Loomis: transport and physical storage of precious metal

At GoldRepublic we understand that when you invest in gold, trust and security are crucial. That is why we do not keep your precious metal in our own vault locations, but work exclusively with independent, third-party managed vaults of world class. Our most important partner for international gold storage and logistics is Loomis. In this article we explain why this partnership offers you the highest form of protection.

About Loomis

In the world of gold and silver, Loomis is one of the largest, oldest and most respected players in the field of logistics and independent storage in highly secured vaults.

When you buy physical gold or silver through GoldRepublic, chances are that Loomis is the party transporting and managing the bullion behind the scenes.

Loomis (formerly known worldwide under the name VIA MAT) manages highly secured vault complexes in strategic locations around the world, including Zurich and Frankfurt. The company also takes care of international transport via armoured vehicles and monitors the entire logistics process from the refinery to the vault.

Why independent vault custody is essential

Most parties in the precious metals market choose to store gold in their own vault locations. GoldRepublic deliberately chooses a different approach.

By placing your precious metal with an external, independent party such as Loomis, a separation is created between the party that sells the gold (GoldRepublic) and the party that physically manages the gold.

Although this structure entails higher operational costs, we make no concessions whatsoever here. For you as an investor, this is the only way to guarantee objectivity. After all, an external party can independently confirm at any time that your gold is actually in the vault.

The Loomis 'Chain of Integrity'

The gold bars or silver bars you buy through GoldRepublic come directly from a refinery certified by the LBMA (London Bullion Market Association). From the refinery, the bars are transported directly by Loomis and placed in the vault. Because the gold never leaves this strictly secured chain, the quality of the precious metal is undeniably guaranteed.

The big advantage for you? When you decide to sell your gold again through GoldRepublic, there is never any time-consuming or costly remelting or re-assaying. The market accepts the gold directly, because the chain of integrity via Loomis has never been broken. Your gold retains its maximum tradability and value at all times.

Allocated and insured storage

Through GoldRepublic you are and remain the legal owner of the silver or gold you have purchased.

Your holdings are in your name and linked to your GoldRepublic account. The precious metal is therefore not on the balance sheet of GoldRepublic and/or Loomis. Should anything unexpectedly happen to GoldRepublic or Loomis, your holdings remain legally out of reach: they are and remain your property.

In addition, the entire contents of the vaults at Loomis are insured down to the last cent against theft, loss or damage. This is done through renowned, international insurance companies such as Lloyd's of London or Marsh.

Such a level of coverage is virtually impossible with a regular home safe or an average bank.

The advantages of Loomis

• Vault complexes in strategic locations, such as Zurich and Frankfurt
• Precious metals are transported directly from the refinery to the vault
• Independent confirmation that your gold is actually present in the vault
• 100% insured against theft, loss or damage
• Independent operation from the traditional banking system

Storage at a traditional bank or via Loomis?

Some investors initially consider placing their gold in a safe deposit box at a traditional bank. In the current economic landscape, however, this carries risks.

Banks are part of the central financial system and are subject to legislation around 'bail-ins', whereby account holders' balances can be drawn upon to rescue a bank in trouble.

Loomis operates completely independently of the traditional banking system. It is a specialised logistics custodian, not a financial institution that issues loans. By placing your allocated storage outside the banking system, you protect your assets against systemic risks and government interventions in times of crisis.

The partnership with GoldRepublic

GoldRepublic was the very first party in the Netherlands to obtain an AFM licence (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the Dutch financial markets authority) for offering physical bullion in combination with storage.

Because such a licence category did not yet exist, we applied for it ourselves with the AFM at the time. We have now proudly held this licence for 15 years.

With more than £1.3 billion in precious metals under management, we are by far the largest independent precious metals party in the Netherlands. Our scale and our AFM status require every detail to be right.

That is why the physical presence and quality of the gold in the vaults of Loomis are periodically checked by a respected, independent external auditor (such as ALS Inspection). These auditors check the serial numbers and weights bar by bar, so you can be absolutely certain that your assets are managed exactly according to the rules.