At SCL everything 'breathes cars', but everything goes on a ship

SCHIEDAM - It must be said: when talking about business in Schiedam, it often concerns global enterprises in the maritime sector or the gin industry. However, the city is home to more remarkable companies making their mark without the average Schiedammer knowing about them. Some of these companies can even be considered small global enterprises; such as SCL Rotterdam.

Located in Schiedam, at Admiraal de Ruyterstraat, the company recently took over the premises from transport company Van Tiel, after the transporter itself moved into the building opposite, formerly occupied by Gamma. The two companies, Van Tiel and SCL, are not only landlord and tenant but also collaborate in their operations. SCL Rotterdam is a logistics company, 'where everything and everyone here breathes cars,' says general manager Rogier Kösters. SCL is involved in organizing the shipping of cars across the world's seas - and everything that comes with it.

And it's not about the vehicles rolling off the assembly line. It’s about cars that people often have an emotional connection with. Either because they have owned them for a while or because they are special cars.

SCL, with about forty employees, handles the transport of cars by sea and everything related to it. "Think of the expat who wants to take their own car to a new job location," says Kösters. It's crucial to physically get the car to the new work area, but also to ensure it meets all legal requirements in that country, along with the necessary paperwork.

SCL initially started about sixteen years ago as a company unloading cars in the Port of Rotterdam on behalf of an American transporter, says Joyce de Nooijer, who has been with SCL since those early days. Over time, that work has grown in both numbers and nature, she observed.

Handling cars is not as simple as placing pallets of fruit or bulk goods on and off a ship. Even when transporting them in a container, it remains a job for specialists. “A car needs to be secured and partially wrapped,” says Kösters. This can be done with one car per container, but that makes for an expensive journey. “In a forty-footer, you can fit four or five cars if stacked properly.” This saves on costs. Especially as container shipping prices have exploded in recent years. “What used to cost four thousand euros to the Far East now costs about fourteen thousand euros,” Kösters notes.

There are differences in the technical condition and requirements in various global markets. For example, American cars imported into the European Union often need to be modified. SCL Rotterdam can also handle these modifications. “Even if it's just the software update that is indispensable in cars today,” says sales coordinator Daniël Kooijman. With this, the car of an emigrant or the acquired classic car of an enthusiast is not yet ready for the road. Import or export papers need to be in order, and of course, the vehicle needs to be registered.

SCL goes further; service is everything, and that's how you win customers. You need to know your trade. Transport ‘to the doorstep,’ polished and all. Steam cleaned if necessary. Fumigation, to remove pests, is also a service SCL offers. As well as damage repair if needed. To offer this range of services, SCL Rotterdam collaborates with partners, such as agents in practically all major ports in the USA. Forwarders are important parties for the company, also as customers; they can arrange the shipping of cars themselves but are often happy to leave that demanding job to SCL. “For them, it's often a task that they have to do alongside, for example, the relocation of household goods,” Kooijman explains. “For us, it's what we do.” And practice makes perfect. Besides, you need a certain scale to make combinations and negotiate favorable rates.

Important markets for SCL are Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and China. But essentially, no market is out of reach for the company. “We recently transported several caravans to Chile,” says Kooijman. He distinguishes between import and export markets; for import, think mainly of the USA, Canada, and the Middle East, while China and Africa are more export markets.

A significant customer of SCL is Global Dealer Supply. This car wholesaler emerged from SCL's logistics activities and is also led by Rogier Kösters. Other car dealers also use the services of the Schiedam company. In this context, the dollar exchange rate is crucial for the volumes handled; the market experiences significant peaks and troughs. SCL processes roughly ten thousand vehicle movements annually, says Kösters. With a lot of gratitude as a result, 'because you are often the one solving a problem and taking a burden off the shoulders.’ For something that for many people is a very important sideline in life: the car. After all, many vehicles handled by the service provider are classic cars, sports cars, or at least vehicles that you can't easily buy from a dealer in another country.

Generally, relocating a car is a matter of months. This time can also be used for repairs, modifications, and taking care of documentation. At De Ruyterstraat, SCL has various office and warehouse spaces, including one under customs regime, where cars can be stored before they are cleared. Or worked on. Clearing customs can sometimes take a while. “If we work on the car during this time, the time is well spent,” Kooijman notes.

SCL Rotterdam has always felt at home in Schiedam, especially at the Wilhelminahaven. Kösters: “This is an environment that sparks the imagination when you think of logistics.”