From the beginning

From the start of Fontijne in September 1909 until today, entrepreneurial skills and technical know-how are in the dna of the machine factory. But these qualities alone do not build a company over a period of more than a 100 years. Determination is a decisive factor.

Starting out as a repair shop for ship engines in Schiedam Andries Fontijne transformed his small company in a succesful business building on entrepreneurial talent, sensible management and determination.

Breaking barriers

His sons Jo and Bram Fontijne and the third generation André Fontijne focused on technical innovation. Over one hundred years after it was founded, Fontijne has become an innovative and leading company in production equipment and processes within the wheel production line business.

When Andries Fontijne set up his small ship repair business, he might not have been thinking about mechanical engineering. The Netherlands did not have a tradition in developing machines, but imported equipment from abroad. In fact, a character description of a Dutch industrialist did not exist. The idea was that investing in patents would be a waste of money. Why invest in new technology when properly working machines could be bought against competitive prices from abroad?

Paving the way for innovation

Fontijne did invest in new technology and paved the way for innovation. The Fontijne factory on the Boterstraat in the centre of Schiedam was well known. There was always something going on like a machine that was hoisted up, ships moored on the quay and customers and employees coming and going. Almost all the employees lived in Schiedam.

With determination, entrepreneurship and innovative management Fontijne has become what it is today: skilled experts through experience that dare to break barriers.