EN Menu HOME NEWS INNOVATION CERTIFICATION & REGULATION SHIPBUILDING PORTFOLIO VEKA GROUP CONTACT .yt1{clip-path:url(#SVGID_2_);fill:#231F20;} The VeKa Group has its origin in the Versluis family, which earned its bread in inland navigation. However, the father, Piet, did not remain an inland navigator, seeing more opportunities in the trade in inland navigation vessels. In 1988 he set up VeKa (Piet Versluis and Jan Kapel). After two years, partner Kapel decided to do something different and left the company. The name, however, remained and the company expanded to become the VeKa Group of today: a shipyard with a comprehensive order book plus seven allied companies and shipyards in Werkendam, Lemmer (Bijlsma shipyard) and Heusden (Teamco finishing company). VeKa Shipbuilding specialises in the construction of various types of vessels. The hulls are primarily sourced from foreign shipyards and then completed in the Netherlands. In 1995, when father and mother Versluis stepped down from the company, VeKa received a request to take on a new ship construction project, which a year later resulted in the delivery of the first ship. Successes followed in quick succession, not least because VeKa continually invested in quality and knowledge as well as in competent and motivated staff. The company also responded directly and efficiently to the needs and wishes of the market, which quickly resulted in the expansion of the construction and finishing sites in the Netherlands. What started with one ship in 1995 had expanded to 50 by 2009 and currently stands at more than 200. VeKa has its head office in Werkendam, a village at the edge of the Biesbosch and the Merwede. Not only is the head office based here, one of the finishing yards is also situated at Biesboschhaven Noord. The logical consequence of a company such as VeKa within the municipal boundary is that a great many staff are also resident in the same municipality, which strengthens bonds further. Thanks to VeKa’s close relationship with the municipality of Werkendam, it seems fitting to provide a little more information on the municipality of Werkendam with regard to history and the reason for its familiarity. Of course, an organisation such as VeKa has a great deal of contact with the municipality in connection with the development of the harbour and industrial area. Thanks to its growth over recent years, VeKa has completed a number of new construction projects on the quayside, which would not have succeeded without the cooperation of the municipality of Werkendam. For the future, too, good collaboration is necessary; growth continues and there is a constant need for more finishing opportunities. At the celebration of our 20-year jubilee, Mayor Hellegers addressed the board of directors and the public during the public festivities on the quayside at Biesbosch harbour. In this address, Mayor Hellegers emphasized the importance of a company such as VeKa for the municipality of Werkendam. VEKA Group, innovative Dutch Shipbuilding SHIPBUILDING CONTACT US