THE HAGUE · INDUSTRIAL HISTORY

The people and work behind Escher

A letterhead, a staff magazine or a workshop photograph can tell a story that a company history might miss. This website brings together such traces of Ir. Escher’s Constructiewerkplaatsen en Machinefabriek N.V.

Did you work here, or hear about the company at home? Your memories are welcome too.

Read the story · Share a memory or lead

Do you have something from Escher?

I am looking for photographs of staff and workshops, issues of the staff magazine Escher Klok, brochures, catalogues, annual reports and old letters. A company sign, badge or small everyday object can preserve a story too.

You do not need to offer anything for sale. A scan, a photograph, a name for a group portrait or a reference to an archive can also help. Please include the year and place if you know them.

Tell us what you have or remember

The factory’s story

In 1925, engineer Anne Escher founded Ir. Escher’s Ovenbouw in The Hague. In 1926, the work shifted towards steel construction and the company moved to 2e van der Kunstraat. Conveyor belts became an important product.

From workshop to machine factory

The company used electric welding on a bridge across the Trekvliet in 1930. It became a public limited company in 1940, and a machine factory opened on Waldorpstraat in 1943.

After the war, work for railways and industry increased. In 1957, a large factory opened on Zonweg in the Binckhorst district, with about 350 employees. Its work included pressure vessels for the oil industry and steel structures for the Nederlands Congresgebouw.

A changing company

Anne Escher retired in 1968. Employment declined during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1988, the company left The Hague for Fijnaart as part of the Begemann Group.

There is more to this history than these milestones. Memories of everyday work and documents with reliable dates can add to the picture.

Images from the company’s past

The original documents and photographs shown here offer starting points for further research. Do you recognise a person, machine or occasion? Please let us know.

Contact

About this website

Old photographs, brochures, catalogues, staff magazines and other reminders of the company are welcome. A photograph, scan or lead to a source can help.

Your message and privacy

This is an independent website about the company’s history. Old business addresses and telephone numbers on documents are not contact details for this website.

Your name, email address and message are used to answer your enquiry. Personal stories and submitted material are published only by agreement. Please do not send confidential information; you can describe what you have first.