Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij
Encyclopedia
The Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM), was a shipbuilding
and repair company
in Rotterdam
in the Netherlands
from 1902 to 1996.
district, located on the banks of the river Meuse
. It was a movement of a company founded in Delfshaven
in 1856 by Duncan Christie.
On 14 January 1925, a shipbuilding facility was set up as a subsidiary on the northern bank in Schiedam
and continued to function as a separate establishment until 1978.
In 1938, the RDM bought, with Wilton-Fijenoord
, all shares of P. Smit Jr. Shipbuilding and Machine Factory of D.G. van Beuningen. This company remained under its own name during its existence.
On 4 March 1966, in a merger with Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde and Motorenfabriek Thomassen led to the creation of Rijn-Schelde Machinefabrieken en Scheepswerven (RSMS), and a further merger on 1 January 1971 with Verolme Verenigde Scheepswerven (VVS) led to the united company of Rijn-Schelde-Verolme Machinefabrieken en Scheepswerven (RSV).
On 6 April 1983 the bankruptcy concerning RSV and RDM were pronounced. The offshore department was closed and the repair department transferred to Wilton-Fijenoord, by means of sale of the two largest docks. Of the 3,180 employees, 1,370 people became unemployed. The still viable components, the naval and the tool and heavy machinery businesses, were categorised in a new company: RDM Nederland BV, property of the government.
Navy construction got a large boost by the orders for Walrus class
submarine
s for the Royal Netherlands Navy
. However, proposed supply of submarines to Taiwan
failed to materialize, in part due to political implications. However, as ship building orders declined, and the company became more involved in high technology systems development for the military and energy sectors, the name of the company was again changed, this time to RDM Technology.
On 20 December 1991, the company was sold by the government to the Royal Begemann Group of Joep van den Nieuwenhuyzen, and renamed RDM Technology Holding BV. Due to a lack of orders, employment was cut from nearly 1,200 to under 500 during reorganizations in 1993 and 1994, while the departments were divided into RDM Technology BV and RDM Submarines BV.
In 1996, these companies were privately obtained by van der Nieuwenhuyzen. They were used for several activities and financial operations in the weapons industry, but no longer in association with the company's original shipbuilding activities. The shipyard itself was eventually acquired by the city of Rotterdam.
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and repair company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
from 1902 to 1996.
History
RDM was established on 23 January 1902 in the HeijplaatHeijplaat
Heijplaat is a neighborhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands....
district, located on the banks of the river Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
. It was a movement of a company founded in Delfshaven
Delfshaven
Delfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas, in South Holland, the Netherlands. It was a separate municipality until 1886.The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft...
in 1856 by Duncan Christie.
On 14 January 1925, a shipbuilding facility was set up as a subsidiary on the northern bank in Schiedam
Schiedam
Schiedam is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is part of the Rotterdam metropolitan area. The city is located west of Rotterdam, east of Vlaardingen and south of Delft...
and continued to function as a separate establishment until 1978.
In 1938, the RDM bought, with Wilton-Fijenoord
Wilton-Fijenoord
Wilton-Fijenoord was a shipbuilding and repair company in Schiedam in the Netherlands from 1929 to 1999.The company has since been fully absorbed into Damen Shiprepair.-Ships built:* De Zeven Provinciën class cruiser:** HNLMS De Ruyter,...
, all shares of P. Smit Jr. Shipbuilding and Machine Factory of D.G. van Beuningen. This company remained under its own name during its existence.
On 4 March 1966, in a merger with Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde and Motorenfabriek Thomassen led to the creation of Rijn-Schelde Machinefabrieken en Scheepswerven (RSMS), and a further merger on 1 January 1971 with Verolme Verenigde Scheepswerven (VVS) led to the united company of Rijn-Schelde-Verolme Machinefabrieken en Scheepswerven (RSV).
On 6 April 1983 the bankruptcy concerning RSV and RDM were pronounced. The offshore department was closed and the repair department transferred to Wilton-Fijenoord, by means of sale of the two largest docks. Of the 3,180 employees, 1,370 people became unemployed. The still viable components, the naval and the tool and heavy machinery businesses, were categorised in a new company: RDM Nederland BV, property of the government.
Navy construction got a large boost by the orders for Walrus class
Walrus class submarine
The Walrus-class submarine is the only submarine class currently in operation in the Royal Netherlands Navy. They have been in use since 1990 and are all named after sea mammals.-Design:...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s for the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. However, proposed supply of submarines to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
failed to materialize, in part due to political implications. However, as ship building orders declined, and the company became more involved in high technology systems development for the military and energy sectors, the name of the company was again changed, this time to RDM Technology.
On 20 December 1991, the company was sold by the government to the Royal Begemann Group of Joep van den Nieuwenhuyzen, and renamed RDM Technology Holding BV. Due to a lack of orders, employment was cut from nearly 1,200 to under 500 during reorganizations in 1993 and 1994, while the departments were divided into RDM Technology BV and RDM Submarines BV.
In 1996, these companies were privately obtained by van der Nieuwenhuyzen. They were used for several activities and financial operations in the weapons industry, but no longer in association with the company's original shipbuilding activities. The shipyard itself was eventually acquired by the city of Rotterdam.
Products
The primary business of RDM had always been ship repair in its drydock facility, although it also built several new vessels over the years. The company also became a strong competitor in building equipment for offshore drilling by the mid 1960s.Ships built
Ships built by RDM include:- De Zeven Provinciën classDe Zeven Provinciën class cruiserThe De Zeven Provinciën-class is a class of light cruisers. They were built by Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij and Wilton-Fijenoord for the Royal Netherlands Navy...
cruiser:- HNLMS De Zeven ProvinciënHNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (C802)The HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën was a De Zeven Provinciën class cruiser with eight 152 mm cannons in double turrets, 8 × 57 mm and 8 × 40 mm machine guns. The rear turret was replaced in 1962 with a RIM-2 Terrier SAM system. She was 185.7 m long, had a beam of 17.25 m and a...
,
- HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën
- Walrus classWalrus class submarineThe Walrus-class submarine is the only submarine class currently in operation in the Royal Netherlands Navy. They have been in use since 1990 and are all named after sea mammals.-Design:...
submarines - Passenger ships
- Nieuw Amsterdam,
- Rotterdam,