History

Omer De Dijcker obtains his very first number plate, marking the symbolic start of what would eventually evolve into ECS, a market leader in intermodal transport and supply chain logistics, two generations later.

Brothers Gustaaf and Maurice De Dijcker embarked on a journey inspired by their father Omer, as they established De Dijcker NV in 1963, a modest trucking enterprise. Through perseverance and dedication, they transformed this humble venture into a thriving family business.

After a family shareholder change in 1985, Gustaaf De Dijcker takes a significant step forward by acquiring all the shares of DD Trans. The trucking company is based in Brugge, as a substantial contract involved the transportation of building materials for the expansion of the Zeebrugge port. Having graduated that same year, Gustaaf’s daughter Christine joins her father in the company, as does her husband Marc Lanckriet.

DD Trans acquires ECS, European Container Services. In those early days, ECS focused on unaccompanied container transport in 45 feet containers (33 EU pallets) from Europe to UK and Ireland. Here the true European Container is born, the key to the succes of ECS and its CSR mission!

ECS opens its office in Venlo, the Netherlands, to focus on the Dutch, the German and also the East-European market.

ECS continues its international expansion and strengthens its market presence in France by opening an office in Le Havre. With this geographic decentralisation, ECS wants to emphasise its local market-oriented approach.

Broadening its range of services, ECS now brings temperature controlled solutions to the market and invests in its first series of 100 new build reefers. The company claims its place in the temperature controlled market.

Further strengthening its position on the UK and Ireland market, the company opens an Ireland sales office in Waterford and launches short sea activities with C2C Shipping Line.

Growing its intermodal solutions even more, ECS now opens an office in Northern-Italy, covering more of the southern European market via an intermodal corridor to and from Italy, being the most mature European freight corridor.

Kelly De Dijcker and Pieter Balcaen take the co-CEO role of the group. The shift is made from a trucking company to an intermodal logistics operator. The group becomes a leading intermodal logistics service provider in Europe, by offering an extensive intermodal network of train, truck and ship.

ECS acquires 2XL, specialised in supply chain and integrated logistics services. This way the group further fulfils its strategic ambition to deliver innovative supply chain solutions. A leading European logistics group is formed, offering intermodal transport, warehousing and sustainable solutions for the integrated supply chain.

Extending its one-stop-shop supply chain solutions, ECS strengthens its position on the French market and opens a 39.000 m² warehouse with a direct railway connection, as part of the trimodal terminal Delta3 in Dourges, France.

In the new reality after Brexit, our extensive know-how of logistics between the UK and the European mainland proves to be of great value. We specialise in border customs formalities to facilitate our clients - the European and UK big shippers – freight. ECS aims for a total service portfolio in full loads and supply chain.

ECS rearranges its shareholding. Christine De Dijcker and Marc Lanckriet are now 100% shareholders in the family company. Meanwhile, her children Cédric and Alizée Lanckriet are actively contributing to the future of ECS. The chairman of the board of directors, Philippe Mathieu, takes over the operational leadership of ECS as CEO and Bart De Smet becomes the new chairman.

Sven Pieters is appointed as the new CEO by the board of directors. Aligned with ECS's strategy, vision, and mission, the new CEO is committed to upholding sustainability as a central pillar of our approach. ECS has invested in a new fully automated & rail connected warehouse with a storage capacity of 82.000 EU pallets in Zeebrugge.