COMPANYHISTORIES

Netherlands

Companies based in Netherlands, and the events that shaped them.

64companies1615–2000founding years60still active4no longer operating
§ 01

Netherlands companies over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedRoyal Grolsch NV
1615
1839
TechnologyGoodyear discovers how to vulcanize rubber.
1851
TechnologySinger's sewing machine mechanizes garment-making.
1856
TechnologyBessemer's process makes cheap steel possible.
1857
EconomyThe Panic of 1857 spreads through banks and railroads.
1859
TechnologyDrake's well at Titusville launches the oil industry.
1867
TechnologyNobel patents dynamite.
1869
EconomyThe transcontinental railroad links the American coasts.
EconomyThe Suez Canal opens, reshaping global shipping.
FoundedHeineken N.V.
1873
EconomyLevi Strauss patents riveted denim work pants.
EconomyThe Panic of 1873 triggers a global depression.
1876
TechnologyAlexander Graham Bell patents the telephone.
1879
TechnologyEdison demonstrates a practical incandescent lamp.
1882
TechnologyEdison's Pearl Street Station opens the electric-utility era.
1886
EconomyCoca-Cola is first served in Atlanta.
TechnologyThe Hall-Heroult process makes aluminum cheap to produce.
FoundedGetronics NV
1887
1888
TechnologyKodak's roll-film camera brings photography to everyone.
FoundedN.V. Holdingmaatschappij De Telegraaf
1893
EconomyThe Panic of 1893 pulls down banks and overbuilt railroads.
FoundedDSM N.V.
1902
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyFord's Model T puts the automobile within reach of the middle class.
FoundedGranaria Holdings B.V.
1912
1913
TechnologyFord's moving assembly line transforms factory production.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1916
EconomyPiggly Wiggly opens the first self-service grocery store.
FoundedKoninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, N.V.
1919
FoundedGucci Group N.V.
1923
1925
EconomyThe Grand Ole Opry begins broadcasting from Nashville.
1927
TechnologyThe Jazz Singer ushers in the era of sound films.
TechnologyLindbergh flies the Atlantic solo, and aviation captures the public.
1928
TechnologyPenicillin is discovered, opening the age of antibiotics.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
1931
EconomyThe Empire State Building rises in just over a year.
1933
EconomyThe first drive-in movie theater opens in New Jersey.
1937
EconomyThe Golden Gate Bridge opens as the world's longest suspension span.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1946
TechnologyENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedKoninklijke Ahold N.V. (Royal Ahold)
1948
1955
EconomyMcDonald's franchising begins, remaking fast food.
EconomyDisneyland opens and invents the modern theme park.
1956
TechnologyThe first transatlantic telephone cable opens.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedRandstad Holding n.v.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
EconomyThe first Walmart opens, built on everyday low prices.
FoundedIHC Caland N.V.
1965
1969
TechnologyARPANET, the internet's precursor, goes live.
FoundedPCM Uitgevers NV
1970
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedIndigo NV
1977
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
TechnologyThe first US in-vitro fertilization baby is born.
FoundedAEGON N.V.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedRoyal KPN N.V.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
TechnologyLinux and open source challenge proprietary software.
FoundedBuhrmann NV
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyE-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedFriesland Coberco Dairy Foods Holding N.V.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedEquant N.V.
1998
1999
TechnologyNapster ignites the digital disruption of recorded music.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
TechnologyGPS opens to civilian use, turning location into a utility.
2002
EconomyThe euro enters circulation across the eurozone.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

ABN AMRO Holding, N.V. →
Active · The Netherlands
Rooted in 19th-century Dutch East Indies trade, ABN AMRO Holding, NV has grown into a major international bank with…
Royal Grolsch NV →
Active · founded 1615 · The Netherlands
Koninklijke Grolsch BV, or Royal Grolsch NV, is the second largest beer brewer in The Netherlands.
TPG N.V. →
Active · founded 1752 · Netherlands
The Netherlands' TPG N.V., formerly known as TNT Post Group, operates as the world's first publicly traded postal…
Deli Universal NV →
Active · founded 1869 · Netherlands
Netherlands-based Deli Universal NV is the wholesaling and distribution arm of Universal Corporation, alongside sister…
Heineken N.V. →
Active · founded 1873 · The Netherlands
1592: An Amsterdam brewery known as De Hooiberg (The Haystack) is established.
Océ N.V. →
Active · founded 1877 · Netherlands
The Netherlands' Océ N.V.
Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky N.V. →
Active · founded 1878 · Netherlands
Long a fixture of Amsterdam's famed Dam Square, Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky N.V.
Wolters Kluwer NV →
Active · founded 1882 · The Netherlands
Wolters Kluwer NV is one of the worldwide leaders in publishing, and the Netherlands' second largest publisher after…
Getronics NV →
Active · founded 1887 · The Netherlands
The Netherlands' Getronics NV is European leader and one of the world's top five providers of Information &…
Koninklijke Vendex KBB N.V. (Royal Vendex KBB N.V.) →
Active · founded 1887 · Netherlands
Koninklijke Vendex KBB N.V., or Royal Vendex KBB N.V., is the leading non-food retailer in the Netherlands.
Arcadis NV →
Active · founded 1888 · The Netherlands
Arcadis NV is an internationally operating engineering consulting and project firm with an emphasis on environmental…
N.V. Holdingmaatschappij De Telegraaf →
Active · founded 1893 · The Netherlands
N.V.
Royal Numico N.V. →
Defunct · founded 1896 · The Netherlands
Fast-growing Royal Numico N.V.
SHV Holdings N.V. →
Active · founded 1896 · The Netherlands
SHV Holdings N.V.
KPMG International →
Active · founded 1897 · The Netherlands
KPMG International is the third-largest accounting firm in the world.
DSM N.V. →
Active · founded 1902 · The Netherlands
DSM N.V.
Wegener NV →
Active · founded 1903 · The Netherlands
Wegener NV is one of the Netherlands' leading newspaper publishing groups.
Hagemeyer N.V. →
Active · founded 1904 · The Netherlands
Hagemeyer N.V., inheritor of the great Dutch trading houses of the 19th century, is reinventing itself for the 21st…
Granaria Holdings B.V. →
Active · founded 1912 · The Netherlands
Publicity-shy Granaria Holdings B.V.
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. →
Active · founded 1912 · The Netherlands
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Koninklijke Wessanen nv →
Active · founded 1913 · The Netherlands
Early 20th Century:Company exits from the cheese, seed, and grain trades and begins focusing on processed products.
CSM N.V. →
Active · founded 1919 · Netherlands
CSM N.V.
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, N.V. →
Active · founded 1919 · Netherlands
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, N.V., translated as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and best known simply as KLM, is the…
N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandse Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker →
Active · founded 1919 · The Netherlands
Few names evoke the romance of flight like that of Fokker.
Royal Packaging Industries Van Leer N.V. →
Active · founded 1919 · The Netherlands
Royal Packaging Industries Van Leer N.V.
Gucci Group N.V. →
Active · founded 1923 · The Netherlands
Gucci Group N.V.'s designs and clothing have become one of the most-recognized labels in the retail industry.
Heijmans N.V. →
Active · founded 1923 · The Netherlands
Heijmans N.V.
Unilever →
Active · founded 1929 · The Netherlands
If the adage 'two heads are better than one' applies to business, then certainly Unilever is a prime example.
Vebego International BV →
Active · founded 1943 · The Netherlands
Vebego International BV is a private, family-owned holding company specializing in the services industry.
Koninklijke Ahold N.V. (Royal Ahold) →
Active · founded 1948 · The Netherlands
Koninklijke Ahold N.V.
Head N.V. →
Active · founded 1950 · The Netherlands
With its headquarters located in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Head N.V.
Royal Ten Cate N.V. →
Active · founded 1957 · The Netherlands
Royal (Koninklijke in Dutch) Ten Cate N.V.
Randstad Holding n.v. →
Active · founded 1960 · The Netherlands
Randstad Holding n.v.
N.V. NEDERLANDSE GASUNIE →
Active · founded 1963 · The Netherlands
N.V.
ALGEMENE BANK NEDERLAND N.V. →
Active · founded 1964 · The Netherlands
Stock Index: Amsterdam Basel Brussels Dusseldorf Franfurt Geneva Hamburg Lausanne London Paris Singapore…
VNU N.V. →
Active · founded 1964 · The Netherlands
The Netherlands' publishing group VNU N.V.
IHC Caland N.V. →
Active · founded 1965 · Netherlands
2004: IHC announces its decision to sell the shipbuilding busi-ness instead of spinning it off as a separate company.
Akzo Nobel N.V. →
Active · founded 1969 · Netherlands
The Dutch company Akzo Nobel N.V.
Koninklijke Nedlloyd N.V. →
Defunct · founded 1970 · Netherlands
Koninklijke Nedlloyd N.V.
PCM Uitgevers NV →
Active · founded 1970 · The Netherlands
PCM Uitgevers NV is one of the Netherland's leading newspaper and publishing groups.
Mammoet Transport B.V. →
Active · founded 1971 · The Netherlands
Mammoet Transport B.V.
Rabobank Group →
Active · founded 1972 · The Netherlands
Rabobank Group, known in the Netherlands as Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank, is the third-largest…
Ispat International N.V. →
Active · founded 1976 · The Netherlands
In just ten years Ispat International N.V.
Indigo NV →
Active · founded 1977 · The Netherlands
Indigo NV is a pioneering developer and manufacturer of digital printing systems using patented liquid ink technology.
Baan Company →
Active · founded 1978 · The Netherlands
The Baan Company is one of the world's top producers of enterprise business management and client/server software…
Rodamco N.V. →
Defunct · founded 1979 · The Netherlands
Rodamco N.V.
AEGON N.V. →
Active · founded 1983 · The Netherlands
AEGON N.V., one of the world's ten largest listed life insurance groups, is a prime example of the move toward larger…
ASML Holding N.V. →
Active · founded 1984 · The Netherlands
ASML Holding N.V.
Trader Classified Media N.V. →
Active · founded 1987 · The Netherlands
Trader Classified Media N.V.
Triple P N.V. →
Active · founded 1988 · The Netherlands
Triple P N.V.
Royal KPN N.V. →
Active · founded 1989 · The Netherlands
Royal KPN N.V.
MIH Limited →
Active · founded 1991 · The Netherlands
MIH Limited (MIHL) operates pay-television services internationally in three regions: Africa, the Mediterranean, and…
New Holland N.V. →
Active · founded 1991 · The Netherlands
New Holland N.V.
Buhrmann NV →
Active · founded 1993 · The Netherlands
Buhrmann NV is the world's largest business-to-business provider of office products, paper, and graphics systems.
Nutreco Holding N.V. →
Active · founded 1994 · The Netherlands
Netherlands-based Nutreco Holding N.V.
United Pan-Europe Communications NV →
Active · founded 1995 · The Netherlands
Not content with becoming one of Europe's largest cable television companies, with more than seven million subscribers,…
Prada Holding B.V. →
Active · founded 1996 · The Netherlands
Prada Holding B.V.
Friesland Coberco Dairy Foods Holding N.V. →
Active · founded 1997 · The Netherlands
Friesland Coberco's acquisition of Nutricia enabled it to claim the number two position among European dairy groups,…
Toolex International N.V. →
Active · founded 1997 · The Netherlands
The merger/takeover of The Netherlands' ODME by Sweden's Toolex Alpha in October 1997 created Toolex International…
Vedior NV →
Defunct · founded 1997 · The Netherlands
Vedior NV ranks among the world's largest international and temporary staffing services providers, behind leaders…
Equant N.V. →
Active · founded 1998 · The Netherlands
Equant N.V.
Laurus N.V. →
Active · founded 1998 · Netherlands
Laurus N.V.
Royal Vopak NV →
Active · founded 1999 · The Netherlands
Created from the merger of Dutch logistics specialists Van Ommeren and Pakhoed NV in 1999, Royal Vopak NV is the…
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. →
Active · founded 2000 · The Netherlands
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V.
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