We introduce to you: Raoul Nijlhof, co-founder of Luggage Care. Have you ever ordered a plane ticket online and received the option on the screen to have your luggage picked up at home? Did you then also use this option and therefore started your trip without unnecessary check-in stress? Chances are you have Raoul to thank.
For the RichPorters among us: Luggage Care started in 2019 at the Beechavenue (to give you an idea: the Yenlo building) and now has twelve employees. Raoul: 'When I started this company with my business partner Rico, we had no money, no technical knowledge, but we did have a vision! One of the most disruptive, delaying and biggest dissatisfactions in the Customer Journey at the airport is baggage check-in. It costs the traveler a lot of time (and extra money in case of overweight) and it costs the airport many man hours and space in the departure hall for queues, counters and baggage belts. That has to be done better and smarter. With an idea for a platform that offers open access to airlines on the one hand and logistics partners on the other, we approached an investor. It was a direct success. The investor saw the potential and provided us with a few million to make our vision a reality.'
This is the future
“Those were literally the investor's words. Today Luggage Care is known under the name 'Luggo' and offered by many airlines, including Transavia and Corendon. The process is now watertight and fully grown. The traveler registers the luggage at home. This is then sealed at home by logistics partner FedEx, provided with a unique seal, photographed and taken to the airport. The traveler tracks the location of the luggage via an app and can choose: either pick up the luggage at the baggage claim at the destination or even have it delivered to the final destination. One pays a little more for the latter option, but with an average price of € 25, this of course easily compensates for the hassle, stress and waiting. Especially now, at a time when we live with a pandemic, every possibility that prevents us from being crowded by other travelers at a baggage claim is more than welcome, isn't it?
A big advantage for us is that we can grow without purchasing our own resources. After all, the planes are owned by the airlines. Ground transportation is provided by FedEx. With this in mind we have set a realistic goal to become the largest in Europe within the next five years.”
We are RichPort
Raoul has worked at a large facility services provider in the past and understands creating communities and their importance. Raoul: 'I know how difficult it is to link tenants together and activate them. It strikes me that quite a lot is organized at RichPort, despite Corona. I always find the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven a good example. It houses many tenants with the same background in technology and innovation, but even there you see less enthusiasm to make something of it together. I'm sure that when we can get back together, RichPort will be a success. In any case, it will if I can help it!'
Below: The Luggage Care team. On the far right: Rico and Raoul.
