Paul van Vlissingen
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Paul van Vlissingen steam- and general engineeringworks In 1827 Paul van Vlissingen, who began his industrial career in the former Dutch East India Company 'smokehouse' on Oostenburg, set up a forge and workshop for repairing steam engines. Van Vlissingen enjoyed the support of King Willem I, who while exiled in England during the Napoleonic occupation had witnessed England's industrial rise. The king believed fervently that the Netherlands should have its own industrial base. |
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In 1848 the works, which had meanwhile become a limited partnership managed by Paul van Vlissingen and Dudok van Heel, produced its first own steamlocomotives. The company expanded to become an engineering works producing rolling stock, (ship's) dieselengines and capital goods. The name Werkspoor came into use in about 1890 as a telegram address, and in 1929 'Werkspoor N.V.' became its official title; the Vmf (standing for Verenigde Machinefabrieken or United Engineering Works) was created in 1954 after the merger of Werkspoor and Stork. |