History
In 1923 brothers Klaas and Willem Visser quit their jobs in Urk to leave for Den Helder and repair wooden fishing vessels. After the Second World War, the brothers started their own shipbuilding business. In 1953 the decision was made to start building steel vessels. Six years later, Willem passed away and his sons Henk and Okke continued the business.
The oil crisis in the early 1970s was not good for business, but in 1978, when the brothers decided to enter the export market, the tide turned. The export market for fishing vessels proved promising. However, during the 1990s, when the demand for fishing vessels decreased, the newbuild activities for the Dutch navy kept the company afloat.
When Damen took over in 1993, the company had moved towards the construction of a variety of naval and cargo vessels. By 2002, the services offered were tailored towards repair and conversions, though the yard does still carry out some newbuild activity.
In 2007, the shipyard took over a competitor yard on the island of Texel. This resulted in a capacity boost, with a large drydock.
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