The preliminary work has already been carried out at the Aalsmeer auction, where KLM Cargo has a separate facility, located near a handful of exporters who are getting the shipments ready for dispatch. This makes it possible to deliver roses that have been auctioned at 7 a.m. in Aalsmeer to New York by 9 p.m. local time on the same day. 

Sky blue

'Taking Things Further' is the KLM Cargo motto. KLM was founded in 1919. It was one of the very first commercial airlines and some people claim that the color used in its corporate style is a confirmation of this fact. (We were in the sky first and what could be more fitting than to paint our fleet the same color as the sky?). In no time the airline began to transport freight as well as passengers. Initially this was just mail, but the first flowers soon followed, being shipped by air to London and Paris.

Strict schedule

Today KLM Cargo employs more than 2500 people worldwide and every day some 700 tons of airfreight are dispatched from Amsterdam. The most frequent destinations are the USA and the Far East. At the start of each week some 33 lbs of flowers are moved to the United States on passenger flights. On Friday’s this volume can rise to 44 lbs, to meet the demand of the American wholesalers to have a large weekend inventory. Passenger flights are used because they operate according to a strict schedule. When special days near, such as Mothers Day, additional cargo planes are scheduled. These can easily move 100 tons of flowers across the ocean. 

All continents 

The slogan 'Flowering The World'  is written on a large world map in Bernard’s office. Arrows indicate the destinations to and from which KLM Cargo transports flowers. The arrows from Amsterdam point to every continent (last year KLM merged with Air France and now flies to more than 200 destinations).  However, the map also shows quite a few arrows pointing towards Amsterdam and from South America to Central and North America. Bernard: "The Aalsmeer auction has developed into an international trading venue. Flowers are also flown in from Africa and then sold through the Dutch network.  Although some of these shipments are sold through the auction, they never physically touch Dutch soil."

Varieties 

The expensive euro is currently having a heavy impact on the (flower) trade with the United States and the Far East. Bernard: "We have seen a slight decline in airfreight volumes to these markets. However, there is still plenty of trading going on. You must remember that the auction is absolutely unique. It is a 'one stop shopping venue’ for a huge range of specialties. Traders can buy a variety of small quantities and then move these quantities via KLM Cargo in a single shipment, with a single invoice, to their destination anywhere in the world, on the very same day. This is still a very tough product."