Over the years, Damen has taken over many ailing shipyards in the Rijnmond region. Verolme (Rotterdam) and Maaskant (Stellendam), for example. The company not only acquires staff, warehouses and docks, but also new, specialist knowledge. Things don’t always go smoothly. If the staff of Wilton-Fijenoord (Schiedam) does not receive a job guarantee, a commotion will break out, to say the least in Rotterdam. Kommer Damen is guarded by the police for a while and there are even plans to kidnap his sister. The first negotiations fail. Years later, Damen still gets control of Wilton-Fijenoord. This also applies to the coveted De Schelde naval yard in Vlissingen. Damen can ultimately buy the shipyard for the symbolic amount of one guilder. In the future, four frigates for the Dutch navy will most likely be built near the Scheldt. This is a billion dollar order. A contract for the construction of submarines is now at risk of going to French competitor Naval. “But we are not giving up yet,” says a militant voice from Gorinchem.
2024-03-31 17:20:48
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