The foundation for the Ecu Line Group of Companies were laid in 1987. In that year, Mr. Van Achteren founded the company Ecu-Line. Before that time, Mr. Van Achteren had gained many years of experience within different companies in parallel overseas groupage activities and thought the time was right to start a company completely specialising in maritime groupage transport. Ecu-Line - was established and started activities on the 1st of January 1988
Traditional Destinations
Ecu-Line started with about five staff members in an office and rented warehouse in Antwerp, focusing on its main activity, maritime groupage transports for forwarding companies in Belgium and the rest of Europe. Ar first, shipments were carried out to traditional destinations and different locations in North America and the Far East. Soon, many other countries and continents were to follow. Seperate operational companies were extablished for derived activitiest such as road transport, and later on also for customs formalities, while a special branch under the name of Ecu-Air was established for airfreight transportation at our National Airport Zaventem near Brussels.
Overwhelming Growth
Ecu-Line was growing so strongly, that by January 1st 1991, they needed to move to larger and more conveniently situated premises, which lead to the construction of the Eurocenter warehouse and offices. The new location, which is still Ecu-Line's home today, had the advantage that the offices and warehouses were situated next to one another, so all shipments and goods could be closely watched. The physical accompaniment of cargoes that are often valuable is at least as important as the complete optimisation and efficiency of transport and the carrying out of administrative and customs formalities.
Branches Abroad
During this same period, Ecu-Line started its first foreign branches. The first new offices were opened in the Netherlands and France, and we also would like to mention the creation of the first branch offices in South America, where the new ventures originally started to operate under the rather neutral name of Flamingo Line. These developments have in the meantime resulted in branches all over the world under the name Ecu-Line, which can be found in an overview on another page of this website.
Know-how and Workforce
It goes without saying that these developments also required investment in know-how and competent and qualified staff members. Mr. Van Achteren considered himself to be a lucky man when Mr. Van Looveren, backed by the necessary financial and administrative support, acquired a stake in the company at the beginning of the 90s and became his business partner. At the same moment Mr. Marc Stofffelen joined the Ecu-Line organisation and runs since then the operational department in Antwerp as Director of Operations. A number of important and qualified key figures were also appointed to different positions, and they have stimulated the fast growth of the company.
Expansion
Due to the establishment of its own branches and an ever-increasing network of agents, the Antwerp site could wait no longer for further expansion by 1993. Fortunately Ecu-Line had the opportunity to take over the entire Eurocenter complex from the neighbouring company, with whom the first premises had been built in a joint venture. Without any need to move, the warehouse could be expanded from 5.000 to 15.000 m², while the office space increased from 700 to 1400 m².
Between 2004 and 2005, the expansion of the group was supported by ABN Amro Capital Invest and GIMV, who injected the necessary funds to ensure further growth. Through MBO and the introduction of new parnters, this venture capitalist was parted from in 2005.
Recent developments have tightened the ties between the Ecu-Line group and Allcargo Movers (India), an over 10 years partner of the group, now owning 33,8 % of the company. Expansion in India and China will make 2005 a landmark in our history, a year to look upon as a head-start to new and strong developments.
The Ecu-Line Group of Companies
Ecu-Line has been growing to such an extent in the last decade, that we can now justifiably call it the Ecu-Line Group of Companies; a collective name for all companies engaged as Ecu-Line companies in maritime groupage transport or one of its derived business activities.
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