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Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij
The Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij NV (RDM) was a major shipbuilding and repair company in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, existing from 1902 to 1996. It built 355 ships, 18 of which were submarines. During its existence, the shipyard operated 12 floating docks and employed 7,000 people at its peak.
The Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij was a successor of the shipbuilding company De Maas, founded in Delfshaven in 1856 by Duncan Christie. De Maas was located in an area that is now the Sint Jobshaven in Rotterdam. The shipyard would have to move in 1905 because the lease on the land would end that year. On 14 February 1899 the company bought 4.5 hectares of land in Heijplaat, south of the Meuse for 44,000 guilders.
On 14 April 1899 a consortium was founded by people connected to the harbor of Rotterdam and the company De Maas. It had two goals: First to try to continue the company De Maas, Second, to run one or more drydocks. The consortium was led by president A.G. Kröller of the Wm.H. Müller & Co. shipping line. It got more than 200 shares of De Maas at 25%, and the terrain on the Heijplaat became a common possession. This way the consortium became the dominant force in the shareholders meeting of De Maas. The plan of the consortium was to end De Maas and then to transfer the assets to the new company. On 10 June 1899 the consortium decided to build a floating drydock for ships of up to 12,000 tons displacement.
On 23 January 1902 the contract that established the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij was signed. The company would have 1,000,000 guilders capital in 1,000 shares. The supervisory board of the RDM consisted of: H. de Jong of Phs. van Ommeren NV; J.P.J. Lucardie director of De Maas; Ir. J.F. Rebel engineer; Ph. W. van der Sleyden former minister of Rijkswaterstaat and L.W. Veder of Hudig & Blokhuyze. The supervisory board accepted the offer of the consortium of 207 shares in De Maas and the terrain on Heijplaat for 101,400 guilders. On 1 March 1902 the decision was made to liquidate De Maas.
For the CEO position the supervisory board wanted to have W. de Gelder working as an engineer in Kinderdijk. He had written a brochure that advocated the need for a modern drydock company west of the railway bridges over the Meuse. He did not want to become the new CEO, but his brother Ir. M.G. de Gelder, chief of the technical service of Bureau Veritas did accept. He called in his father A.J. de Gelder, former chief of the Dutch East Indies 'Waterstaat'. In fall 1901 father and son De Gelder had started the design of the shipyard on Heijplaat. The plan included a sketch for the location of the buildings and machinery, and in more detail the location of drydock basin. Most of the buildings were projected on the west side of the terrain. During 1902 the RDM also succeeded in getting a lease on 9 more hectares of land on Heijplaat. The ground which was dug out for making the dock basin (harbor for the floating docks) was used to heighten the terrain, which was regularly flooded up till then.
Most activities took place in the main building. It measured 75 m by 48 m and had iron foundations and an iron upper structure. The machine factory, model room and carpentry shop were located in another building on the south side of the terrain. There were also offices, a house for the chief engineer, and a house for the chiefs. A power plant had two steam engines of 450 ihp each, with boilers and dynamo's. It provided electricity for the pumps of the drydocks as well as for the machinery and lights on the rest of the shipyard. The steam engines and boilers were built by RDM, but the power plant as a whole was made by machine factory 'Voorheen Gebr. Figee' from Haarlem. A new boiler factory was equipped with a hydraulic riveting machine.
The assets which came in from De Maas consisted of a big inventory and many tools, and above all 300 experienced employees. The machinery of De Maas was generally too outdated to be of use. During 1904 the last parts of De Maas were brought to the new shipyard. The buildings of De Maas were then sold. RDM only held on to the old boiler factory for five more months.
On 18 July 1902 the order for two floating drydocks was given to William Hamilton and Company in Port Glasgow. The cost for both drydocks together was 950,000 guilders. The delivery and opening of the biggest dock was to coincide with the opening of the Shipyard at Heijplaat on 3 October 1903. Even though the big drydock was not completely ready, the opening of the shipyard took place on the planned date. The small drydock was named Prins Hendrik-dok I and the big drydock Prins Hendrik-dok II,
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Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij
The Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij NV (RDM) was a major shipbuilding and repair company in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, existing from 1902 to 1996. It built 355 ships, 18 of which were submarines. During its existence, the shipyard operated 12 floating docks and employed 7,000 people at its peak.
The Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij was a successor of the shipbuilding company De Maas, founded in Delfshaven in 1856 by Duncan Christie. De Maas was located in an area that is now the Sint Jobshaven in Rotterdam. The shipyard would have to move in 1905 because the lease on the land would end that year. On 14 February 1899 the company bought 4.5 hectares of land in Heijplaat, south of the Meuse for 44,000 guilders.
On 14 April 1899 a consortium was founded by people connected to the harbor of Rotterdam and the company De Maas. It had two goals: First to try to continue the company De Maas, Second, to run one or more drydocks. The consortium was led by president A.G. Kröller of the Wm.H. Müller & Co. shipping line. It got more than 200 shares of De Maas at 25%, and the terrain on the Heijplaat became a common possession. This way the consortium became the dominant force in the shareholders meeting of De Maas. The plan of the consortium was to end De Maas and then to transfer the assets to the new company. On 10 June 1899 the consortium decided to build a floating drydock for ships of up to 12,000 tons displacement.
On 23 January 1902 the contract that established the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij was signed. The company would have 1,000,000 guilders capital in 1,000 shares. The supervisory board of the RDM consisted of: H. de Jong of Phs. van Ommeren NV; J.P.J. Lucardie director of De Maas; Ir. J.F. Rebel engineer; Ph. W. van der Sleyden former minister of Rijkswaterstaat and L.W. Veder of Hudig & Blokhuyze. The supervisory board accepted the offer of the consortium of 207 shares in De Maas and the terrain on Heijplaat for 101,400 guilders. On 1 March 1902 the decision was made to liquidate De Maas.
For the CEO position the supervisory board wanted to have W. de Gelder working as an engineer in Kinderdijk. He had written a brochure that advocated the need for a modern drydock company west of the railway bridges over the Meuse. He did not want to become the new CEO, but his brother Ir. M.G. de Gelder, chief of the technical service of Bureau Veritas did accept. He called in his father A.J. de Gelder, former chief of the Dutch East Indies 'Waterstaat'. In fall 1901 father and son De Gelder had started the design of the shipyard on Heijplaat. The plan included a sketch for the location of the buildings and machinery, and in more detail the location of drydock basin. Most of the buildings were projected on the west side of the terrain. During 1902 the RDM also succeeded in getting a lease on 9 more hectares of land on Heijplaat. The ground which was dug out for making the dock basin (harbor for the floating docks) was used to heighten the terrain, which was regularly flooded up till then.
Most activities took place in the main building. It measured 75 m by 48 m and had iron foundations and an iron upper structure. The machine factory, model room and carpentry shop were located in another building on the south side of the terrain. There were also offices, a house for the chief engineer, and a house for the chiefs. A power plant had two steam engines of 450 ihp each, with boilers and dynamo's. It provided electricity for the pumps of the drydocks as well as for the machinery and lights on the rest of the shipyard. The steam engines and boilers were built by RDM, but the power plant as a whole was made by machine factory 'Voorheen Gebr. Figee' from Haarlem. A new boiler factory was equipped with a hydraulic riveting machine.
The assets which came in from De Maas consisted of a big inventory and many tools, and above all 300 experienced employees. The machinery of De Maas was generally too outdated to be of use. During 1904 the last parts of De Maas were brought to the new shipyard. The buildings of De Maas were then sold. RDM only held on to the old boiler factory for five more months.
On 18 July 1902 the order for two floating drydocks was given to William Hamilton and Company in Port Glasgow. The cost for both drydocks together was 950,000 guilders. The delivery and opening of the biggest dock was to coincide with the opening of the Shipyard at Heijplaat on 3 October 1903. Even though the big drydock was not completely ready, the opening of the shipyard took place on the planned date. The small drydock was named Prins Hendrik-dok I and the big drydock Prins Hendrik-dok II,