Angelique van der Linden
Customs Forwarder

Angelique is an experienced Customs Forwarder who joined Thermotraffic in 2021. She enjoys the variety of her role and the responsibility that comes with it. She also appreciates the fact that Thermotraffic is a very considerate employer.

I have always been a declarant and have 12 years of experience in fresh produce; fruits and vegetables. I have two other colleagues and we handle customs and inspections for both exports and imports, from A to Z.

That means ensuring that our customers’ containers arrive at the right destination with the correct accompanying documents. We also take care of the final settlement and inspection by the KCB (Quality Control Bureau) so that products are cleared through customs and can go on to their buyers and/or the supermarkets around Europe.

Fast-moving coordination

It’s a dynamic and varied job that involves a lot of customer contact and coordination with, for example, warehouses. You always have to use your head and keep thinking. Regulations keep changing and the correct ones need to be used on the documents to avoid blockage by the KCB. The fate of our customers’ products is in our hands, but the great thing is that Thermotraffic has confidence in us and gives us the freedom to make the arrangements. Of course, sometimes it’s difficult to make everything fit together. We cannot control events such as storms and cranes that break down. And over the last year or so we have been faced with a blockade on the Suez Canal, sanctions against Russia and a lack of personnel in the port.

A company with great potential

I was made aware of the company by an ex-colleague who had switched to Thermotraffic. I saw the potential and had a good feeling based on the job interviews I had here. For instance, we are already one of the largest logistics companies in Europe for so-called veterinary products such as meat and fish. But there is still scope for the company to grow in this and other areas.

Also, there is a lot of room for personal growth and development. You can follow training within your field, which is important because the world never stands still. And there is space to take on extra tasks, share your ideas and act on them. It adds up to a lot of trust and responsibility and that’s very important for me personally. That’s why I would recommend Thermotraffic as an employer.

A caring company

Thermotraffic also treats their people very well and takes good care of you. There are very good and flexible terms of employment. For example, I know that if something happens to my daughter I can get up and leave without any problems. I can then make up those hours in the evening. You don’t have that with every company and I find it so positive. It also means that you think twice before leaving for another employer.