International growth for the Dutch company Hoza Logistic solutions despite the pandemic

The corona pandemic did not stop Hoza Logistic solutions from making great strides in the past year. Hoza started out in the late 1930s as a producer of wooden toys, but has been an international leader in the field of roll container production for over fifty years. The roll container producer continues to expand and robotise due to continuing customer demand from Europe and beyond. This has resulted in growth for the Dutch company on the international market, despite times of crisis.

Dutch production, international entry

Hoza is one of the few roll container production companies where development and production take place in the Netherlands. Previously, this production also took place in Eastern Europe, but due to problems with delivery time and quality, they decided to move the production entirely to the Netherlands. Despite the possible thought that production in the Netherlands is expensive, the company is more than ever active on the international market. About 90% of the sales are exports. Hoza also buys internationally, which sometimes brings the necessary challenges, but is beneficial for the final cost price.

International customers and their challenges

The Suez Canal, through which over one eighth of the world's trade passes, was one of these challenges. The one-week blockage of transport through this canal caused major problems. Semi-finished products, required for Hoza's roll containers, could not be shipped due to the blockade. This required an innovative and flexible way of thinking within the organisation. Koning: "Because of our own production location of 24,000 m2 in Scheemda, we can always fall back on this and we are not dependent on external parties." As a result, deliveries, delivery times and quality could be guaranteed for their customers.

More specific customer enquiries due to the corona crisis

Sales manager Dennis Koning regrets that he was unable to visit the important logistics fairs because of the corona pandemic, but notes that customers now come with more specific questions than before. "At a trade fair, contact is low-threshold, now it is more focused." Koning misses networking with potential and regular customers, but also sees the positive side of the current situation. Because of the targeted questions, Hoza can solve customer problems and issues efficiently and purposefully. And that is and remains the company's formula for success.

“Because of our own production location of 24,000 m2 in Scheemda, we can always fall back on this and we are not dependent on external parties.”

The corona crisis creates growth

Hoza has experienced the setbacks and the impact of the crisis on various branches at close quarters. Despite this, the company has experienced considerable growth in the area of mail and parcels in recent years. Large European parcel companies were already customers of Hoza and have expanded in various areas due to the corona pandemic. As a result, Hoza has grown along with this sector in the past year and has experienced that they continuously demand more production capacity. In 2021, the international expansion will also increase, and the company will continue to innovate, think broadly and make efficiency gains.

Expansion within the production location

Due to high customer demand, Hoza is currently expanding the robotised machines within the factory. Currently, the welding street consists of eleven welding robots, which will be expanded to fourteen in the 2021. In addition, the mechanical pre-processing department already consists of laser-controlled machines and cobots are widely used.  Koning: "This definitely does not mean the end of the employee as we know it, but for Hoza it is a possible solution for the shortage of qualified personnel. Efficiencies like these help the company grow, even in times of crisis.