Brussels, February 17, 2010–The European Cold Storage and Logistics Association (ECSLA) and The Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), gathered in Amsterdam last week for an international cold chain conference, have signed an agreement to form one organization to represent and serve the temperature controlled warehousing and logistics industry in Europe. This organization will retain the name ECSLA and be an Affiliate Partner of GCCA.

The partnership allows the two organizations to offer expanded programs and services to European national cold storage associations and European cold storage companies. Theo van Sambeeck will serve as Managing Director of the Association and a General Secretary will be appointed in Brussels to lobby industry issues. Van Sambeeck states, “I look forward to the challenge of bringing these two associations together into a powerful force in Europe.”

ECSLA President Wim van Bon from The Netherlands says, “ECSLA plays a critical role in lobbying for industry interests in Brussels and providing a network for the many national cold storage associations across Europe. This new partnership gives us even more clout and allows us to take advantage of the many other services and resources that GCCA offers.

“With ECSLA’s excellent reputation and work in Brussels and GCCA’s resources, this combination will form a strong service organization in Europe,” explains GCCA President and CEO Bill Hudson. “The cold storage industry is increasingly integrated across the globe, and this partnership will provide the European cold storage industry with access to the worldwide resources of GCCA, including our five global offices strategically located around the world.”

National cold storage associations in Europe will be listed in the comprehensive Global Cold Chain Directory, which is published by GCCA and distributed to food companies and cold chain-related organizations across the globe. These national associations and their members will also receive the popular Cold Connection eNewsletter, published by GCCA Core Partner the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses. European cold storage companies member of the GCCA will now also receive the ECSLA Newsletter.

###

The World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO), one of the Core Partners of GCCA, has conducted several industry development projects in Europe and has fostered the development of new national cold storage associations around the world. GCCA/WFLO will support ECSLA in continuing building new national associations in Europe and solicit funding from the European Union to help ECSLA conduct further development work in Europe.