Stroke of fate becomes a new opportunity

Only 5 years after the company was founded, a catastrophe followed: Jean Arnaud Gerlach, his eldest son and also Gerlach’s business partner, the Jewish merchant Jacob Baruch, died shortly after each other. The only one in the family who was now able to continue the business was Arnaud, Gerlach’s youngest son, who attended a commercial college in Amsterdam. He had no choice but to drop out of his studies at the age of 17 and continue the business. Arnaud led Gerlach Zolldienste to many more successes and consistently drove expansion. After his death in 1929, his wife and two other business partners took over the management of the company, which by then already employed 200 people.

Reconstruction in the post-war period

The Second World War was a disaster, both in human and business terms. After the war, the two sons Arnaud (A.J.) and Willem (W.H.) took over the business and had to do a lot of reconstruction work. Only 16 employees had survived, 50% of the buildings were destroyed or damaged. But Gerlach started all over again and continued to expand – a short time later the company was represented in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Austria.

Today, the company still operates under the Gerlach name as a leading neutral provider of customs services in Europe. The company’s 140th anniversary was celebrated yesterday by the employees at a virtual event.

On the occasion of this great event, Gerlach has also published a new image video. Feel free to have a look here:

GERLACH is the leading neutral provider of customs services in Europe. With a network of 170 offices in 27 European countries and more than 1000 customs experts, the company covers the entire spectrum of customs services: From import, export and transit customs clearance to complex customs solutions, supply chain assessment and customs consultancy. A development that has only been possible since 1881 thanks to Gerlach’s employees. They are the ones who have ensured that the company has always stood for expertise in the field of customs, and who work hard and give their best every day.

Just like Jean Arnaud Corneille Gerlach once did, who turned a shipwreck into the leading customs service provider in Europe with great dedication and absolute customer orientation. And the company is also very well equipped for the future: Gerlach is consistently pushing ahead with digitalisation and thus continues to keep its finger on the pulse for its customers.