Histoire

Kramer’s Engine Repair Workshop
In 1916, Cornelis Kramer (1891-1985) gained his first experiences with marine engines at the factory ‘De Industrie’ in Alphen a/d Rijn. In 1919, he decided to return to the Zaanstreek. He bought the remnants of an old mill on the peninsula ‘de Hemmes’ in Zaandam and converted it to an engineering workshop and house. From here he set up his own enterprise: “Kramer’s Engine Repair Workshop”. Engines from brands like Kromhout, De Industrie, Brons and Rennes wereinstalled in barges traveling for large companies of the Zaan area. Son Adriaan (1916-1997) joined the company in the late 30s, after completing his mechanical engineering study, and started a machine shop alongside the existing company business. He bought, overhauled and/or converted machines and machinery systems in order to resell them again.

1930: Kramer  Engine
Cornelis Kramer’s critical view on the limitations of existing marine engines inspired him to design and fabricate one by himself. Together with his mechanical engineer Klaas Beekhoven, he developed the ‘Kramer Engine’ in 1930: a marine engine with a remarkably high efficiency compared to other contemporaneous marine brands. A 15HP 1-cylinder and a 30HP 2-cylinder engine were put into small scale production. Please click here for more images of the Kramer Engine. The production of the Kramer Engine was discontinued after a few years, but the engineering and motor repair workshop grew further and staff size increased.

1960s: three generations Kramer
In the late 60s, Adriaan’s sons (and current associates) Kees and Johan joined the family business. Hence three generations of Kramer were active and they took on larger projects. Inland shipping companies, sailing charters, towing services and water construction companies found their way towards the peninsula in Zaandam. The repair and overhaul of dredgers regularly took place as well, and the trade of machines and their parts continued to expand. With the purchase of a stem/stern dock and a crane in the 80s, the company acquired more and more the character of a shipyard. From that time on, Kramer has been able to carry out the most diverse operations within the ship repair and overhaul business.

The present-day Kramer company
Kramer Ship Repair & Engineering Work keeps developing and the yard has been relocated to its own island of approximately 1 hectare. In 2009 a new port was constructed, which holds twenty boxes for vessels with a length up to 30 meters. In the 95 years of existence, the Kramer company developed expertise and always maintained the authentic appearance. It is a place people from both professional and recreational boating like to visit.