In prelude to a major permanent exhibition on the industrial heritage of the municipality of Emmen, Museum Collectie Brands presents four pilot exhibitions in 2024 & 2025. These are small-scale exhibitions.
The third industrial heritage pilot exhibition focuses on the theme ‘metal’. The companies featured are Rademakers Foundry, Vossebelt and Draka.
Rademakers Gieterij
After the Second World War, many factories settled in south-east Drenthe. Where the companies found the workers they were looking for, the region’s prosperity in turn received a major boost. One of the companies we should definitely mention in this story is Rademakers Gieterij.
It was 1948 when Rademakers Gieterij from Rotterdam started a branch in Klazienaveen. A very modern mechanised foundry was built along the Van Echtenskanaal and production soon started. The official opening did not take place until 1951, when the factory was completed. At that time, it mainly produced mass castings for the Dutch Railways and various waterworks.
In the mid-1970s, Rademakers Klazienaveen came into the hands of the Noordelijke Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij (NOM). That would not be the last time the factory was taken over. In 2021, bankruptcy was in the air, but a group of investors joined hands, saving the company. To this day, the foundry produces high-quality grey cast iron products for clients from various industries.
Vossebelt
A company with a business history dating back as far as 1891 is Vossebelt. It all started when Willem Vossebelt started a forge in a barn in Nieuw-Amsterdam. Blacksmithing work was carried out for the peat bog industry and bridge construction. They also carried out repairs on various machines and peat boats.
In 1960, after two generations of Vossebelt, the company came into the ownership of Henderikus Vleems. From then on, the focus shifted to the production of steel structures. Airlines such as KLM and Fokker become major customers. Vossebelt is doing well and new branches open in Emmen and Geesbrug. In the 2000s, business units were divested and Vossebelt gained a new owner. Today, business activities continue under the name Vossebelt Precisiebewerking on the Bargermeer IV industrial estate on the outskirts of Nieuw-Dordrecht.
Draka
One company that made the leap to south-east Drenthe later on is Draka. Founded in 1910 in Amsterdam as the Hollandsche Draad- en Kabelfabriek. At the time when the use of electricity in businesses and households was still emerging, Draka was the first cable manufacturer in the Netherlands.
In 1970, Draka settled in Emmen. Here it had the space to build a large cable factory and there was sufficient personnel. In 2011, Draka became part of the Prysmian Group, the largest cable manufacturer in the world. When the Amsterdam Draka factory closes, various machines are transferred to Emmen. Here, anno 2025, a wide range of cables for telecommunications and electricity supply are produced.
In the sideline
In this exhibition about companies in the metal industry, two other factories certainly belong. Machinefabriek Werkland and Gero, both from Nieuw-Weerdinge. Unfortunately, they had to cease operations in the 1980s and only the history of these two companies that were onze of importance for the region remains.
We were able to realize this exhibition thanks to various people who have donated objects, documents and photos to the museum. In addition, companies such as Rademakers Gieterij, Draka Prysmian Emmen and Vossebelt Precisiebewerking have contributed many objects.
