500-pallet expansion, complete with a solar array and sustainable construction, reinforcing our leadership in modern cold storage solutions.

This extension at Nijkerk is a strong example of how we continuously invest in capacity and technology to meet growing demand – which is exactly our plan in the Netherlands going forward. By sharing specialised expertise across our network – such as advanced plate freezing techniques from our Nordic cluster – our local teams can quickly and effectively respond to customer needs. This collaborative approach embodies our One Team value and ensures that global insights translate into local success.

France: Strategic Expansion and Enhanced Service

Although our current presence in France is based on a single site, the opportunities for growth are significant. The acquisition of Frigologix added 23,000 pallet positions in France, marking a major step in expanding our capacity and reinforcing our market presence. This move also introduced cutting-edge cold storage solutions in France, helping us meet our customers’ evolving needs.

We are now laying the groundwork for further expansion through both expansions and additional acquisitions. Projects like the anticipated development at Val de Meuse, currently in the licensing stage, demonstrate our proactive approach to capturing emerging market opportunities. By leveraging our pan-European strengths and sharing best practices across clusters, we ensure that even smaller operations benefit from global expertise and innovation.

Looking Ahead: Growth Through Expertise, Empowerment and One Team Spirit

Constellation is driven by a focus on both business excellence and people. Elevating our operations from traditional foundations to a professional, integrated organisation has enabled us to invest in infrastructure and talent, providing more opportunities and better working environments for our teams. This empowers our people to make quick, informed decisions while maintaining a strong focus on customer service. As a result, Constellation is not only a trusted partner for our customers but also a great place to work, where people can develop and thrive.

With strategic support and capital from EQT, we are set to accelerate growth through our major projects across our Belgium, Netherlands and France (BENEFR) cluster. Whether through new builds, acquisitions, expansions, or enhanced service offerings, every initiative aligns with our core values of Trust, Excellence, Entrepreneurship and – above all – One Team.

In a rapidly evolving industry, our commitment to excellence and customer service remains steadfast. Through continuous improvement, empowered teams, and strategic investments, Constellation is well placed to lead in cold storage and logistics, ensuring our customers always receive the reliable, agile and innovative service they deserve.

For more insights into how our pan-European approach is reshaping cold storage solutions, please get in touch with our team.