From barge to bulk transport

The company was founded on 16 May 1931 under the name of “de Westfries”. That day was also the wedding day of the founder and his wife, Cor and Hendrien Butter. Town hall in the morning, Chamber of Commerce in the afternoon, and a party in the evening. That’s how it went in those days. The business consisted of a 20-ton motor barge. Cor Butter started a regular service to Alkmaar, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, known as ‘De Westfries’, established in Lutjewinkel. The barge was loaded and unloaded with the help of five brothers of Hendrien Butter. By hand.
In spite of the crisis years the company grew steadily. In the meantime the Wieringermeer was being reclaimed.


The ‘New Land’ was a challenge for Cor Butter. In 1939 the business moved to Middenmeer, having grown to three ships and three trucks.
The Second World War threw a spanner in the works. The Germans commandeered the trucks and Holland found itself in total disarray. To make matters worse, the Germans blew up the surrounding dike and the Wieringermeer was flooded. During this flooding Cor Butter’s ships were employed to save household goods and bring them ashore.
After the war activities needed for the repair of the polder were started: the transport of building materials and new agricultural machinery. Workers were transported from Friesland in workmen’s huts. Former army cars were converted into trucks. The company made a fresh start.
In 1951 a new disaster occurred. Cor Butter died at the age of 42. The ships were sold. Hendrien Butter stayed with the business, now consisting of three 6-ton trucks, under the guidance of a manager. In 1956 the manager himself started a transport company, and 18-year old Gerrit Butter took over as manager. The first years were difficult as a consequence of the competition with the former manager. In the sixties things gradually improved because of the introduction of the hopper. This turned out to be a niche market. Large clients showed interest and made use of Butter’s services. Because of this the company grew at full speed.


In 1972 a shed was rented from the companies working for the reclamation of the Zuyderzee and the contents of the vehicle park moved to Dronten, on the Flevopolder. In 1978 a new garage was built on Butter’s present location. In 1986 the garage was expanded with an office, and since then the company has been entirely situated in Dronten.
Cees, Gerrit Butter’s son, joined the company in 1992. In 1996 Gerrit Butter took formal leave of the company after 40 years, and Cees carried on with the business. After this the company gradually grew again, mostly through the expansion of existing customers, increase in the customer base and several acquisitions. Another important reason for the growth was the internationalisation of transport in general. In 2004 this resulted in the founding of the sister company Butter Sp. z o.o, which is located in Warsaw (Poland). In the meantime 50% of the vehicle park and personnel have been relocated there. Moreover Marc Nijdam acquired 25% of the Butter Group in 2004. In 2005 the production of a super lightweight hopper was started in Dronten. This trailer, weighing only 5,000 kilos, was developed completely in-house and was built by the Butter people themselves.
Finally, in 2006 a new transport activity by Butter was started, being the transport of asphalt and related products in insulated dumper trailers.
So the development of Butter b.v. is still not over by a long chalk!