Share our passion

In 1821, Albert Smit, former captain of the Dutch merchant vessel 'De Koornzaaijer' founded the firm Handelmaatschappij A Smit & Zoon bv, now known as Smit & Zoon. While this was obviously the most crucial decision ever taken in the history of the company, in the 186 years that have passed since that day many other important decisions have had to be taken and difficult problems overcome. A great deal has changed in 186 years. Nowadays, the only mementoes of this vanished past are prints and artifacts displayed in the company's headquarters in Weesp. For a century and a half, from 1821 to 1971, Smit & Zoon were housed in the building called 'De Twee Stokvischen' on Amsterdam's Brouwersgracht. When the company moved to Weesp in 1971, they changed not only in outward appearance but also in many essential aspects of the business itself. In 1967, Smit & Zoon gave up the trade in stock fish, while some years prior to this cod liver oil had become a major item in the company's product range. At that time, too, other types of fish oil increasingly found their way to the Amsterdam-based firm, whose activities turned more and more towards the blending and purifying of the different oils to specification. After the move to Weesp, Smit & Zoon began to concentrate on special fish oil products for the animal feed and leather industries. As a result, the firm grew and flourished in Weesp. And it also underwent major organisational changes in their new home. The research department, in particular played an important role in the company's expansion. In the early nineteen eighties, the company started to develop synthetic tanning agents for the leather industry. A factory was built in Amersfoort specifically to produce them. Product development has continued unabated and Smit & Zoon have grown into a modern company supplying top quality products and occupying a leading position in the market. The founder of the present company was former merchant captain Albert Smit who came from a true seafaring family. Both his father and his grandfather before him had been sailors. It is therefore not surprising that the young Albert followed in their footsteps. He went to sea at an early age and evidently did his work well and with great dedication. His ambition did not go unnoticed and he rapidly gained promotion, becoming master of 'De Koornzaaijer', an oak three-master which was built in 1815 as an old register of captains reveals. He must have conceived the plan to set up his own business in about 1820. It seems likely that after his adventurous life as a seaman, Captain Smit was looking for a somewhat quieter life ashore. But what sort of living could a man make ashore, when he had spent his whole life sailing the seven seas? Such thoughts must have concerned Albert Smit after he left the sea. He did not have to look far for the answer. As well as running his ship, a master was very much concerned with its provisioning. In those days fish, either dried or salted, was a staple part of the diet aboard ship. The long sea voyages and the absence of any form of refrigeration meant that food had to be very effectively preserved. Stock fish and salt herring were widely used. So, perhaps inevitably, on retiring from the sea, Albert Smit decided to try his luck in the fish trade using his old contacts from his seafaring days. Explosive growth Unlike many other companies, which suffered badly from the bleak economic conditions in the early nineteen-eighties, the firm of Smit & Zoon grew dramatically during this decade. The firm's strength lay primarily in the development of specialist products for leather. No other company in the Netherlands could rival Smit & Zoon's knowledge of these products, a fact that the firm exploited to the full. The result was an extensive range of synthetic products. Gradually the laboratory was brought into line with modern requirements and the quality of the research improved. In 1978, however, the production of fatliquors for the leather industry suffered a severe setback. In that year a ban on the fishing of a number of species, including sperm whales, was introduced and sperm oil was the principal ingredient. The withdrawal of this substance confronted the laboratory with the task of formulating a new product with other raw materials. After a great deal of trial and error, Smit & Zoon's scientists succeeded in creating a similar product from different ingredients, giving the firm a major coup. 1987 was another milestone in the history of the former stockfish dealers. A brand new factory for the manufacture of synthetic tanning agents was opened in Amersfoort. This was the culmination of the work of Joost Smit, whose role in the development of synthetic liquors had been crucial. The chemical specialities for the leather industry accounted for an increasing share of turnover alongside the trade in fish oil and proteins. There had been a number of radical rebuilding projects over the years to accommodate the growth in operations. A new office was added at the end of the seventies, followed by a large storage facility. An even bigger hall was built on the site in 1984, with the factory in Amersfoort opening in 1987. In 1991, the firm built a completely new office and laboratory complex with room for future growth. In 2006, the latest expansion took place in Amersfoort increasing the syntan production capacity by 50% through investments in a new spray dryer, internal installations and an expansion of the warehouse. Due to the fact that both factories are strategically close to Europe's biggest port, Rotterdam, Smit & Zoon can offer optimal shipping efficiency to their customers. In 1995, the developments in the area of quality assurance were also pursued with vigour, so that Smit & Zoon gained the ISO 9001 certificate. Since 2006, the next generation (seventh) has taken over the daily management from Joost Smit. Marc Smit and Mrs Valerie Smit are currently managing the company with the same pride and enthusiasm as previous generations. Today, Smit & Zoon are a major player in the leather industry with a worldwide agency network and sales in more than 70 countries. Smit considers their agency network as a main instrument to secure a high service level for their customer base. The relationship with their agents and their customers is one based on trust, confidence and long-term success. Smit & Zoon have specialised in the development, production and application of wet-end chemicals. The decision to focus on wet-end chemicals and application ensures that they can be one of the market leaders in this field. You could say it's the secret of their family business, which has served them well since 1821. It's a secret they are happy to share with you. Smit & Zoon welcomes you to 'Share their passion'.