This is what gets usout of bed in the morning...
History
Telling our company’s story (which is pretty neat) is a way for us to instil a sense of identity and purpose. To preserve fine traditions but also make a case for change. Management trends come and go. What matters is who we are. And by understanding our past, we can shape our future.
World War II had just ended when Steef and Adri van Riemsdijk set up their modest sheet metal manufacturing company in Rotterdam. Their once bustling port city was a wasteland, but the devastation didn’t discourage the ambitious brothers, who were determined to profit from their experience in the aviation industry.
The Riemsdijk brothers knew from the outset that innovation was the key to success. The imaginative goods they produced ranged from aluminium car bodies and steel scaffolding equipment to military ground support equipment. Their dream to create a Dutch brand based on quality and innovative design was fast becoming a reality.
In the early 1970s, their instinctive drive to specialise intensified, and Van Riemsdijk Rotterdam switched to manufacturing complex, low-volume air cargo products. Dedicated solutions for transporting livestock by air soon followed. Just a decade later, the company was providing logistical relief for airlines around the world with its creative range of products.
The 21st century heralded a new era for the company. The strategy was bold but simple: create customised cargo transport solutions like ULDs and focus on international market expansion. The company name changed to VRR, its headquarters in Rotterdam were expanded, and the maintenance facility was moved to Amsterdam’s intercontinental airport.
Today, the company’s ambitions are reaching new heights: to be best-in-class. The new inflatable container is a perfect example of its product leadership. But one thing’s for sure. No matter how far ahead of its competitors it gets, VRR Rotterdam will never lose sight of its entrepreneurial roots.