What Container Centralen does

Container Centralen A/S (trading as CC) is a privately held Danish company founded in 1977 that operates the European CC Pool, a closed-loop pooling system for reusable transport containers used by the flower and plant (horticulture) industry. CC serves six customer segments - Growers, Retail, Wholesale, Transport, Auction, and Export - across at least 13 European countries (Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, UK, Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Poland). Headquartered in Odense, Denmark, with a shared service center in Hoofddorp (Netherlands) and sales offices in Germany, the UK, Italy, and Poland, the company employs approximately 90 people.

The core product portfolio is three standardized reusable containers - the CC Container, CC Half Container, and CC Euro Container (the last doubling as an in-store retail display) - made exchangeable across the supply chain through depots in key European horticultural regions. Underpinning the pool is the proprietary CC TAG6 RFID authentication system, launched in January 2025 and mandatory for all containers remaining in the pool, supported by the CC4Scanner mobile application for handheld RFID readers and a free smartphone-based visual authentication app. Pool management software is delivered through the My CC self-service portal, which provides real-time balance visibility, contract management, and a unified European Main Balance system; both REST and SOAP APIs are exposed for B2B integration of scanner data.

CC monetizes the system through multiple recurring streams: container rental (subscription), per-transaction delivery/collection/balance-transfer fees (€1.04–€3.12 per CC Base), daily rental penalties for late returns (€1.56/day), €12 re-introduction fees for legacy containers being brought back into the pool under TAG6, and €30 counterfeit-protection fees. Distribution combines direct enterprise account management with the My CC self-serve portal and partner-operated Service Points (notably Alex Andersen Ølund A/S, which manages ~100,000 CC containers across Scandinavia through 5 Service Points).

Name

Container Centralen

Legal name

Container Centralen A/S

Website

https://container-centralen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Container Centralen operates the European CC Pool, a closed-loop reusable container pooling and authentication system for transporting flowers and plants across 13+ European countries, serving growers, retailers, wholesalers, transport firms, auctions, and exporters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

General Warehousing and Storage (493110), Other Warehousing and Storage (493190)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

Portable Storage Container Specialty & High-Value Item Moves (Crating/Climate-Control Options) (HSAKAIAH)

Keywords

• Reusable container pooling
• Horticulture logistics services
• Pool management solutions
• RFID container tracking
• European depot services

Headquarters

HQ city

Katowice

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Container Rental: CC provides reusable containers for transporting flowers and plants in a European pool system. Customers rent containers through contracts, paying rental fees based on usage duration and container type.
2. Pool Management Services: Fees for managing the container pool including exchanges of non-functional material, balance transfers between customers, and depot services across Europe.
3. Service Fees: Fees for delivery to Main Balance (€1.04 per CC Base), collection from Main Balance (€3.12 per CC Base), balance transfers (€0.08 per CC Base), and additional RFH account fees. Daily rental penalties apply for late returns.
4. CC TAG6 Re-introduction: €12 per container base for re-introducing functional CC Container bases with CC Metal Plate but without CC TAG6 label into the CC Pool, plus Pool Fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Container Centralen operates a European reusable container pooling system for the flower and plant transport industry, providing standardized, exchangeable CC Containers (CC Container, CC Half Container, CC Euro Container) authenticated via RFID-enabled CC TAG6 labels. The company manages the pool through a network of depots across Europe, offering rental, exchange, return, and balance management services supported by the My CC self-service portal.

Product overview

Container Centralen provides a comprehensive reusable container pooling system for transporting flowers and plants throughout Europe. The product portfolio centers on three container types (CC Container, CC Half Container, CC Euro Container) managed through the CC Pool system, supported by RFID-enabled CC TAG6 locks for authentication. Services include Pool Management, European Depot Services, and Rental Solutions, all accessible through the My CC self-service portal. Hardware offerings include compatible RFID scanners, while software includes the CC4Scanner app for handhelds and a smartphone authentication app. The system enables exchange, return, and collection of containers across a European depot network with unified balance management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• My CC: Self-service customer portal for managing contracts, balances, and container exchanges
• CC TAG6
• CC Container
• CC Half Container
• CC Euro Container

Products and services

• CC Container The standard reusable container for transporting flowers and plants in the European CC Pool. Simple to use, collapsible, and exchangeable throughout the supply chain.
• CC Half Container A smaller reusable container size designed for handling smaller volumes of flowers and plants, offering the same pooling benefits as the standard CC Container.
• CC Euro Container An in-store display container for retail transport of flowers and plants from grower to point of sale, combining transportation and display functionality.
• CC TAG6 RFID-enabled lock/tag for CC Containers that authenticates legitimate containers in the CC Pool and protects against counterfeit and illegally introduced containers. Required on all CC Containers as of January 6, 2025.
• Pool Management Services Manages the European CC Pool system allowing reusable containers to be exchanged between customers and users, maintaining fairness and preventing introduction of fake containers.
• Depot Services European network of depots allowing customers to return and collect CC Containers at different locations, with real-time balance tracking across the continent.
• Rental Solutions Allows customers to rent CC Containers with flexible terms, including options to re-introduce functional container bases without TAG6 labels for €12 per base plus Pool Fee.
• My CC Portal Self-service customer portal for managing contracts, balances, exchanges, returns, and collections. Provides immediate insight into balances and allows balance transfers between customers.
• Balance Transfer Service Enables customers to transfer CC Container balances to other CC customers, with options for sender-pays-all arrangements where the transferor covers both transfer and collection fees.
• CC RFID Scanner Hardware RFID handheld scanner hardware for authenticating CC TAG6 locks. Compatible with Nordic ID HH85/HH83, Zebra TC27, Janam XR2, and other supported devices. Available through Lyngsoe Systems.
• CC4Scanner App Mobile application for RFID handheld scanners that authenticates CC TAG6 locks, counts scanned tags, reads other RFID labels, and enables data sharing with trading partners. Free to download.
• CC TAG6 Authentication Mobile App Free smartphone app (iOS 17.3+ and Android 14+) providing visual-based authentication of CC TAG6 locks as an alternative to RFID scanner authentication. Uses camera and visual techniques to verify authenticity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% CO2 reduction potential with HVO fuel
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• SenndercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Sennder is CC's Transport Partner for the Hazerswoude-Straelen lane, providing Green Transport solutions using HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) fuel. In 2023, this partnership prevented 5t of CO2 emissions with only 30 loads. Sennder focuses on digitization and decarbonization in road freight, leveraging data to create efficient networks.
• Lyngsoe Systems A/ScoreTechnology or IntegrationCC partnered with Lyngsoe Systems A/S as the scan expert for delivering the new generation of RFID scanners compatible with the CC4scanner app (Nordic HH85). Lyngsoe provides comprehensive support including scanner selection, installation, and after-sales service through their service packages. CC4scanner app is preinstalled on devices purchased through Lyngsoe. Scanner support available at +45 7028 7029.
• Alex Andersen Ølund A/SflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlex Andersen is CC's main service provider in Scandinavia, arranging 80% of exchanges of damaged material through 5 dedicated Service Points (3 in Denmark, 1 in Sweden, 1 in Norway). The company manages approximately 100,000 CC containers and collects 25,000 containers and 125,000 shelves annually. Both companies share offices in Odense and are building a joint terminal 800m from CC's building.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Euro Pool System: Operates a reusable packaging pool for fresh produce across Europe. Directly comparable to Container Centralen in business model (pooling), customer base (fresh supply chain), and operational structure (depot-based returnable container exchange).
• IFCO Systems: Global leader in reusable plastic container (RPC) pooling for fresh produce. Comparable to Container Centralen as a direct pooling peer serving growers, retailers, and transporters with standardized reusable containers and depot networks.
• Schoeller Allibert: European manufacturer of reusable plastic containers and pooling solutions for supply chains. Comparable to CC as a direct competitor in reusable transport packaging for fresh produce and agricultural customers across Europe.
• Bekuplast: European provider of reusable plastic containers (EPCs) for the fresh produce and food supply chain. Comparable to Container Centralen as a direct peer operating pooling/returnable container systems for horticulture-adjacent customers.
• LPR (La Palette Rouge): European pallet pooling provider with shared-user model. Comparable to Container Centralen as a pooling peer operating a network-based rental/return model for transport packaging across Europe.
• Polymer Logistics: Provider of reusable plastic crates and supply chain solutions for fresh produce retail. Comparable to Container Centralen as a direct peer in reusable pooling for perishable, retail-facing supply chains.

Broad incumbents

• CHEP: Global pooling leader for pallets and containers across multiple industries under Brambles. Comparable to CC as a broad incumbent offering reusable transport asset pooling with shared depot and tracking infrastructure, though CHEP serves many verticals beyond horticulture.
• Brambles: Parent of CHEP and a globally diversified pooling/logistics platform. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the reusable transport asset pooling space with much larger scale and multi-vertical exposure.

Emerging players

• PalletBiz: European pallet and packaging pooling provider with growing digital platform. Comparable as an emerging pooling peer with a similar shared-user rental model focused on European supply chains.

Others

• Sennder: European digital road freight platform partnered with CC for green transport solutions on the Hazerswoude-Straelen lane. Comparable as an ecosystem/transport partner rather than direct pooling competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/container-centralen
• Xx.com/ccentralen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Container Centralen