Horst Bartels, founder and chief executive officer of Germany’s largest provider of cold storage logistics services, has received the Goldjupiter award on the occasion of Schortens-headquartered Nordfrost’s 40th anniversary celebration. Approximately 2,000 people attended the gala event, which was held at the Wilhelmshaven deepwater container port’s Nordfrost Seaport Terminal.
Presenting the coveted trophy, which is bestowed to salute significant social contributions and major business achievements made by family-run businesses, was Jüergen R. Viertelhaus, co-president of Wirtschaftskommittee Deutschland (German Economic Committee), the award granting organization.
Nordfrost CEO Horst Bartels (left) is pleased to receive the Goldjupiter award, which is regarded as a “Business Oscar” in Europe.Upon accepting the honor, Bartels commented: “To be an entrepreneur means nothing else but having the courage to take risks.”
He added that the full business cooperation and support of his children, Dr. Falk Bartels and Britta Heine, ensures continuity for Nordfrost well into the future. Up until now, the brother and sister agree that success of the company is “a 100% achievement of their father.”
In addition to employees, celebrants at the anniversary party included business partners, political leaders and other government representatives, media and entertainers. Among them were Thor Schölermann, a well known actor and TV personality in Germany; Lena Meyer-Landrut, a Euro Vision Song Contest winner; Jan Peilnsteiner, ceo of the VDKL (the German refrigerated warehouses and cold logistics company trade association); Olaf Lies, Lower Saxony’s minister of economics, labor and transport; and Gert Stuke, president of the Oldenburg Chamber of Commerce.
Employing approximately 2,500 people and generating about EUR 400 million in turnover per annum, Nordfrost operates 35 coldstores offering customers nearly 3.5 million cubic meters of space with 640,000 pallet positions throughout Germany. On a daily basis the company’s pan-European distribution fleet of 1,600 vehicles delivers temperature-controlled food and other products across the nation and Europe. Its Osnabrück-based RTS Transport Service GmbH subsidiary specializes in moving product to and from Great Britain, France, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Portugal and other countries.
