Started as a family company in 1937...

VONK’s history starts in 1937, when Mr Arjen Vonk, son of an ice skate manufacturer, started a radio supply & repair shop in Coevorden, Netherlands. The roots of VONK as we know today were planted when shortly after WW2, Shell (NAM) started development of nearby discovered oil- and gasfields and Mr Vonk shifted from radio’s to engineering and providing electrical solutions & services to that burgeoning industry.

Quickly developing its reputation for innovation and reliability, Shell engineers were quick to turn to VONK for help from other locations around the world, too. Facing challenging conditions in remote locations, VONK was one of the first to pioneer prefabrication of E&I solutions (instead of on-site construction) – initially in wooden crates later steel containers. These containerised solutions or containerised buildings, also known as substations, are now industry standard and still part of VONK’s business today.

VONK continued to grow, internationally (taking on larger complex projects) but also developing a significant generic E&I contracting business in the Netherlands. Latter business is characterised by high volume-low margins and this business saw a wave of consolidation in the 1980’s.

When Mr Vonk decided to retire in 1989, he sold his company (several hundred employees at the time) to Internatio-Müller, the predecessor of Royal Imtech. The generic local E&I contracting was moved to other Imtech entities, whilst VONK continued successfully with the international solutions for the Oil&Gas industry.

In 1999, the personnel from the former company QtecQ (before part of Holec Projects), a power electronics engineering company, joined VONK. This expanded VONK’s business portfolio with the defence, uranium enrichment and research. Before Imtech’s demise in 2015 VONK was sold to private investors.

Today VONK is, with it’s experience and technical knowhow, your solution provider for Power Conversion, Electrical & Instrumentation and Control & Automation Challenges, enabling your Energy Transition and contributing to a more sustainable society.