Founder Schmitt didn’t dare to dream in 1862 that with the sale of the first anchor from his blacksmith’s shop he was laying the groundwork for an international operating organization that after almost 150 years is still serving the shipping industry.
Indeed in all the years, not only shipping, but also the company Schmitt, has gone through some changes. In 1875 the workspace was equipped with a gas-running motor, which was quite something in those days, as everything was still done by hand.
Around 1930 the grandson took over the business. In this period the inventory was expanded. The inventory of anchors and chains was first stored at the Zalmhaven and the Vasteland. However, both of these locations were destroyed during the bombing of Rotterdam in May 1940.
For a time, Schmitt was forced to use an emergency location near the Vasteland, later the company relocated to the Baan and Merseyweg in Rotterdam.
During the period on the Merseyweg, greatgrandson Frank took over the reins. In this period he increased the inventory even more.
In addition, the company expanded with its own test facility for the testing of anchors and developed it’s own type of anchors, for which, approval from all major classificatieons was granted.
Because Rotterdam is always on the move, planned construction of the Caland tunnel forced Schmitt to move in mid-2000 to its last location on the Waalhaven. As from June 1st, 2014 the office is located in Zwijndrecht, still having various stockyards in Rotterdam.
Nowadays the company is still not anchored down. Always motivated, creative and dedicated to further expansion. That energy makes Schmitt an extraordinary company, on which you can count and whom you can trust.
