Dec 23, 2011Simson – the craftsman’s right hand man for 130 years
Simson – the craftsman’s right hand man for 130 years
Simson exists for 130 years and has been the craftsman’s right hand man from 1881 to 2011. How did it all start and where does Simson stands now? Let’s go back in time!
Simson’s history goes right back to the year 1881. Production started with the manufacture of shoe polish and rapidly expanded to include wax polish and rat poison. The production of rubber-based adhesives was started around 1910, one of which was the “Bandenplak” product for repairing bike tyres. Sales of repair material for bike tyres stagnated during the Second World War, while wooden tyres don’t go flat.
After the Second World War, Simson was taken over by Mr Salmagne who moved the company to Duivendrecht in 1952, where as well as the adhesives, also rubbers for the footwear industry were produced. In 1956 the activities were transferred to Mijdrecht. In this location adhesives, PVC dolls and squeaky toys were produced, under the brand “Bimbo”. In 1964, Simson was sold and the company split up. The activities targeted at the bike tyre repair market (including the well-known Simson bike tyre repair material) were incorporated into Bandrep B.V. in Mijdrecht. Although Bandrep B.V. (since 2008 Rema Tip Top Netherlands A.V.) still sells products under the brand Simson (without the Simson figure though), this company is completely separate from Simson B.V.
The larger part, the production of all the adhesives and sealants, was accommodated in a factory in Waalwijk under the name “Industriële Maatschappij Simson B.V.”.
Waalwijk rapidly became too small and in 1972 Simson B.V. moved to Den Bosch. The product range at that time included adhesives for construction and industry, sealants for construction and boat manufacturing, “Flashband” (self adhesive flashing tape), foams for filling joints, tile and carpet adhesives and plumber’s putty.
In Den Bosch too, Simson continued to grow, and the former Remington and B.S.I. premises were taken over. Offices and stores were accommodated here.
In 1987, the development of adhesives and sealants based on MS polymer was started. In 1988, Simson began its own production of one-component polyurethane foams. The great majority of products in Simson’s extensive product range were produced in Den Bosch.
Simson is now a company with around 110 employees in the Benelux, with the departments laboratory, logistics, office sales, field sales (construction, industry and transportation), communications, bookkeeping, customer service, export, product management, personnel and management.
And of course Simson is ready for its next 130 years!
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