InterDam and Van Dam, the two leading Dutch manufacturers of fire and explosion resistant products, join forces. On Tuesday July 14th 2020 the three shareholders formally closed the deal. By completing the merger Value Enhancement Partners, Berend Groeneveld and Groupe Gorgé unite the two companies, which share the same roots, under one name: InterDam. The integration of both companies will be completed by the end of 2020 under the management of CEO Fraser Weir.
By combining the two companies, the new InterDam can offer more products and services, work more efficiently, keep the costs low, and be an even more reliable supplier of fire and blast resistant doors, walls, windows, and cladding. To protect lives and essential assets at offshore wind substations, LNG and petrochemical installations, offshore oil and gas platforms, naval vessels and defense installations, and at tunnels.
Bob de Lange, partner of Value Enhancement Partners comments: “This merger is a perfect example of the strategic development that VEP as main and active shareholder supports and aims for. A company that was originally founded in 1906 and was separated in 2007, now merges in 2020 as market leader in its segments, creating high synergies and establishing an excellent base for future development and growth.”
Fraser Weir explains: “The combination of these two great companies will allow us to innovate faster and contribute to higher safety standards for fire and blast protection. InterDam and Van Dam have some overlapping products but also products that are complementary. The combination can therefore offer a wider scope of solutions to our clients. The new InterDam will have the widest range of certified products and offer the best fit-for-purpose solutions in the industry.”
As Leo van der Hoest of (former) Van Dam elaborates: “I always believed in a combination between the two companies to join forces. In the end it is all about economies of scale, in which we can strengthen our expertise in development, exploration and marketing of our specific products/projects in the niche markets. With one goal: to support our clients even better than before for their specific needs whilst minimizing their risk.”
As a larger supplier, InterDam now has a higher production capacity and shorter delivery times. This means that InterDam can offer yards fully certified products with just-in-time delivery. EPC contractors will be able to better stay within their project budget.
As Fraser Weir states, not only EPC’s and yards will benefit, but operators as well. Because, Weir continues, they can rely on InterDam to ensure that their capital project schedule will not be delayed. This means a better chance to meet the project’s startup date.
The new CEO concludes: “We have already introduced the next standard of protection in the industry: fire-post-blast tested and certified products. We believe this should be the standard for the industry as it provides enhanced protection for people and assets. By investing in the development of these products we at InterDam have demonstrated our willingness to go the extra step in enhancing protection and living our new customer promise: Your shield in the field.”
