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Construction of the new facility in Puttershoek is progressing nicely and remains right on schedule. The progress can be monitored via the webcam images, and it is striking how many people are actually following it. This strong interest was the reason for organising an open morning on Saturday, June 20, for invited guests (employees and their partners). The building is not yet finished, but we are well on our way, and even the racking in Hall A has already been installed. Visitors were amazed by the scale of the project. “What an ocean of space,” one visitor remarked enthusiastically. “And now we’re heading to the sea to cool off, as it is a tropical day,” he added with a laugh. And what about the football fever? The atmosphere is a little different from when matches are played at more usual times, because at Van der Mark we normally watch together on a big screen. This time, many of the matches are played during the night, but the VDM football prediction pool has attracted plenty of participants. So now we can only hope that we go all the way and perhaps, for the very first time, become world champions! It certainly won’t be because of a lack of support from us, as we are all firmly behind the Dutch national team! This Saturday evening they rewarded us with an impressive 5-1 victory over Sweden!

On April 27, an impressive convoy of trucks will once again drive through the Hoeksche Waard. “We have around 170 participants. Most of them will ride along in the cab with a truck driver, and for people in wheelchairs we have also arranged a coach and several taxi vans. All of this is sponsored by people with big hearts,” says Sonja Buwalda on behalf of the organisation. She had been a volunteer for many years before joining the board last year. “I have a daughter who works in disability care, and this is such a wonderful thing to be part of. Every year, I have tears in my eyes when I see all those happy faces.” This year, the start and finish will once again be at Van der Mark. “A fantastic company that is highly involved and embraces all social initiatives in the Hoeksche Waard.”

There’s no need for Polarsteps to follow the adventures of Simon van der Mark and Henk van der Meer. As every year, they are responsible for the transport and bivouac for the Bastion Team. Simon shares updates on Facebook in his own humorous way. A lighthearted travel log with images of what they encounter along the way. From grumpy customs officers at the border and long hours at sea, to photos of frying pancakes and the fish they catch themselves. Just add Simon as a friend on Facebook, and you’ll be traveling right along with them.

Blad Rijopleidingen organised the Transport and Logistics Day Hoeksche Waard for the second year in a row on Saturday, March 28. The event, held at the Van der Mark site on James Wattstraat, attracted a large number of visitors. Everything was done to spark the interest of both young and old in a future in the logistics sector. There was live music by Marco Junger, free coffee from Hoeksche Branders, fries and snacks from De Frietbaas, and people with a driver’s license had the opportunity to take a short drive in a box truck. The larger setup resulted in a much higher turnout than during last year’s event and people are already looking forward to the third edition.

The new logistics center at SHIPP21 is really starting to take shape. Patricia van der Mark says: “It’s now virtually wind- and waterproof, and all the overhead doors have been installed. Construction is progressing smoothly and we’re right on schedule, so behind the scenes we’re busy preparing for the move. The relocation will take place in Q3, and by Q4 we’ll be fully operational.”

“Supporting local initiatives is something we’re happy to do,” said Patricia van der Mark a year ago, when she signed the contract committing VDM as a GOLD sponsor for three years to football club SHO. “We don’t do anything over the top, and it always has to contribute something to the island.” FCC Spuicrossers - the BMX club of the Hoeksche Waard - is renovating its track and recently acquired four 40-foot containers. They called on VDM to transport the containers, which will be used for storage and will also form the foundation of the new start hill. “This way, we’re giving them a great push in the right direction.”

We drive daily for many customers and increasingly with our customers’ advertising on display. “You could say they’re moving business cards,” says Simon van der Mark. “Since last month, we’ve had a new trailer on the road featuring the beautiful branding of Snoek Bakkerijen, and a second trailer advertising Hoeksche Chips. In the past, everything was yellow - truck and trailer - but this really showcases the diversity of customers we work for. This way, the roads become a lot more colourful.”

“The annual Gulfood exhibition is ideal if, like us, you want to explore the market and stay up to date without constantly having to travel all over the world,” says Frank de Galan. Together with Patricia and Simon van der Mark he attended the four-day mega-event at the end of January, where thousands of exhibitors showcased their products and services. Simon adds: “This is the networking opportunity par excellence. We meet our key international clients there and further strengthen our relationships, both at the exhibition and beyond. We also spoke with several potential new clients. We can’t reveal too much about that just yet, but we’ve almost certainly secured a major new contract.” To be continued …

King Winter brought snow fun and beautiful winter scenes, but also caused a great deal of inconvenience on the roads. Thanks to a collective effort, we at VDM made sure we were still able to keep moving. As mentioned, the year started off cold and slippery, but it promises to be a great one. The project in Puttershoek is on schedule and we are looking forward to the move. In addition, we have just put a new DAF XG+ (530 hp) into service for international transport. Behind the scenes, we are also testing IMPACT- the latest generation of planning software for the logistics sector - which we plan to implement during the course of 2026. In short, everything is well on track.

It was a great year with many highlights, such as driving the first pile for the new logistics center in Puttershoek. And of course, not to be forgotten, the memorable anniversary celebration that we celebrated in grand style this September.
From a business perspective, we are also very satisfied. We had the pleasure of welcoming several new partners and every day we are on the road for many customers to take care of everything from A to Z. We strengthened our team in various positions, further expanded our fleet and everything is in place to make 2026 a successful year as well. In the coming year, the team at Van der Mark will once again be ready for you. We wish everyone happy holidays and a safe and prosperous 2026.

On Friday, 19 December, we officially and joyfully said farewell to three colleagues. Nico Buisman, Kees Nobel and Hans Beije together account for more than 90 years at Van der Mark, and all three are now set to enjoy their well-deserved retirement. In our own café, surrounded by many colleagues, old memories were shared. Simon van der Mark expressed his words of thanks to the three retirees. The celebration carried on into the late hours and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Thank you guys. We wish you many more years in good health and are sure we will see you often at VDM whenever there is something to celebrate again.

On Saturday, November 15, the staff association Het Vijfde Wiel (The Fifth wheel) once again hosted a fun wheel of fortune event. As always there were plenty of prizes to win and all visitors were treated to snacks, drinks and entertainment. Next year the wheel of fortune will definitely spin again.

The roof was practically blown off during the 115th anniversary celebration on September 20. It was incredibly busy, but there was plenty of space and the atmosphere was fantastic from the very first minute to the last. Restaurant De Rustburcht kept everyone well fed with delicious bites and after several speeches and words of thanks the party really took off. Crazy Piano’s had everyone on the dance floor with their live requests, and when they took a break the DJ kept the energy high. Simon received a bronze sculpture from alderman Paul Boogaard, created by artist Jos Gielen. “Standing head and shoulders above the rest, that’s what you’ve done for so many years and that’s why you are the very first person to receive this award,” Boogaard said. Patricia van der Mark also took the stage with flair, but the most moving words of the evening came from her grandmother. She silenced the entire room with her heartfelt speech, praising her son and the entire VDM team for their tremendous unity and dedication. It was truly a celebration to remember. “Certainly for us,” said Anita Kooy Streefkerk of Stichting Droomhuis Hoeksche Waard. “Instead of bringing gifts, all guests were asked to donate to charity. More than €7,000 was raised and Van der Mark doubled and rounded up the amount to €15,000. Doing business with a heart for others, that’s something truly special.”

On Saturday, September 20, we will celebrate our 115th anniversary together with all our employees, partners, and business relations. It promises to be a wonderful evening, though we won’t reveal too much just yet as we love surprising everyone. The dress code is ‘casual chic with a touch of yellow’ because Van der Mark has been yellow for 115 years!
When you host a party, you usually receive gifts, but we’d rather give gifts. At our centennial in 2010, we donated a generous sum to the Hospice Hoeksche Waard. This time, we are raising money for Stichting Droomhuis, a housing initiative for young people with intellectual disabilities in the Hoeksche Waard. “It’s a beautiful thing to give back to this island where our company feels so much at home. We have asked all our guests to make a donation to this good cause. This way, we can build a brighter future together. By sharing, everyone moves forward,” Simon says meaningfully. A lovely detail: the future residents of the Droomhuis have been invited as guests of honor to our celebration. Donations can be made to NL32INGB0004482105 with the reference: Donatie jubileum VDM.

This season, Max Verstappen’s dominance is being challenged by several top drivers who currently have the better engines. It’s fantastic to see how Max, with his unmatched talent, fights for every inch of the track. A thrill for us as spectators and exciting right up to the very last second. We were on the road for three days again: Friday and Saturday with a group of colleagues, and Sunday - the race day itself - with some good clients. Formula 1 is a true celebration for real fans, and we enjoyed it from start to finish… and even kept the party going afterwards!

Under the watchful eyes of invited guests, the first pile for the new logistics center in Puttershoek was officially driven in on Thursday, July 10. Patricia van der Mark and Marijn Paardekooper operated the pile driver, driving the 28-meter-long milestone into the ground.  It’s impressive to see what will soon rise here, starting with a solid foundation consisting of no fewer than 128 of these foundation piles, along with another 1,164 slightly shorter screw piles. “There’s really something significant being built here,” noted Simon van der Mark. He was referring in part to the storage facility for Packit, which will also house offices in the building, offering a beautiful view of the open water.
With a glass of chilled sparkling wine in hand, Simon addressed the attendees and thanked Leen Paardekooper for the trust placed in joining VDM in moving to the Waterfront location. Leen, in turn, spoke of their special relationship, where business agreements are sealed not with hard-to-read contracts, but with a friendly handshake. It was a festive, sun-drenched event. “It’s great to see what Van der Mark is accomplishing here,” said alderman Paul Boogaard. He praised the construction plans: “My portfolio includes Economy and Employment, and this project is a boost for the Hoeksche Waard. This is big.” While guests enjoyed snacks and drinks - catered by Restaurant Rustburcht - several more piles were driven into the ground. Patricia van der Mark added: “We’ll be sharing images and videos of the construction process on social media, so everyone can follow along as it progresses.”
(In the photo, from left to right: Leen Paardekooper, Simon van der Mark, and Alderman Paul Boogaard)

We’ve put a new truck into service: a stunning MAN TGX with 520 HP. “The TGX is MAN’s heaviest model. Ideal for international and heavy-duty transport,” explains Simon van der Mark, “thanks to its power, long range and exceptionally comfortable cab.” Why not just another DAF? “Because it’s good to experience how another brand performs in day-to-day operations,” says Simon van der Mark. “That doesn’t mean DAF is suddenly off the radar. Let’s just say this broadens our perspective, but above all this is an absolute beast of a truck. Truly impressive.”

We’ve given several of our trailers - including the one for Banketbakkerij Van Strien - a fresh new look. This way, we’re out on the road every day, serving as rolling advertisements for several of our regular clients. We recently refreshed the trailer for Pack-It, and previously did the same for Hoeksche Chips and many others.

During the annual meeting on Saturday, May 10, we presented the new construction plans for Puttershoek. Well, plans? The date for the first pile had already been announced and most people had already seen some artist impressions. Still, it was valuable to give the entire team a thorough update. One of the key questions was whether the current headquarters on James Wattstraat would remain open. The reassuring answer - yes - brought relief to many. Of course, there were other items on the agenda, but the new building and our long-term vision (for which the new logistics center is essential) took center stage. The meeting concluded with a great lunch, and conversations carried on well into the afternoon.

We’ve been busy these past few weeks, but that’s only to be expected when you’re active in the logistics sector like VDM. We treated ourselves to a brand-new Terberg YT220 terminal tractor. Naturally, it’s fully decked out in VDM’s colors and branding. We feel truly fortunate, as Reuters Design & Concepts gifted us this design in celebration of our 115th anniversary. At Easter, we treated all our employees to a festive Easter package, with thanks to Bakery Boender for the delicious contents. And on King’s Day, we were able to treat many more people during the annual Truckers’ Ride - starting and finishing at Van der Mark - organised by Stichting De Hoeksche Waardse Truckers. Tom van der Mark enjoyed every moment. “It’s just wonderful to be able to give people the day of a lifetime.” It was an impressive parade of over 150 trucks, including no fewer than 15 from Van der Mark.

The roots of Van der Mark Transport run deep in the clay of the Hoeksche Waard. “This is where it all began 115 years ago, and where we feel at home,” says Simon van der Mark. The main office on James Wattstraat will therefore remain fully operational. However, since expansion in Oud-Beijerland is difficult, a large new logistics center is being built in Puttershoek. “To accommodate our growth, we’ve gradually started using more and more locations at De Bosschen. That allowed our storage capacity to grow along with demand, but from a logistical point of view this fragmentation isn’t practical which is why we’ve decided to build new facilities.”
At the SHIPP 21 business park in Puttershoek, Van der Mark (together with Heylen Warehouses) will be developing a large new facility named Waterfront. “It will be a modern warehouse covering 20,000 square meters. The layout will be spacious, with 20 loading docks and we’ll build higher to create even more pallet space. This expansion enables us to continue growing, further optimise our processes and serve our clients even better.”
The first pile still needs to go into the ground, but the new logistics center is expected to be fully operational by October 2026. “Packit, one of our major clients, will also establish an office in the new building. This opens the door to even closer collaboration and shared ambitions. As I said, we’re staying on the island and Puttershoek is just around the corner from our headquarters, so it’s easy to manage. With this prime new location, we’re making a major leap in efficiency and all our clients will benefit.”

We have a warm heart for football club SHO in Oud-Beijerland and have recently strengthened our sponsorship ties. “We are happy to support local initiatives and sports clubs,” says Patricia van der Mark. “For the next three years, we will be a GOLD sponsor of SHO, enabling them to raise the bar even higher in their sporting achievements.”

Frank de Galan, Simon van der Mark, and Patricia van der Mark attended Gulfood in February at the unique Dubai World Trade Centre. This 30th edition was more spectacular than ever, featuring over 5,500 exhibitors from 129 countries. “The whole world comes together here,” says Frank. “We were able to meet many of our international clients. It takes a few flight hours, but this event is crucial for us to expand our global network. This way, we strengthen our international reach.”

The now 19-year-old Amy started a training program at VDM with the goal of becoming a truck driver, and she is completely in her element. If you want to see what that looks like in daily practice, you can watch her in the PowNed series Meiden die Rijden. She holds her own, and the great thing is that there are now four women behind the wheel at VDM. "It’s a fantastic profession," Amy says enthusiastically. "No day is the same and of course it’s awesome that more and more girl power is entering what has always been a typical men’s world." At VDM we are incredibly proud of our film star!

On the evening of Saturday, January 25, we celebrated a wonderfully authentic Italian party with everything you could imagine. It was bellissimo. With nearly the entire staff and their guests in attendance, it was the perfect occasion to honor six milestone anniversaries. Simon and Tom van der Mark had kind words for Leo Dank, Laurens Mol, Leslie van Leeuwen, and Gerard van den Oosten, who all celebrated their 12.5-year anniversary, while Adrie Vos and Arco van der Hoeven have now reached 25 years of service as of June and November of this year, respectively. Congratulations!

In December, we presented the updated staff directory and announced that there have been some role changes.
Ted den Boer had been handling international planning for many years, but he will soon be heading abroad himself. He is emigrating to Italy, and his position will be filled by Floor de Kruijf, whose expertise in logistics makes her a perfect fit. Additionally, Dennis van der Mespel is pursuing his (fireworks) dream, and Peter Schaap is taking over domestic planning (just like before). Last but not least, we have hired an experienced Warehouse Manager, Marco Dopierala. As mentioned, the team is back in top shape!

Over the past few months, we have put a lot of new equipment into service. Throughout 2024, no fewer than 9 DAF XD trucks were added for distribution, 3 DAF XG+ trucks for international transport, and 5 trailers. For now, we are well-equipped for the road ahead.

We’ve updated our ‘who’s who’ directory because we just weren’t aging! Additionally, there have been some internal role changes and we’ve managed to attract a few new faces. Under the ‘Photos’ menu, you’ll find plenty of wheels and our company video. But under the ‘Who’s Who’ tab, you’ll see the updated photo gallery. Spot the differences. One person stands out with a different hair color! We haven’t included everyone in the photo album; otherwise, you’d be scrolling endlessly. During Sinterklaas, we were once again reminded of how many people we actually have working here. We distributed no fewer than 135 butter letters (courtesy of Bakkerij De Ambacht in Mijnsheerenland). Today, we handed out the last of the Christmas hampers, and this afternoon, we’re hosting a spontaneous Christmas drink for those interested. Just a few days left, but we’re ready for the new year. On behalf of the entire team - 135 strong - we wish everyone happy holidays and a prosperous 2025!

On Saturday, November 16, The Fifth Wheel once again organises a great even. The doors will open at 14:00 and everyone is welcome for an enjoyable afternoon/evening. We will spin the wheel of fortune for attractive prices (also for kids). It will be a night to remember with good food, drinks and music, so visit us and be our guest. The proceeds, benefiting the Staff Association's fund, will be used next year to organise another fun staff outing.

We have recently implemented significant fleet renewals, and more is on the way. Simon van der Mark explains: “Placing an order now and having it operational by the end of the year means we’ll be able to keep delivering to city centers with this new equipment at least until 2030. These are the cleanest diesel engines of their kind!” Additionally, we’ve acquired 11 new pallet trucks and an extra push & pull device, allowing us to load and unload more easily and, therefore, more quickly. “Good equipment is half the battle.”

At the end of August, we enjoyed three incredible days of the Formula 1 spectacle at Zandvoort. For three days, we hosted a group of clients and employees, enjoying fantastic seats in the Ben Pon Tribune. It was a celebration both on and off the track, where we enjoyed a delicious BBQ and music at a cozy beachside venue. Although Max Verstappen ultimately finished  ‘only’ in second place, it didn’t dampen the fun. This was the ultimate racing experience for all Formula 1 fans.

This jubilee edition will be spectacular. Of course, Van der Mark Transport will be there with its own stand at this exclusive culinary networking event where we are excited to meet all our partners again. We look forward to welcoming everyone on Wednesday, September 11 and Thursday, September 12 (from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM) in the luxury tent pavilion at P5C near De Kuip, the iconic Feyenoord stadium. For questions about entry or otherwise, please contact Patricia van der Mark.

It was a sunny and extremely pleasant herring party at Lakehouse Binnenmaas in Mijnsheerenland. All the ingredients were top-notch, and the proceeds for the good cause - Hospice Hoeksche Waard - were higher than ever, totaling twelve thousand five hundred euros. Simon van der Mark took the opportunity to put a birthday celebrant in the spotlight. “It’s always the same people who stand on stage, and that’s unfair because Paul Kooyman truly deserves it. Paul is an inspiration to many. Although he has been retired for some time now, he still helps children with learning difficulties move forward with his didactic skills and knowledge, always with great success and empathy. He is an example to many, sees the good in people and is always positive. Thanks to you, many children have a golden future and that deserves a stage today!” The birthday celebrant (age known to the editors) listened to the words of praise with considerable emotion and responded briefly, yet so aptly: “There is hope.”

We have a new tractor truck for transporting chassis to our various locations. It’s easily recognizable, strikingly decorated with the logos of our regional clients.
Additionally, we have a brand-new service van for Leo Dank, wrapped in style. Although Leo doesn’t have to go out often - as he keeps all the rolling stock in top condition in the workshop - when needed, he has everything on board to get our vehicles back on the road quickly. Safe travels, Leo!

The Pentecost weekend was wet and the heavy rain made it extra challenging for the participants of the Roparun. It’s a great relief to have enthusiastic spectators cheering you on along the way. Oud-Beijerland has long been a favorite spot for runners to pass through, as many activities are organized there. This year 4 VDM trailers lined the route. Marjo Kusmus from ‘Uitzwaaien in Oud-Beijerland’ has been able to count on a sponsored trailer for years. “A covered stage truck is so convenient. This year we had a singing duo on the truck, and our choir ‘Waanzingig’ also stayed dry all day. Such a yellow truck from Van der Mark stands out and is a real eye-catcher from which we sell sandwiches and more. This year, we raised another impressive amount (1,750 euros) which we were able to donate to the Roparun Foundation.”

The 30th edition of the Truckers' Ride organized by the Foundation Hoeksche Waard Truckers for the disabled brought many smiles to the faces of those in the trucks and along the route. As always, an impressive convoy of more than 100 trucks paraded through the Hoeksche Waard on King's Day. “We don’t let them drive, but when they’re sitting in the passenger seat and honking the horn, they feel like a kind of king of the road,” says Tom van der Mark. Several VDM trucks participated, but it’s an event where many transport companies and individual drivers join in selflessly. “It’s all for a smile, and when they’re also treated to food and drinks at the start and finish (at Van der Mark), you can see they’ve all enjoyed an amazing day. And so have we!”

For years, the local chip shop owner would deliver kilos of fries and dozens of greasy snacks every Friday. Then, one day, the fry cook informed us that while he was still happy to take our orders, we would have to pick up the food ourselves from now on. No problem. However, it just so happened that about a year ago, we hired a new interior cleaner at VDM who loves cooking. So, for the past year, Cisca Eier has been treating us all to her homemade goodies, and every Friday she serves something surprisingly different to all the foodies at VDM. From a hamburger to rich filled soup or spaghetti. On Friday, February 23, beef stew with fresh fries was on the menu. This time Simon van der Mark himself had been in the kitchen, or rather in his log cabin at home where he also fries his fish. “It’s fun to do and to see everyone enjoy it. The recipe? Six kilos of beef, 12 onions, and the rest is the chef’s secret.”

We’ve invested in two additional chassis and in a new sliding gate that grants access to the area where we park our fleet of vehicles. Everyone understands the need for two new chassis; we require them to transport even more containers. But why would we need a new double sliding gate? The old gate had been with us for quite some time, and it wasn't operating smoothly anymore. Recently, it was even damaged by a visiting driver, so we had no choice but to replace it. We decided to upgrade. This new access gate is fully programmable and can be opened and closed by our drivers using their mobile phones. That's both convenient and secure!

Everyone experiences aches and pains from time to time, and they certainly don't always go away on their own and most often not quickly enough to your liking. If you're not careful, it can even lead to prolonged complaints and make it difficult to perform your work well. This applies to people who engage in physically demanding work, but also to those with sedentary occupations. Incorrect lifting, improper sitting, or just a bit of bad luck, and you could be in trouble, which is when a visit to a physiotherapist is often the remedy. At VDM, we want to be proactive about it. "We've made arrangements with Gezonde Praktijken (Healthy Practices). Every Friday afternoon, Lennert Taal - or one of his colleagues - comes to VDM to provide people with the desired physio treatment and advice," says Patricia van der Mark, who manages the appointment schedule. "It's very accessible and people make frequent use of it. It helps to become and stay fit. We've been doing this for just over a year now and the already low absenteeism has further decreased as a result."

Looking back at 2023, we can say it has been a good year for VDM. We've had the privilege to work for a variety of loyal customers and we've welcomed several new relationships, including a major player in the food industry. This provides a healthy foundation for further growth. The fleet has been expanded and updated and in terms of staff, we have no complaints. "Everyone has shown their best side, ensuring that we could continue working relatively smoothly during the weeks-long closure of the Haringvliet Bridge and the Heinenoord Tunnel," praises Simon van der Mark. Sufficient reasons to raise a glass on Saturday afternoon, January 6, during the well-attended New Year's reception (as usual, perfectly catered by Restaurant De Rustburcht). "Best wishes for 2024!"

VDM is known for being open to everyone, and you can easily walk in anytime. This remains true, but recently, as part of the ISO audit requirements, we have implemented a visitor registration system. From now on, people need to register in the lobby. The digital system is extremely user-friendly with a readable color screen, and everything is self-explanatory,” says Patricia van der Mark. "When we know someone is coming, we send a QR code in advance. Just scan it upon entry, and you're done. It serves multiple purposes, but it's particularly useful for the BHV (first aid responders) to know who is in the building, among other benefits. We like it so much that we will soon implement it in all our facilities."

On Saturday, November 14, the Staff Association ‘Het Vijfde Wiel’ (The Fifth Wheel) once again organized a great event bolt afternoon. We welcomed over 150 visitors, but there were so many prizes that many went home with something enjoyable or delicious. The atmosphere was great, as was the catering. The proceeds, entirely benefiting the Staff Association's fund, will be used next year to organize a fun staff outing.

The headline of this news item is actually entirely comprehensive, and there's little more to add. This newly delivered trailer with a loading ramp is primarily used by us for transporting heavy machinery. This way, we have the appropriate transportation means for every type of cargo in-house.

First aid responders are the reliable first point of contact for first aid, fire-fighting and evacuation and life-saving actions, CPR with an AED etc. At Van der Mark Transport we have quite a few first aid responders, and they have recently undergone training again because that’s required annually. On the parking lot they practiced extinguishing an incipient fire. Hopefully, they won't have to spring into action too often, but it's comforting to have these pros on-site.

The Hoekse Tentfeest and the Hoekse Bierfest in Strijen - on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7, respectively - are well-known events in the region. Once again, we provided transportation, including a whopping 12,000 beer mugs. On Friday evening, 50 of our VDM team members were also in attendance. Simon van der Mark didn’t party too hard, as the next morning he set off bright and early with Henk van der Meer for the Ralley du Maroc which we will provide more details about in the next newsflash. On Saturday evening, everyone was dressed in lederhosen and dirndls, and Patricia van der Mark - along with her friend Donna Plomp - kicked off the local Oktoberfest by tapping the first keg. Many more kegs followed. This 10th edition can also be marked as a highly successful festival, and we are proud to have been in charge of transportation for the tenth consecutive year.

Good equipment is essential to serve our customers well every day, and our people deserve a safe vehicle equipped with all modern conveniences to do their work effectively. We have expanded our fleet once again, this time with three DAF XF 480’s for daily domestic transportation. Robert, John, and Arie are very pleased with their new trucks, and we naturally wish them many safe kilometers ahead.

For years, VDM have been present at Mosselen aan de Maas (Mussels on the Maas) with our own booth and beer tap, and it guarantees a lot of fun. This year too, we were present in the beautiful exhibition pavilion on the quay for the ss Rotterdam. We shared the floor with In Person Employment Agency, and as always we had the pleasure of welcoming many loyal relationships. “And we’ve made many new contacts,” says an enthusiastic Simon van der Mark. “This is an incredibly fun event, but for some reason it hasn’t quite caught on with everyone. Next year is the 10th edition (on September 18 and 19) and I’m going to try to book our own Hoeksche Waard Square. Yes, we are an island, and we are proud of it, but we shouldn’t behave like reclusive islanders. We have so much to offer and we need to showcase that! So if you want to be part of it, send me an email.”

The complete closure of the Haringvliet Bridge for weeks on end is luckily behind us. All in all, with the necessary creativity from our planners and the flexible attitude of our drivers, it was quite manageable. In the coming time we have an even bigger challenge, as the Heinenoord Tunnel will be blocked for major maintenance - from August 7th to September 1th - resulting in significant detours and traffic jams. “It simply has to be done,” Simon van der Mark responds calmly. “If we encounter this once every 50 years, I can live with that. We ensure that we load in the evenings so that we can depart at the crack of dawn and beat the worst traffic.” His son Tom responds just as optimistically: “Heinenoord Tunnel closed? Then we’ll just start even earlier.” Tom van der Mark regularly shares beautiful photos from the road on Facebook, so those who love wheels should take a look.

Like herrings in a barrel, that's how crowded it was on Wednesday, July 5th, during the herring party at VDM. Fortunately, the festive space at Jan van der Heijdenstraat 13 is well-suited for such a large gathering, and with this beautiful weather, the walled outdoor garden was also fully utilized. The opening speech was delivered by Mayor Aptroot, who visibly enjoyed the presence of so many enthusiastic entrepreneurs gathered together, as well as a fresh herring. Unlike previous years, entrance was not free this time. All visitors had purchased an entrance ticket. "As far as I'm concerned, everyone should be able to come in freely," responded Simon van der Mark, "but this way, a nice amount has been donated to the Droomhuis Hoeksche Waard Foundation and the Hoeksche Waard Hospice, which I hold dear, so it's fine like this." In 2018, the two TirolTrappers - Simon, together with his brother-in-law Jan Kranendonk - raised an impressive €16,225 for the hospice through a cycling event (editor's note).

PV Het Vijfde Wiel (The Fifth Wheel) is the active staff association of VDM that organizes lots of fun activities throughout the year. On May 20th, the annual outing was scheduled, and as always it was a real happening. We all had breakfast together at Brasserie De Greup in Mijnsheerenland and then we boarded a bus to Luttelgeest, where a collection of old - yet well-preserved – Daf cars awaited us for an exciting puzzle tour. After a boat trip through the picturesque Giethoorn and an exquisite lunch, we hopped back into the Dafs for the final leg of the puzzle tour. On the return journey in the coach, everyone was happy with the spacious seating because fitting four people in a traditional Daf is fun but a bit cramped. We ended where we began, with a closing dinner at De Greup. It was a day to cherish.

After years of loyal service, Hans Bosch and Gerrit van Brakel have retired. These two veterans are enjoying their well-deserved retirement. We will miss them in the administration department, which was the reason for prominently placing a bowl with fish - Gerrit and Hans - so that they can still be with us in spirit. It was a great opportunity to thoroughly revamp the entire administration, including furniture, a fresh coat of paint, and fortunately, the addition of some new staff members so that we can move forward for many more years.

Joyful faces all around, both among the passengers who were fortunate to ride along and the truck drivers. "This feels so good," says an enthusiastic Tom van der Mark. "This is what we do it for. A tour around the island with all good-hearted colleagues." A long honking procession of approximately 125 trucks, carrying (mostly young) disabled people in the passenger seat. "We sit behind the wheel every day, but for all of them this is an annual highlight, a bright spot they thoroughly enjoy."

We invested in another five trailers and we bought some scooters. Scooters? Right. Not for pizza delivery, but for the commuting of our employees. The Heinenoordtunnel and the Haringvlietbrug will be closed frequently the coming months for maintenance work and this is our creative workaround. Trailers and scooters, okay, but four rally cars? That’s another story. Team Bastion rides the Morocco Desert Challenge (21 – 30 April) and Simon van der Mark and Henk van der Meer support the team all the way. Two trucks with the four rally cars and all the equipment (spare parts for the cars and all the needs for the camp, food and beverage etc.). “This is fun, this is sand digging for pro’s.”

De Hoeksche Waard, where we are headed, is an island with good road connections to the rest of Europe. This year the main bridge and tunnel will be closed for a certain period for planned maintenance. That is a real challenge for everyone living and working in De Hoeksche Waard. Simon van der Mark however is positiv as always. “This great maintenance work comes only every 50 years. Complaining doesn’t make sense, we have to deal with it and make the best of it.” Simon teams with the official authorities to find solutions to ease the pain for the people on the isle. There will come extra space for Park and Ride and there will be a ferry service the coming months. "We ourselves will work partly when others sleep and leave early to avoid the expected congestion. Our staff can make use of our shuttle bus and scooters. Thinking in terms of possibilities helps you to move on.”

Gulfood 2023 - from 20 - 24 February - at Dubai World Trade Centre is the world’s largest F&B sourcing event. Frank de Galan attended this 28th edition. “Our scope for growth is not just national but also international oriented and Gulfood is visited by all major players from all over the world. This is the ideal spot to meet our existing and foreign customers.”

Reliability and safety is key and therefore we invest constantly in new equipment. The newest DAF XG+ is very spacious and luxurious, but that makes international driving fun.  Our drivers and our customers deserve the best from the best.

It felt good to raise glasses in a toast to the new year with all the entrepreneurs in the Hoeksche Waard. This yearly event was - due to COVID - not on the agenda the last two years, so this edition was very special and the level of attendance was as high as in good old times. This was a very good start of 2023.

A year ago COVID was the spoilsport, but luckily now we can raise glasses with you in a toast to the new year 2023. At 17.00 hours our doors open and we hope that you will be our guest on Tuesday 10 January. This party is a cooperation of all the businessclubs in De Hoeksche Waard and we look forward to welcome you.

We usually have our yearly Christmas party in one of our warehouses, this year we celebrated in the former offices of Dylan Steel (since the beginning of this year a new site of Van der Mark). A great place to meet. Staff and partners were amazed of the beauty and wonderful atmosphere. Restaurant Rustburcht took care for the catering and there was a nice year-end Christmas box for everybody. A Saturday in December to remember!

Container transport is a growing market for VDM so we invested in two more trucks. Tom van der Mark and Jaron Morée are the lucky ones two drive these shiny brand new trucks. They cannot hardly wait until the start of 2023. These new trucks for container transport come with the latest technology and all the nice features they both desired (and deserve).

The fleet of VDM is modernized constantly. “Recently we expanded our fleet with DAF’s newest flagship, a DAF XG+ with 530 HP. It comes with all possible options for extra comfort, styling and multimedia. This is the new standard for safety and it outperforms all other trucks in the market. It is very spacious and that is of course nice when you travel long distances,” says Simon van der Mark. “And there is much more to come, so to be continued.”

The Bastion Hotels Dakar Team was supported by Simon van der Mark en Henk van der Meer during this edition of Rallye du Maroc. Simon and Henk both steered their VDM servicetruck and trailer thousands of kilometers through the deserted landscape of Morocco. Simon: “The roads are not like ours, so you need the right driving skills but the scenery is phenomenal. This is real fun!”  

Our business doesn’t stop at the borders of Holland, so a good international network is key for VDM. “The TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2022 in Cannes is the ideal opportunity to meet our foreign customers,” says Frank de Galan. He attended the TFWA with Patricia van der Mark. “These three days Cannes is the vibrant centre of the world where everyone meets, so it is the place to be.” 

Our doors are open from 10.00h to 16.00h on Saturday 8 October, for everyone who is interested to see and experience all facets of logistics. We show you our warehouse activities and you can have a free ride (but not steer yourself) in one of our yellow trucks. Perhaps you get as excited for this business as we are and in that case we also have some great job offers. Not looking for a job, but just interested to see what we do every day? We welcome you at James Wattstraat 2 in Oud-Beijerland.

After their traineeship at VDM Jaron Moree en Gilliano Orie worked for a while as truck drivers for us, but both - young as these guys are - wanted to look around before settling. Now they are back where they belong and we must say that it feels good to have these two talented chauffeurs in our team. Welcome back and all the best! 

In 2020 we received the official IFS-certificate, the confirmation that VDM works safely and in line with all compliant International Food Standard legislations of IFS Logistics (version 2.3). VDM is certified for storage and transport of ambient food and non-food products. In June 2022 we had an audit by Vinçotte Nederland B.V. and our IFS Certificate has been extended again and that is good news for our partners in the food industry.  This IFS-certificate is an extra guarantee that their goods are in safe hands with us.

Not hindered by any corona restrictions we were pleased to organise the traditional herring party at VDM. It was a memorable networking event for all entrepreneurs as it was quite a while ago that we could meet and eat. This was the best start of summer. The former site of Dylan Steel - now Van der Mark Logistics - proved to be not only a giant warehouse, but also a great event center.

Our neighbor - Dylan Steel -  moved to Dordrecht so we had the chance to obtain their former property at Jan van der Heijdenstraat 13, adjacent to the HQ of VDM. “A great opportunity, because we were striving to expand our warehouse space,” says Simon van der Mark. The warehouse is already up and running and on Friday 20 May we had a see-our-new-warehouse-party for customers, staff and friends. “Here we can create about 12.000 pallet locations, this gives us the extra space we were looking for.”

We modernized our fleet with two brand new trucks. The two DAF XF Space Cabs are used for inland transport and another two Super Space Cabs will come soon for international logistics services. We keep on investing because we need modern equipment to do our daily business. Qualified people in crucial positions, make that we are ready for the future. “The Corona restrictions had a great negative impact on the economic growth these last two years,” summarizes Simon van der Mark. “Unpredictable lockdowns frustrated our planning, but overall 2021 wasn’t that bad because luckily the food and retail sector just kept on going. Many companies have had a difficult two years in which they were forced to eat into their financial buffers, so I think it is time now to re-open everything. Corona is part of our daily life now, but it is controllable so we have to move on. We are ready for a challenging year.”

A delicious jubilee cake with his photo print and lots of congratulations enhanced the festivities of Gerrit van Brakel’s fortieth work anniversary. He started as inland driver and as soon as VDM went abroad he was one of our first international truck drivers. After numerous kilometers he made a career change and for years he worked at the planning department with Simon van der Mark. “We had a great time together,” says Gerrit “It was stressful sometimes, but we managed the thing over and over again with inventiveness and humor.” Simon has lots of praising words for Gerrit: “He is a fine guy, loyal and very sporty.” Gerrit loves cycling. He usually comes on his bike to work and made  bicycle tours to France and Denmark. “That keeps me young and fit.” Nowadays Gerrit works at the administration of VDM and we all hope that he will be part of our success story for many more years to come.

Due to corona certain European borders were/are closed, but not for the truck drivers of Van der Mark Transport. Luckily there was a short period of relaxation and we used these recent months to strengthen the relationship with our international customers. Frank de Galan and Simon van der Mark also attended the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes. The desire among exhibitors and buyers to meet in person to help revive our market, was very clear. “It was an important visit as part of our AGP-activities,” says Frank. “We have gained some new insights and we also attracted a number of new clients.”

Our colleague René de Baat (39) walked away, or better said drove away, with the prestigious title ‘Safest truck driver in the Netherlands 2021’. On the finalists day of this competition, organized by TVM, all the competitors had to show their driving skills at the TT Circuit in Assen. “But it is much more than that,” says René. "It is a combination of theoretical questions, reaction tests, challenges on the track and last but not least the way you act in line with the safety guidelines. His father Izaak was one of the 25 finalists and he is just as proud as his son, and so are we. 

Corona is a real game changer. Characteristic of this time? Nothing is what it used to be. The logistics chain has its weaknesses. Charters suddenly don’t show up, sea freight rates for containers have reached an all-time high just like the fuel prices. In this turbulent playfield the people of VDM work as a team to meet the needs of its customers. “Our customers expect us to do what we say and say what we do, like we use to do,” says Simon van der Mark. “It is a team effort and it requires flexibility and inventiveness of all of us. Some extra hands would be nice, but good people are hard to find.” Do you want to join our team? We are looking for warehouse staff and (international) truck drivers. Send an email:  vdm@vandermarktransport.nl 

Parties were unfortunately - because of Corona - for more than a year now off the table. Because a little more is allowed outside, we made an advance purchase of summer for the staff on Friday afternoon, 9 July. We had fresh herring and beer and look forward to share this next year with all of you. You don’t have to wait that long, we will have our own beer booth - together with DBS Tyres - at Mosselen aan de Maas on 22 and 23 September. This networking event will take place at the quay next to the impressive SS Rotterdam. Send an email to vdm@vandermarktransport.nl for free entrance tickets. We like to meet you there. 

Because of the increasing demand for conditioned transport we have put an extra refrigerated trailer into service. We have also ordered extra trucks for regular transport services, but it requires patience as these will  be delivered not before the end of this year and maybe even later. At the latest it will be start 2022 that you will see these new VDM trucks on the road. 

 Some of our truck drivers will retire the coming months, so we are looking for new talents behind the wheel. It will be a fulltime job if that is what you want, but if you prefer to work only a few days each week than that is negotiable as well. We are looking for (inter)national drivers and terminal drivers. Do you want to be part of a winning team and help us to be even more successful. Send an email to vdm@vandermarktransport.nl and take the turn to VDM.

We continually update our fleet. Despite the corona crisis, we keep on investing because we need modern equipment to do our daily business. We wish Henk van der Meer and Trevor Green a lot of save (inter)national kilometers with their new energy-efficient trucks. 
Worth mentioning, we started a unique partnership. Since the first of January we do a trailer-swap in Heeg every night and Veenstra Fritom takes care for the distribution in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe. VDM handles the delivery in Zuid-Holland, Zeeland and Brabant. This way we are both able to minimize the number of unnecessary ‘empty’ kilometers and that is a big environmental win, because this leads to a structural CO2 reduction. 

Peter Schaap and Ad Los have found their way back to VDM after a short career move. Ad steers the wheel in his yellow cabin like before and Peter will focus on Customer Services & Warehousing. Besides these two familiar faces, three others have started recently. Terry van Beek joined the AGP-team and so did Frank de Galan, but soon he will shift his focus and concentrate on sales. Frank has been active in logistics for over 12 years and is a real expert in this field. Frank started on the first of January and so did Sebastiaan Hooghwerff, our new Financial Manager. Simon van der Mark: “Sebastiaan has an accountancy background and he worked as a Financial Manager in logistics, so he’s got all the skills to further professionalize our financial department.”

Some of our customers are going through a hard time economically. That is the result of COVID-19 and it has nothing to do with the usual market mechanisms and that is why we are convinced that in 2021 things will take a turn for the better. Overall 2020 will be a successful year for VDM although it could have been so much better without COVID, but it is no use complaining.  We steered flexibly and were able to respond on the changing demands. The Brexit has impact on logistics and exporting companies require more storage space than ever before so we rented extra square meters. We have some ambitious growth plans and therefore we are professionalizing on all fronts. At the first of January Sebastiaan Hooghwerff will start as Financial Manager and Frank de Galan will join the AGP-team. They come over from Newcorp and both are real experts on their field so we are in top condition and ready for 2021. Happy New Year to all of you. 

Due  to the lockdown it was not permitted to organize the traditional Christmas meeting, but we had a corona-proof alternative. Everyone was invited to come by car and drive through the warehouse that was decorated and illuminated in style. Corriena and Patricia van der Mark were dressed up as Santa Clauses and welcomed the visitors and served drinks and goodies. We had our own winter wonderland with Christmas carols and several stops for hot chocolate, oliebollen (deep-fried dough balls) and at the end of the tour Simon van der Mark and Marco Stolk presented Christmas boxes as end-of-year-bonus. Merry Christmas. 

“Our technicians take care for the good health of our trucks and this time I needed a check-up myself,” says Simon with a big smile on his face. It was more than just an ordinary check-up. On the 13th of October the doctors ‘installed’ a new heart valve. Believe it or not, only 6 weeks later Simon got his driving license for Longer Heavier Vehicles. “Wait and see is nothing for me, for me going to work is much better for my personal recovery.” Why LHV? “LHV is the future for many reasons, such as sustainability and efficiency.”

VTO-Dubbelman B.V. is a successful charterer and a respectable container operator in the harbour-triangle Rotterdam, Antwerp and the port of Moerdijk. “Gebr. Plomp was one of our preferred transport companies,” says Sarah Dubbelman. “VDM has acquired this part of the activities of Plomp and since the first of September they do the work as if nothing has changed. We see the same trucks and truck drivers like before. Something did change; I now have a new relationship manager. Patricia van der Mark, responsible for Customer Service at VDM, is my first contact and that seems to be a very good match.” 

Gebr. Plomp in Westmaas has a rich history and a bright future with an enthusiastic entrepreneur - a cousin of the two brothers who retired recently - at the helm. The new owner restructured the company and Van der Mark took over three of the trucks and three of the experienced truck drivers including the corresponding customers’ load. Simon van der Mark: “This is a win-win situation for both sides and our entrance to the container business.” 

We introduced our client portal (in the upper right corner of our website) in April and ever since more and more customers make use of it daily. After months of testing and fine-tuning it now is a mature time- and money-saving solution that supports you to do your business more efficiently. You can follow your load from A to B via the portal and this way you have a good tracking and tracing eye on your shipments. Send an email if you want your own account login for this client-friendly portal and see how it works for you!

We are proud to announce that we have received the official IFS-certificate. It is a confirmation that VDM works safely and in line with all compliant International Food Standard legislations of IFS Logistics (version 2.2)  'on higher level'  (with a score of 95.59%). VDM is certified for storage and transport of ambient food and non-food products. This IFS-certificate is an extra guarantee for our customers in the food-industry that their goods are in safe hands with us.

We organised a sober - because of the corona restrictions - herring party at VDM on Friday 12 June and it was big fun despite the distance requirements. Next year we hope to eat the herring with you like we use to do.
Arwin in ’t Veld made a career switch about a year ago, but he is back and we are glad to see him proudly steering his yellow VDM truck like before. We did not only eat herring, but also pie because on June 18 Jan van der Griend celebrated his 65th birthday. Time for retirement? Not yet. All the best Jan!

Restaurants, bars and cinemas are - with restrictions - reopened. That means that it is almost business as usual as we now deliver Jimmy’s popcorn and portion packs for Van Oordt like we used to do. “We applaud for health care workers, but I also applaud for our own staff. They did everything to prevent that corona could capture VDM. Even the shipments to Italy and Spain continued and our international truck drivers never complained.” Simon van der Mark and Marco Stolk had a little gift for all staff members to show their appreciation for their efforts.  A book named KAPAF with a leading logistic role for VDM. We send you a copy of the book if you like.  

Pleunis van der Mark - de twin brother of Teun van der Mark (Simon’s father) - passed away on 12 May 2020 at the age of 74. He was a real family man. Truck driving was his passion and he also worked several years for VDM. Because of corona the farewell was restricted for only 30 persons of the inner circle. “Otherwise, it would have been a much bigger event to celebrate his life. The route of the funeral procession passed the premises of VDM and all our staff members were standing outside to show their deepest respect. RIP. 

From now on you can follow your own shipment from A to B via the new portal (in the upper right corner of our website). If you send us an email, you will get your own account login and from then on you can follow the status of your order(s) and see all the information regarding your shipment. And - coming soon as extra functionality - you can check the signed delivery documents. 

In a world turned upside down - because of the corona crisis - we are glad that we are still on the move. Of course it is not business as usual, but all our trucks are driving like before. Certain transports have been cancelled for the time being, for example the daily delivery of popcorn to the cinemas, as these customers have to make a forced standstill. It is what it is and let’s hope that everything will be normalised soon.
Simon van der Mark: “The good news is that the partial fall-off of orders is compensated by an unexpected flow of new orders coming from our regular and also some new customers. The team of VDM acts as flexible as possible - of course in line with the high safety precautions that are applicable now - to assure that the work is done safely, to help you as well as we can. All the best to all of you, stay healthy and I look forward to meet you in person like we used to do.” 

Tom van der Mark is our youngest (inter)national truck driver (after working for a while in our warehouses in Oud-Beijerland) and his sister Patricia is in her element at the Customer Servicedesk of VDM. We successfully recruited some new talents; Dennis van der Mespel started as National Planner and Kees Kooij is our experienced general ledger administrator. An extra mechanic to support our fleet is still on our wish list. 

VDM is a family business and so is Oegema Transport in Dedemsvaart (near the German border). Simon van der Mark: “We share the same working attitude and customer focus. We have agreed to exchange cargo every now and then to come to route optimisation to the benefit of all.” The two companies together stand for more than 200 years of experience in logistics!

We are looking for an extra mechanic to support our fleet and we want to professionalize our HRM so therefore we created a new function. Help us to find an experienced HR-manager that is in for a new challenge and if you happen to know a great general ledger administrator then we hope you warmly recommend us! You'll find a full description of all three jobs on our website.

VDM has a very active staff association called Het Vijfde Wiel (The Fifth Wheel) and they organised the annual Boutmiddag for our own staff and for everyone who was interested. Free entrance, free food and drinks and nice prices were the right ingredients to attract a lot of visitors this Saturday. The doors opened at 15.00 hours, the wheel of fortune started spinning at 16.00 hours and the doors closed at approximately midnight. 

Frank Vester is our copywriter and he is an author of a variety of interesting books. His new novel KAPAF is stored in our warehouse and Simon van der Mark - who is playing a role in this book - received the first copy on 6 December. As soon as there is an English version as well, we inform you with that good news. 

Peter Schaap made a carreer switch after 18 years at VDM. We wish him all the best and look forward to welcome Dennis van der Mespel. Dennis is young, dynamic and experienced and he will start here in January as our new National Planner. Untill that time Simon van der Mark supports the planning department. 

On June 27th the site of Van Adrichem/Milot Reizen was transformed into a festival area for the traditional Herring Party of all the business clubs in the Hoeksche Waard. Foodtrucks, bar tables, cosy corners, nice people and an overdose of sunshine made it the place to be this Thursday afternoon. There was a live band playing on the stage truck that was sponsored by Van der Mark just as the wheel of fortune that was used for the lottery. Everything to raise money for Hospice Hoeksche Waard. The auction of the first barrel of fish had Simon as the highest bidder, although he was not there in person as he was on holidays, but he did his bid by phone. What we did with the herring? We organised our own herring party at VDM on Friday 12 July. With fresh herring of course!

We selected Boltrics 3PL Dynamics as the best fit for VDM. “It is a very user-friendly warehouse management system,” according to one of the enthusiastic key-users. Boltrics works as a shell around Microsoft Dynamics and it supports all modern logistic processes. “It makes use of real-time data and helps us to work very efficiently, especially when we will make use of the full scanning functionality." After months of testing the system has gone live and the first experiences with Boltrics are very promising. "One of the big advantages of this solution is that all the communication about procurement and sales is covered now via IDE. We started a pilot with one of our top three customers and after fine-tuning we will use Boltrics by the end of this year for all our relationships.” 

The Hoeksche Pluim sculpture has a prominent place in the entrance hall of VDM since 2010, the year that we achieved the award for the best company in the region. You can only win this prestigious entrepreneur award once, so we are not competing to be this year’s winner. Instead of that we are active as one of the five sponsors, because we want to encourage responsible entrepreneurship. On April 15th the award ceremony will take place at the Ondernemersgala Hoeksche Waard.

Recently the complete fleet of VDM was equipped with the next generation of Trimble board computers. “This is so much more than just a navigation system,” says Simon van der Mark. “Our drivers are able to communicate with the planning department and we can follow and handle a shipment from A to Z. It is a perfect registration tool, efficient and accurate and nowadays you can’t do without it anymore.”

Our new warehouse facilities at the Alexander Flemmingstraat 2 have been officially opened. We combined these festivities with the New Year reception (January 4th) that has been well attended and highly appreciated. Unfortunately Simon van der Mark could not visit the memorable event, because of a fracture in his wrist so he was in the hospital for a serious operation. The good news is that 2019 has just started, so we expect Simon to organise many more parties.

We have something to celebrate. We would like to raise glasses with you in a toast to the new year 2019 and the new warehouse facilities. At 16.00 hours our doors open and we hope that you will be our guest on Friday 4 January.

Bas Derksen was employed at the warehouse facilities in Wijchen. These activities have recently been relocated to Oud-Beijerland and as a result of that Bas has to travel a while every day. Therefore we invested in a good van that can be used for daily commuting and delivery services as well. 

On the first of December we officially received the key of the Alexander Flemmingstraat 2. Two weeks later, after redesigning the racking, we managed to ship 1.800 pallets - from all over Holland - to Oud-Beijerland on one Saturday. It was a great team effort and now that everything is centralised at business park De Bosschen - head office and warehouses at the James Wattstraat 2 and the enormous warehouse at the Alexander Flemmingstraat 2 - we will surely be able to work even more efficiently than before. 

Delicious confectionery, that is what van Strien in Oud-Beijerland is famous for. For years on end the transport of biscuits and profiteroles was an activity that was organised by van Strien as the company operated its own truck and had a dedicated truck driver on the payroll. Since November 2018 VDM has taken care of this part of the business. “We are the distribution partner for van Strien and as part of this deal we acquired the truck and the experienced truck driver Wim Wildeman. This is a win-win situation for all of us,” states Simon van der Mark. 

This year’s annual party for all the employees of VDM - including the partners - the warehouse was turned into a real festival area with several food trucks, a DJ Booth in a Volkswagen and so on. The jubilarians Ernst Bon en Nico Zevenbergen were honoured for their 12,5 work anniversaries and Simon had a warm word for three pensionados. “Thanks for your loyalty, thanks for everything and remember, retiring doesn’t mean that we will lose sight, because you are part of this big family and we will surely meet at staff parties in the future.” Simon van der Mark stated once more that VDM is as strong as it is right now particularly because of the committed employees. “So we must support one another. If we join hands like we have been doing for centuries, we can remain the best in our business.” It was a memorable evening and everyone went home with a good feeling and a beautiful bunch of flowers as a mark of appreciation for the long term efforts.

In the month of August 'The TirolTrappers' Simon van der Mark and his brother-in-law Jan Kranendonk cycled from Nieuw-Beijerland to Kirchberg in Tirol. The money collected with this trip - 16.225 euro - has been donated to the Hospice Hoeksche Waard. 

Simon van der Mark and his brother-in-law Jan Kranendonk are going to cycle for a good cause. “And also for the fun, although we will surely have saddle sores after a few days,” says Simon with a big smile. “We will combine the pleasure of traveling together, with fundraising for the Hospice Hoeksche Waard.” The two TirolTrappers - with their own Facebooksite - will start on the fifth of August and they will be honoured on the fifteenth of August by the mayor of Kirchberg on the big podium during the flower parade festivities.

Last year was a big success, so again we have our own (beer)booth and we hope to see you at the Port Exhibition 2018 on Wednesday 6th or Thursday 7th of June. This networking event will take place at the former RDM shipyard.

We purchased a new D-TEC 5-axle combi-trailer with three steering axles. Simon van der Mark: “You can easily switch the combination from one to two containers. This ‘container-breaker’ makes loading and unloading faster so we are more flexible and this way we improve our operational excellence."

This memorable day Gerrit Oostdijk - one of our international truck drivers - received his DAF Super Space Cab. “This is great, an engine with 480 horsepower. Furthermore it has a lot of modern luxury on board, like a fridge and a stationary air conditioner.” The fleet of VDM has been expanded with three brand new DAF trucks, with lower energy consumption so these three trucks are far more economic and eco-friendlier. The first truck was handed over to René de Baat in February and the third one will be delivered in June to Ies van Driel. 

We invested in new equipment, but extra trucks also means that we are looking for extra truck drivers. “Not just somebody, we want dedicated people that want to be part of a winning team and that help us to be even more successful. Send me an email and give your career a new boost.”

Right now we also operate distribution centres in Wijchen and Rotterdam, but from August 2018 on we will have centralised all logistic activities in Oud-Beijerland. We had the opportunity to rent another 11.000 square meters at De Bosschen, where we also have our headquarters and warehouses. “This way we can improve our operational effectiveness,” says Simon van der Mark.

The Scheepvaart- & Transportcollege (STC) in Rotterdam trains the new generation of truck drivers. Despite the growing number of students - more than 260 compared to 180 last year - there still will be a great shortage the coming years, due to the growing economy and the retirement of truckers. Simon: “That’s why I accepted the invitation of the STC to give this guest lecture. I have been driving for many years and I want to tell these youngsters what a great job this is. I am quite sure that there are some talented candidates here that can start straightaway at VDM as soon as they have got their diploma.” 

In Holland the bus lane is restricted for busses only. Simon van der Mark pleads for permission to use the asphalt for trucks during the traffic peak periods. To support this plan he invited Alderman Harry van Waveren for a ride in one of his trucks - escorted by a police car - to show the viability and big advantages of this plan. Van Waveren: “This surely can help us to solve the increasing problem of traffic jams. I will ask the municipal council to start a pilot. These initiatives of entrepreneurs like Simon van der Mark are of great importance for the economic development of this region.”

For years Van der Mark Transport has been the reliable logistic partner for Jimmy Products b.v. that produces Jimmy’s®Popcorn and is the market leader for the delivery of popcorn to cinema's in the Benelux countries. Jimmy Products b.v. has selected VDM - after a tendering procedure - as its preferred logistic partner for the coming three years. Simon van der Mark: “We are very pleased that we can continue our logistic services for Jimmy Products. Winning a new client is great, but retaining customers is just as important.” VDM also takes care for the daily supply to wholesalers and for international transports to Switzerland and France.

We have signed an agreement with Toyota for the complete renewal of our internal transport equipment. With effect from January 2018 we have state-of-the-art stackers, pallet pump trucks, reach trucks and fork-lift trucks. 

At VDM we help logistic students to grow their skills in practice. At this very moment we have five trainees that combine work and study and this way we give enthusiastic, talented young people the change to make a quick start in logistics. 

Simon van der Mark has sold his Dakar trucks. “I have seen it all and it was a once in a lifetime experience that I would not like to have missed, but driving Dakar is a time-consuming and very expensive hobby. There are professional teams that we can never beat, because we also have a business to run. I love to drive this kind of rally’s, but it is difficult to block weeks in a row in the annual agenda so from now on I prefer rally driving in Europe and that does not require these desert proof trucks.” 

We ordered new polo shirts, sweaters and trousers for our staff. Our company outfitter for years - DB WorkWear - knows what it is to dress to impress. Refreshingly new, tailor-made yellow and black. the perfect fit for VDM! 

At VDM we have truck drivers of all ages. Izaak de Baat recently retired after 30 years of dedication. Some of the older colleagues are about to follow him soon so we have plenty of space for young talented truck drivers. Take the next exit to VDM!

The old submarine production hall of the RDM was the fantastic spot for the Port Exhibtion Rotterdam 2017 on the 11th and 12th of May. This part of Rotterdam is worth visiting after its transformation in the last decade.
Simon: "We had a great event and we needed more beer barrels - because of the good weather and the enourmous number of visitors - than ever before."

We hope that you will be our guest at the Port Exhibition Rotterdam 2017 on Wednesday 11th or Thursday 12th of May. The event will take place at the former RDM shipyard. The unique location, combined with the hospitality of Van der Mark Transport, makes your visit worthwhile.

It was a great evening and everyone enjoyed the singing of Just Franky and the good food of our catering partner Restaurant De Rustburcht. It was the ultimate moment to honor some special colleagues. Michel Sluimer, Hans Beije and Gert van Brakel received an anniversary gratification for celebrating their 12,5- and 25- and 35-year employment. Stage and spotlights were also for Rien van Rij, who retired recently. Bert van Akkeren and Izaak de Baat will follow Rien the coming months. Thanks guys, good work and friends for life!

Since our customer base is constantly growing, we invested in some new trucks and trailers. Furthermore one of our trailers is promoting 'De Hoeksche Waard' as the ultimate region for entrepreneurs to settle because of the good business environment. This is our home base for over a 100 years, so we know what we are talking about.

2016 was a very successful year. As we move on - and also because of the fact that several new clients chose VDM as their logistic partner - we invested in two brand new Schmitz Trailers to meet our customers needs.

Since we are constantly growing, we expanded our warehousing capacity again. From now on we do have our own  4.000 square meters and 10 dockshelters in  the Abel Tasmanstraat 11 in Rotterdam Albrandswaard.

We like to welcome you at the three days exhibition Transport & Logistics in Ahoy Rotterdam on the last two days of November or the first day in December. You can contact us for free entrance tickets.

VDM has been selected as the official partner of ITH Complast and Pack-It regarding all logistic activities. The partnership agreement has been ratified on the first of July and will be completely effected in January 2017.
The logistic staff in Wijchen, formerly working for Pack-It, will be on the payroll of VDM from now on. Simon van der Mark: “We will also make use of the warehouse in Wijchen and combine this with our warehouse capacity in Oud-Beijerland. This way we will be able to optimize our logistic services.”
Every household is familiar with the broad range of products of ITH Complast and Pack-It. High-end packaging materials and disposables, like for instance kitchen foil and plastic bin bags.

We have made serious plans to expand our warehouse capacity in Oud-Beijerland with another 3.000 square meters. At the time of writing we are awaiting the positive response on our construction permit. To be continued …

While the people of VDM where doing their daily work, a couple of hundred visitors of the second Herring Event for Entrepreneurs enjoyed this Thursday the traditional raw Dutch treat. The outcome of the public auction was overwhelming; EUR 4.500 for the Hospice Hoeksche Waard and another EUR 4.500 for Tour for Life. Corriena van der Mark was the highest bidder for the special lot; the wooden barrel filled with fresh fish. So the day after the crew of VDM had their own herring event. 

For the sixth year in a row VDM is one of the sponsors of ‘De Hippische Dagen Strijen’ that will take place at the illustrious estate along the Broekseweg 8. Our stylish yellow truck is used by the jury during the three day horse-show.
And you can also enjoy all other activities like for instance the great Outdoor Summer fair! We look forward seeing you. Summer starts in June!

We will host the second Hoeksche Waard Herring Event for entrepreneurs. For those who do not like the delicious raw fish we will serve other good (finger) food. Simon van der Mark: "Usually, the entrance is free at VDM, but this special day you will need entrance tickets of 20 euro p.p. We donate your entrance fee to two charities that we adopted this year."
A great networking event (on Thursday, the last day of June) from 17.00 - 20.00 hours where you will meet all entrepreneurs of the region.

Another 5.000 square meters to expand our storage capacity? Simon van der Mark shared these plans with his staff at the yearly company meeting last Saturday. After the official part the party started and 6 employees - Izaak de Baat, Bram Hazelbag, Trevor Green, Nelis van Steensel, Gerrit Oostdijck en Peter Slabbekoorn - were honored since they had their 12,5 years of service. There was music and a traditional Austrian buffet mit Tiroler Gröstel und Wienerschnitzel. And the people enjoyed the enormous picture that showed the complete history and future of VDM.

The yearly company meeting is the ultimate moment to meet and share information. Simon van der Mark: "Our employees' partners also attend these meetings and they are right because they are part of the VDM family ánd part of our success." After that it's party time. Last year we sailed with party ship De Prinsenlander, this time the transformed warehouse of VDM is the place to be where we will also honor several jubilarians.

As we proudly said before, Hoeksche Chips selected us as their prefered logitics partner for the daily distribution. Two of our trucks have been wrapped as rolling chips to attract (potential) customers.

For years we are the international logistics partner for Kogros, one of the most important independent wholesalers/traders of tiles in The Netherlands. Our efforts have been rewarded, from now on we do not only drive to Spain and Italy, but we are also responsible for the daily distribution throughout Holland.

Daily fresh and traditionally produced on the farm; Hoeksche Chips is a very successful brand with a steady growing market share. We at VDM are very pleased ánd proud that we have been selected as the preferred distribution partner for Hoeksche Chips.

For our growing day-to-day transport services in The Benelux we invested in two ‘green' Iveco trucks. Simon van der Mark: “This way we can deliver high quality and high service to our demanding clients, efficient and more environmental friendly than ever before.”

As an Authorised Economic Operator we invested in special secured Customs Warehouses and our customers appreciate this that much that we expanded recently in another extra 2.000 square meters.