How it all began...

History of van der Putten BV

Transport in and around Noordwijk runs like a thread through the family life of the Van der Puttens for exactly a century in 2021. However, before the official establishment, through registration at the Chamber of Commerce on November 1, 1921, Hubertus van der Putten was already earning his daily bread in the transport sector. Hubertus may thus call himself the unofficial founder of a company in which meanwhile the fourth generation of his descendants still works with heart and soul every day. In what can by now be called a company that still focuses on transport, but also has a thorough command of many other aspects surrounding it.

The primordial period

Before the official start of the company, which Hein van der Putten gave birth to in 1921, Hubertus poured the transport work into son Hein's life. Hein, born on May 7, 1889 worked together with his slightly older brother Cees Born in the hamlet of Ruigenhoek, both brothers lost their mother Maria Cornelia van der Putten- van Duijn at an early age. Later father Hubertus remarried Martha Vink. During his life Hubertus took care of a total of 24(!) children, a good number of whom died at a very young age.

From the Ruigenhoek, the family arrived at the address Toekomstraat 1 in Noordwijk aan Zee. From there Hubertus van de Putten continued the transport company. A company that later continued under the name Weduwe van der Putten. Son Hein continued the transport tradition on his own account in the early 1920s. Around his engagement to Adriana de Ridder. After their marriage, the young couple settled on Jan Kroonsweg, which was also located in Noordwijk aan Zee. Three daughters, namely Maria, Agatha and Martha were born there.
Business-wise, brother Cees joined Hein van der Putten at that time. That turned out to be a commitment for life. It also meant that the company was continued under the name Gebr. Van der Putten. Not much later, Piet van der Voet joined them. And for him, too, it became a commitment of long duration. The arrival of "Piet Voet," as he was invariably called, indicated further growth of the still young company. The latter prompted fellow villager Beuk, director of the later Koninklijke Beuk, which was also active in the transport business, to advise Hein van der Putten to register with the Chamber of Commerce. The exact date when this happened cannot be traced in the registers. For years, however, November 1, 1921 has been indicated as the registration date. Another reason to celebrate the official centennial this year on November 1.

To the Juliana Street
In Noordwijk aan Zee, the famous contractor company Krau built the -new- Julianastraat in 1929. At that time better known as the Julianaweg. Krau acquired a piece of land there to build houses. Hein van der Putten did a lot of work for this contractor at that time. Money was not involved. The enterprising Van der Putten allowed himself to be paid in kind and according to his wishes. In addition to a home, a number of garages also rose in front of the company. The choice of 50 Julianastraat soon proved to be a golden one. For decades, not only was the parental home there, but this address also formed the heart and base of the company. At this address, son Jan Hubertus was also born on April 3, 1932. And as was to be expected, Jan van der Putten continued the transport business successfully years later.

Important factor

After operating as a sole proprietorship for several years, brother Cees joined as a partner and the business continued under the name Gebr. van der Putten.

From Julianastraat, the company made a name for itself in Noordwijk and the surrounding villages. Numerous rides were also carried out in

the Noordwijk dunes, such as the "dennen," a dune and wooded area north of Noordwijk aan Zee. So it could happen that one morning Hein van der Putten drove with horse and cart along the Duinweg towards Duindamseslag. At that time an unpaved and remote road accompanied by his faithful dog Pollie, who as usual always accompanied him. Sitting together on the rig of the brig and en route to the 'pines' one of the wheels landed in a deep hole causing Hein to fall off the brig. Resulting in unconsciousness. Fortunately, Pollie ran home on her own after the accident. The warning arrived, after which the 'patient' could be tracked down.

During father Hein's recovery, son Jan was pulled out of school to help in the business. After all, bread had to be and stay on the table. An example of how the business always played a major role within the family.
Meanwhile, in the good years there was always investment in the business. And when there was not enough work to do, shells were dredged on the Noordwijk beach. An occupation that had been carried out for centuries by many Noordwijkers for the production of shovel lime ,. In the further growth of the company, the aforementioned Piet 'Voet' played an important role.

Piet, who worked Gebr. van der Putten his entire working life, was therefore an important factor within the company. Particularly in the early days, Noordwijk aan Zee was a predominantly Protestant Christian village and it was therefore often difficult for a company with Roman Catholic roots to obtain sufficient orders. For this reason, 'Voet' was deployed to visit local companies to get work. As a committed and amiable person, he succeeded admirably. Much of this work involved transporting baskets of bulbs to and from the Hobaho and HBG auctions in Lisse.

World War II
The years 1940-1945 also meant a difficult period for Gebr. van der Putten. Horses, essential for the work to be carried out, were requisitioned numerous times by the Germans. In addition, the firm became involved in a particularly dramatic event in 1943. This involved the (Jewish) Mendels family living in Noordwijk. The sad story about this family can be read at The tragedy concerning the family is read back. Hein van der Putten does not trust it and warns the family not to go. In vain, the Mendels family chooses to comply with that order. Piet "Voet" is the driver who transports the family to the capital in January 1943. He returns to Noordwijk that same day crying like a child. The job offered to Mrs. Leentje Mendels in an Amsterdam hospital turns out to be just a ruse. The Van der Putten family was greatly affected. This was certainly true for the Van der Putten sisters, who before leaving Noordwijk quickly made a nurse's costume for Leentje Mendels. Eventually deportation to Wersterbork followed, after which Auschwitz was the final destination for the Mendels family. With fatal consequences for all family members. Leentje and her daughter Mirjam die there on September 10, 1943 immediately upon arrival. Mr. Jacob Mendels dies there on March 31, 1944. A history that will remain a black page in the company's existence.

Jan van der Putten senior
After the war, son Jan van der Putten slowly but surely took over the activities and with them the business of his father Hein and uncle Cees. The company has the wind in its sails during the reconstruction period. The latter continues in the early 1960s. Together with his wife Agatha Maria Johanna (Aat)van der Putten - Vlasveld (Aat), Jan runs the company. It is the early period of container trucks. Jan purchases his first container truck, a Volvo, including ten waste containers. More follow later. The waste containers are painted yellow and fitted with black blocks. They are also anno 2021 the very recognizable Wells containers. The slogan "The convenience of a Wells bin" is now a widely used expression throughout the region. With this, the work gradually turned toward earth moving, demolition work with, in addition, the transportation of flower bulbs. Waste containers were also rented out from that period. Things were also going well for the Van der Putten family. In 1959, the twins Hein and Wim van der Putten were born. Together with their two younger sisters they literally and figuratively grew up in the company that was still located on Julianastraat at that time. In 1967 a new shoot follows within the company.

Beach cleaning Noordwijk
A new shoot that is still an important part of the company today was added to the company in 1975 when the services provided by Piet Waasdorp, better known in Noordwijk as 'De Kater', were taken over. At that time, 'De Kater' cleaned the beach at Langevelderslag for the municipality of Noordwijk. At the time, Gebroeders van der Putten took over those services with a tractor. At the age of sixteen, Hein and Wim began cleaning the beach daily during the summer months. Back then, the garbage they collected was simply burned on the "free" beach. Nowadays it is hard to imagine. The work that in those years was done with a tractor now requires a team of ten people with large equipment to set out at dawn on a hot summer day to ensure that the Noordwijk beach looks tiptop when the first beachgoers arrive. Tasks that are carried out seven days a week during the summer months with an army of workers and - extremely modern - machines Partly because of these activities, the municipality of Noordwijk is awarded the Blue Flag every year, and thus in 2017 the seaside resort possessed the designation "Cleanest Busiest Beach in the Netherlands.

To the Back Road
The company located in the middle of a residential area on Julianastraat was slowly but surely growing at the seams. The growth of the company partly due to the rapid growth of the waste mountain in combination with the growing awareness of our environment made this location unsuitable. For that reason, the final move to Achterweg 11A in Noordwijk followed in 1988. That site had already been allocated to the company in 1980 and had therefore been in use for almost a decade. Mainly for container storage and waste separation. With the commissioning of the brand new weighbridge in 1988, a new episode began.
Situated well outside the built-up area, this was the perfect location for further growth and to meet the legal environmental requirements regarding the transport, dumping, separation and recycling of waste. This also meant that from 1988 onwards, new buildings were commissioned at regular intervals and numerous improvements and expansions took place to meet the demands of the time. All of this on a site that covers an area of 6.10 hectares, is perfectly feasible to this day. Of that, 3.15 hectares is in business use. The remaining space is currently still mainly in use as pasture.
Moving with the times, in other words. In the meantime, the well-known Wellbox stands for much more. Partly because laws and regulations, especially in the environmental field, have changed the

has taken an enormous flight in recent decades. A development in which Van der Putten BV could not be left behind. Above all, the company remains a local company that feels very involved in the Noordwijk community. Many associations and civic initiatives experience this through sponsorship. Clubs such as the Noordwijkse IJsclub NIJC, soccer club SJC, various church communities and a number of smaller associations serve as examples.
The fact that Jan van der Putten senior, slowly but surely handed over his duties during that period to his two sons Hein and Wim ensured a gradual "transition of" power. Pillars such as knowledge and experience passed silently to the next generation, with father Jan's involvement and contribution in the background remaining of great importance to the company. Until his death, Jan senior was a welcome guest at the company during the morning break to close the (working) week on Friday afternoon when the usual Friday afternoon drinks were scheduled. The birthplace of the company on Julianastraat is still owned by the family.

Hein van der Putten can still call himself owner of the property. The residential and also parental house was bought by his daughter Tamara Herbert- Van der Putten. The memory of the location in which Gebr. Van der Putten largely found its origin is thus kept alive.

AMP rolling containers

Entrepreneurship means working together as well as competing. Van der Putten put this into practice over forty years ago. AMP Rolcontainers was founded at the time on the initiative of Jan van der Putten by three regional waste management companies. Besides Gebr. van der Putten, Astra Containers from Katwijk, Meeuwenoord Vervoer from Noordwijkerhout participated in this cooperation. Since its establishment, AMP has focused on the rental and emptying of roll containers. The emphasis is on companies in the Dune and Flowerbulb Region.

Although Astra containers was later acquired by Van Gansewinkel and then by Renewi, the name AMP Rolcontainers remained unchanged. Starting with one cracker truck, AMP Rolcontainers has grown into a company with three cracker trucks and its own premises in Noordwijkerhout.