Cold store Frigo ’s-Heerenberg now AEO-certified

Frigo ‘s-Heerenberg is ready for 2013: this will be the first year in which the company will be ISO 22000 as well as AEO-certified year round. Both certificates show that (food) safety is guaranteed within Frigo ‘s-Heerenberg.

Different from the ISO 22000 Certificate, which aims at food safety, the AEO-Certificate is granted by Customs. ‘AEO stands for Authorised Economic Operator’ administrator Manolito Gertsen explains. He has implemented the AEO certification within Frigo ‘s-Heerenberg in 2012. ‘The AEO-Certificate is granted by Customs to companies that are active internationally. An AEO-certified company is well organized in the area of safety. The processes meet the demands of Customs. This offers advantages. An AEO-certified company will be checked less frequently, gets priority at inspections and can ask Customs to execute these inspections at a specified location.

Relationship of trust
The AEO Certificate creates a kind relationship of trust with Customs. In fact, this relationship already existed and thus the certification was not too hard to obtain for Frigo ‘s-Heerenberg. ‘The fact that we were already ISO 22000-certified was an advantage. As a follow up, we did a self-assessment within Frigo ‘s-Heerenberg. We reviewed all processes and possible risks and have safeguarded and documented everything within the AEO framework.

Doing well

The application led to an audit by Customs which Frigo ‘s-Heerenberg passed brilliantly. The official date on the AEO Certificate that shortly followed is June 14, 2012. ‘AEO-certification is a must for an internationally operating company such as Frigo ‘s-Heerenberg. At the same time, it confirms once more that you do well. That is a pleasant and secure knowledge’.