Logistics service provider Van den Bosch is celebrating its 60th anniversary this month.
The Netherlands-based transport company was founded in 1964 by Ad van den Bosch. Starting off with just a single truck, he laid the foundation for today’s organization. Six decades later, Van den Bosch has grown into a world player in intermodal bulk logistics, with branches in Europe, Africa, and beyond.
With just one truck, the 27-year-old Ad started his own business on Hoogstraat road in Erp in 1964. At the wheel of this Volvo Titan, he drove to Rotterdam every day to collect flour for the bakers in Brabant. More trucks and the first employees soon followed. The variety of loads also continued to increase. In 1971, the company opened an office and garage on Hoogven road in Erp, where Van den Bosch is still located today.
“There was no clear strategy in the early years, yet the company grew rapidly,” Peter van den Bosch, Ad’s son, who served as CEO from 1998 to 2017, said in a news release. “My father seized every job opportunity and grew the business alongside those of his customers.” From the late 1980s onward, the focus shifted increasingly to bulk logistics. This speciality took off in earnest at the turn of the century.
“Since 2007, we have focused entirely on intermodal bulk logistics, always searching for the best combination of road, water, and rail,” Peter continued. “In 2011, we transported more intermodally than by road for the first time. Our fleet now numbers over 6,000 containers, and 95% of our shipments are intermodal.”
In October, Van den Bosch will be exactly 60 years old. Current CEO Rico Daandels is proud of this milestone. “The way we have developed over the years reflect our continuous drive to stay ahead in a changing world. Van den Bosch has grown through our shared passion for logistics, our ambition and our innovative strength. And it is precisely these core values, so typical of Ad and Peter, that I still see every day.
“They are embedded in everything we do and make us who we are today: ‘The Supply Changer in Bulk.’
“I am proud to have been part of this for almost 20 years.”
In addition to inviting business associates and employees to a 60th-anniversary celebration, Van den Bosch is opening its own museum Oct. 4 in Erp. Here, the rich history of the company will come to life, from the pioneering early years to bulk logistics as a core activity and intermodal growth. A jubilee magazine about 60 years of Van den Bosch will also be published this month.
“We are proud of our history,” Daandels concluded. “That’s why we will be taking a good look back over the past six decades in the museum and magazine. We will be doing this together with the people who have contributed to our journey.
“After all, you don't just turn 60 years old overnight.”