our history > the story

The present managing director and owner of Jan van Duuren & Sons is Robert- Jan van Duuren. From February 2005 onwards he has run the company that was established by his great-grandfather Nico, back in 1901.
At the time Nico van Duuren worked as a coachman for a carrier-service based in Haarlem. He showed a keen interest in other haulage companies and when he was able to take over a competitor firm he took the plunge. On August 1st of 1901 he signed the official documents and became sole owner of a carrier-service. The amount of money involved was 212,50 Dutch guilders, about 70 pounds sterling or 100 US dollars in today’s money.
Nico started off in a small way. In order to deliver packages to famous Dutch jewellers such as Driessen and Maartense in nearby Amsterdam he even travelled by train. In 1921 he bought his first (second-hand) car, a chain-driven lorry with solid tyres. The name of Van Duuren was proudly painted onto the canvas. Gradually his business grew. Thrice daily he drove from Leyden to Amsterdam, via Haarlem at a ‘reasonable rate’. ‘Quick service’ was guaranteed.

During the Second World War Nico died. Of the seven sons involved in the company Bert was in charge. Jan started his own removal firm and Piet a haulage firm in Amsterdam. After the war, in 1948, Jan was able to acquire a lorry thanks to the so-called ‘Marshall-help’, the extensive financial and economic support by the USA to several countries in Europe (all but bankrupt after five years of war and German occupation.) Jan needed that lorry for times were changing: transport by horse-and-cart, bicyle, carrier-bike, tugboat or train quickly became a thing of the past. The company grew and was founded on three elements: removals, piano transports and storage. In years to come another element was added: transport of medical and audio-visual apparatus for large international concerns. In 1975 Rob van Duuren, father of present owner Robert-Jan, took over the company that his dad established. Van Duuren & Sons – Removals and Transport – grew into a sizeable company. Furthermore, management and staff acquired all certificates needed to carry out orders demanding great and specialist skill.

Modern times
With Robert-Jan at the helm it’s a new era. How to handle all present-day requirements and which way to go in the near future are matters that he likes to consider carefully. Robert-Jan clearly chooses growth by degree, for in his view growth should not obstruct quality. ‘Van Duuren’s have to hold up their reputation, gained by decades of tremendous hard work. And as everybody knows: one’s reputation can go down the drain faster than you’d ever imagine. I will guard our good name, for I owe that to my grandfather Jan, who still watches over my shoulder, and also to generations to come. They can rely on me. I give them my word!’