One full-service operating model
Customs Clearance, Customs & Trade Advisory, Customs Technology, Customs Control Tower and Customs Academy, connected and run as one.
Our past powers your future.
We are Gaston Schul, an independent customs and trade partner, in customs since 1845. We handle the complicated part of trading across Europe's borders, so you do not have to, and hand back clarity, control and confidence instead.
OUR MISSION
To be the customs and trade partner Europe trusts most.
True independence, expert knowledge, and one operating model across Europe: it is what we have built since 1845, and why we are the most knowledgeable and most efficient partner there is, so every business we work with trades with clarity, control and confidence.
AEO authorised
across our markets
Independent
and privately owned
Local teams
across Europe
180+ years
as customs and trade experts
OUR STORY
Who is Gaston Schul?
Put simply, we are the people who make customs make sense. We are independent and privately owned, so the only people we answer to are our customers. Since 1845 we have paired deep customs know-how with technology, advice and hands-on delivery, and today more than 350 specialists across Europe do exactly that. Whatever you need, declarations filed, duty reduced, compliance you can prove, systems connected, or just a straight answer to a hard question, it runs through one full-service operating model:
WHY GASTON SCHUL
More than declarations. A partner who runs customs with you.
Most brokers file your paperwork and stop there. We keep going, running your customs as one coordinated operation, so it stops being a worry and starts being an advantage: stronger compliance, greater cost-efficiency, less risk and a clear view of everything.
Advice and execution, together
We advise and we execute. We find the saving or the risk, then act on it, so a recommendation becomes a result.
Everything in one view
Your customs status, documents, costs and data in one place, so you can see what is happening and prove it on demand.
A partner that keeps improving
We standardise, digitise and keep finding value, so your customs gets more cost-effective, more efficient and lower-risk the longer we work together.
Depth you can rely on
350+ customs specialists and advisors across Europe, so there is always someone who has seen your problem before.
WHO WE ARE
Not just a broker. A customs operating partner.
Knowing the rules is no longer enough. The businesses we work with want customs run like a proper, accountable part of the operation, one that scales and gets better over time, and that is exactly what we are: the same expertise you have always trusted, joined with technology, connected services and real scale, so customs works harder for you instead of simply getting done.
The Lean Customs method. Behind every promise.
Clarity, control and confidence do not happen by accident. Behind them sits the way we work, a method we call Lean Customs: five steps that build on each other, taking your customs from consistent and automated through to visible, intelligent and always improving. Each one lays the foundation for the next, so your operation matures as we go.
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1
Standardise
Standardise
One process and one standard in every country, so execution is predictable and audit-ready.
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2
Digitalise
Connected systems and automation that remove the manual work and give you one version of the truth.
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3
Visibility
One clear view of status, costs and risks, so problems surface before they escalate.
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4
Intelligence
Expertise applied to your data, so risks are flagged early and savings are found, not missed.
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5
Continuous Improvement
Improvement built into the operating model, so your customs gets better over time, not just maintained.
Customs & Trade. Controlled.
This is what we mean by controlled: one independent partner and one full-service operating model, running all of your customs and trade across Europe as one. The clarity to see it, the control to govern it, and the confidence to decide. It is what we have delivered since 1845.
Gaston Schul's values
Kindness
We believe in the power of kindness, and in a culture of empathy, compassion and inclusion where everyone feels welcomed, respected and supported to thrive.
Excellence
Our dedication to know-how and self-improvement fosters excellence. We deepen our expertise, share knowledge and apply what we learn, to deliver unparalleled service.
Customer focus
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We seek to understand their needs, meet any challenge with thoughtful solutions, and measure our success by their satisfaction.
Innovation
A culture of continuous exploration and improvement. We invest in new solutions, advancing technology and better ways to serve.
Integrity
We act with honesty, transparency and accountability. We honour our commitments and conduct business ethically.
Meet the Gaston Schul Team
Rob Ewalds
Chairman
Rob’s career in the Logistics & Customs industry began after he graduated in economics at the University of Amsterdam, where he held various positions within the Netherlands and the international market.
Since 1999, Rob has been instrumental in shaping Gaston Schul's future and its expansion, which has led to the transformation of becoming the full-service customs & trade partner we see today. He now serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors, continuing to guide the company’s strategic direction.
Sander van Lent
CEO
After completing his law degree, Sander held several positions as a lawyer in private practice and within the logistics sector.
Sander joined Gaston Schul to establish the consulting division, and subsequently transitioned into an executive team member primarily focusing on carving Gaston Schul’s future, driving the execution of the strategy, and ensuring compliant and efficient operations. He now serves as CEO, overseeing the company’s continued growth.
Erik Janssen
CFO
Before joining Gaston Schul, Erik worked in accountancy as a Chartered Auditor, where he accumulated extensive knowledge and experience across various industries and company processes.
Since 2013, Erik has been serving as the CFO of Gaston Schul, whilst collaboratively overseeing the entire organisation alongside his colleagues in the Board of Directors.
Gaston Schul History
Founded in 1845 and independent ever since, we have been a steady source of expert, unbiased customs advice through every change at the border, and there have been a few.
Locations
350+ specialists across Europe, with a partner network reaching further. Local knowledge, wherever your goods are headed.
Customer stories
See how businesses across Europe, from growing exporters to global manufacturers, get more from customs with Gaston Schul.
Find your future at Gaston Schul
If you want a long-term career with meaningful work and real values, come and join the Gaston Schul family.