History
Back in time
From horse and carriage in the 19th century to multimodal transport today. Since our founding in 1880, Westerman has focused on what truly matters. By combining our clients' needs with our employees' ideas, we keep moving forward—delivering logistics that count.
In 1880, Jan Westerman founded his own company. A pioneer in the transport industry, he used horse and carriage to transport baskets full of eggs and dairy products between Nieuwleusen and Zwolle.
The arrival of the first truck marks a new chapter. Every day, flour is transported from Zwolle to bakeries in Nieuwleusen. During the war, the truck is forced to a standstill, but with the help of a cargo bike, deliveries continue.
Bicycle manufacturer Union becomes a client, and we start transporting bicycles across the Benelux. By continuously improving our process, we quickly earn a reputation as a reliable partner for the bicycle industry.
In addition to transporting bicycles, we also take on storage for Union. We grow into a specialist in bike logistics and expand our reach to Germany, France, Italy, and Scandinavia.
The Westerman family hands over the company to the Van Dieren family. Our services expand to include distribution and warehousing. During this period, we evolve into a full-fledged logistics service provider.
On the De Grift industrial estate in Nieuwleusen, we build a new warehouse and a cross-dock facility. Additionally, we introduce rail transport to Scandinavia. With our multimodal solutions, we establish ourselves as a sustainable innovator.
In Hasselt, we open an 11.000-square-meter cross-dock facility, including a container terminal on the Zwarte Water. This strengthens our multimodal logistics processes, making our solutions even more impactful.
After years of growth and development, we upgrade our name. "Westerman Multimodal Logistics" reflects the versatility and strength of our services. Combined with our new brand identity, it embodies our vision for future-oriented logistics.
It is the highlight of nearly 150 years of Westerman: the opening of the impressive facility at De Grift 25 in Nieuwleusen. Spanning an impressive 34.000 square meters, this building lays the foundation for future growth and innovation.
In Malmö, we open our first international location. The 17.000-square-meter warehouse, combined with an in-house railway line, forms the foundation for wagon handling—a unique concept in the logistics industry.