Jubilee Den Breejen Cruquius

In October it was party time at Den Breejen Cruquius. The family business celebrated its 75th anniversary. This was celebrated with a staff dinner and drinks. Several companies were also treated to a cake with a card on which a movie can be played via the QR code. A great time to look back at the history of the company with commercial director Niek den Breejen and look ahead to the future.

Den Breejen Cruquius works from Cruquius with an enthusiastic team to contract and execute GWW projects. The company consists of three parts. Den Breejen Logistics specializes in the transport of sand, soil, gravel, asphalt, dredging and other materials. For this, the company has a very diverse range of trucks. Den Breejen Infra has an extensive range of equipment from small to large for various infrastructural works. Clients can turn to DB Grondstoffen for everything to do with raw materials. The company supplies primary and secondary building materials for soil, road, water, utility and residential construction.

First with feet in the mud

"Den Breejen was founded 75 years ago in a very different time," begins Niek den Breejen. He represents the fourth generation of Den Breejen and runs the company together with his father Arjo den Breejen. "The company has grown considerably since that time and we are very happy with that." Niek knew at an early age that he wanted to work in the family business. As a boy of about thirteen he walked around the shop floor. "Even then I looked at the machines with admiration and over time I got to know almost all facets of the work. So I worked on the crane, but also did street work and sewer work. I found that I first had to understand what was going on within the company, that I also had to stand with my feet in the mud myself." Niek den Breejen studied Business Management at the IVA-hogeschool in Driebergen and has been working for five years now
in the company.

Close family ties

Family relationships are very strong within Den Breejen. "Through my father I was raised with the idea that you roll up your sleeves and keep going. Perseverance and commitment are both very important. If that's not there, the foundation is not there." Den Breejen applies this in challenging times for the construction industry. "At the relationship level is where our strength lies; we have many regular clients with whom we have a good relationship." Grandfather Klaas den Breejen is also still involved in the business. "He is 83 and fortunately still in good health. From my father and grandfather I inherited what we stand for within the company. We pass this back to our employees, a basis of trust. We are a close-knit team that stands behind each other in good times and bad."

Niek den Breejen emphasizes that his mother Marianne Den Breejen also has an important role in the business, "My mother has been involved in the business for many years. She is responsible for payroll and works five days a week on the business. Without my mother things would be in the soup, she is also an important factor and a source of inspiration for me.     

Our team strengthens each other and that's the way it should be." Grandma Corrie den Breejen also used to work in the business. "She was also a very hard worker and caring wife and grandmother." 

The business was and is always at the forefront of the Den Breejen family. "Still, my parents stand behind me and my sisters no matter what choice we make. In my case, this was the choice for our business, because the business is my joy and my life." Youngest sister Rosalie is still in school (IVA Driebergen) older sister Lisanne is an interior designer with her own company Nowa Design Studio and sister Cornelie works at BMW and MINI dealer Van Poelgeest in Amstelveen. "Then you can safely talk about a proud brother!"

Future innovations

For Den Breejen, after 75 years, a new chapter really begins. "First of all, we continue to do what we do best. For example, we have strong standard concepts for residential construction. Our strength lies in completely unburdening our clients and supervising the process from A to Z thanks to the three different divisions within our company." Den Breejen works with a permanent team, which is gradually rejuvenating. This younger generation can learn a lot from older generation, according to Niek. "They know the routing, are hardworking craftsmen and machinists. Their knowledge is indispensable." Den Breejen consciously wants to preserve and guard what is good, but also innovate. A new manager has been hired, for example. "Ronald Vlaar originally comes from contract work after which he came to us via the machine trade." He brings with him a lot of enthusiasm and perseverance : "Work such as maintaining relationships and taking on infra projects, among other things, makes Ronald more than appropriate for our company. Twan de Willigen has taken on the task of execution. His job is to keep the process in order. He makes sure the guys know what to do." His duties also include acquisition and project monitoring. "Together with the strong team in the business office and the craftsmen outside, we can meet any challenge. I am enormously proud of the team around me and look forward to the future," said Niek den Breejen

Den Breejen Cruquius will eventually also leave its familiar location in Cruquius. On the current site, the company will build homes under its own management. "We are working hard to find a new location to further expand our activities," he said.