AIR CARGO NETHERLANDS (ACN)

AIR CARGO NETHERLANDS (ACN) is the air cargo industry association for the Netherlands. ACN’s primary goal is to develop the air cargo industry in the Netherlands in the broadest sense. 

ACN’s members include airports, airlines, air cargo forwarders, handling agents, air cargo truckers, general sales agents and a large number of business service providers, such as banks, insurers, education institutions, consultancies, employment agencies and security companies.

The organisation has a staff of 12, headed by Ben Radstaak who is responsible forday-to-day management. ACN has over 270 members who represent five sector councils (airlines, ground handlers, forwarders, truckers and service providers).
   
ACN is regarded as the industry liaison both within the air cargo market and by Dutch government bodies. As a result, not only is ACN invited to participate in consultations by numerous government parties but the organisation also regularly acquires subsidies for innovative projects. Consequently ‘e-Freight@NL’ was launched early this year with support from five business analysts appointed for this purpose. ACN has made significant advances in implementing the IATA e-Freight project in the Netherlands. Within a period of only three months, ACN was able to form a consortium with participation from Nijenrode University in addition to airlines, ground handlers and a number of forwarders. A further project currently being undertaken by ACN is ‘SmartGate Learning’. ‘Serious gaming' is employed as a fun tool to inform the industry of impending changes in the customs process. Managing change processes using ‘serious gaming’ has proven to a great success.

Apart from these projects, ACN is active in RFID, e-developments, security and sustainability efforts. ACN is also engaged in corporate social responsibility activities. Together with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, ACN has formed a working group to coordinate and further develop the range of sustainability initiatives currently being undertaken as well as new sustainability initiatives.