Alumax Boats B.V.

Alumax Boats B.V.

Company portrait
More than just brothers-in-lawIn 2003, operating from a garage in Hasselt (OV), Remko Germeraad and Jarno Visscher started their first company: Zwagers Boating. A name that was chosen because, apart from being business partners, Remko and Jarno are also brothers-in-law.Zwagers Boating initially focused on the (conversion) of polyester boats. But soon after they switched to the much more durable aluminum. That choice turned out to be a bull’s eye because the garage in Hasselt was quickly exchanged for their first real business premises in Zwartsluis. And barely four years after the start in Hasselt and two years after the move to Zwartsluis, Alumax Boats settled, as the company was supposed to begin, in a brand new own building in the middle of the (sea)port of Meppel.Port operator of the yearThe growth of the company also continued in the new building in Meppel and that did not go unnoticed in the years that followed. In 2017, Remko Germeraad and Jarno Visscher were proclaimed ‘Port operator of the year’ by Port of Zwolle. They thus became the first Port Entrepreneur of the Year of the still young joint venture of the port companies Meppel, Zwolle and Kampen. Germeraad and Visscher were presented with the prize during the annual Harbor Dinner by Bart Kuipers (Port economist at Erasmus University) and Barbara Visser (then Member of Parliament VVD, now Secretary of State for Defense).Port economist Bart Kuipers reported on behalf of the jury that Alumax had experienced strong growth. “The sales market of Alumax grew further and further, beyond the national borders. The success continues. The packed orderbook, including a number of fire brigade engines, water taxis and tenders, means that Alumax is almost literally about to burst its banks. “Olympic gamesFrom the garage in Hasselt to the modern yard in Meppel. A lot has changed in all those years, but the characteristic no-nonsense culture has always remained the same. Alumax currently employs 11 people and Alumax’s aluminum boats sail throughout the Netherlands; in the canals of Amsterdam, Leiden and Zwolle and in the ports of Scheveningen and in Rotterdam as the well-known yellow water taxis. Alumax boats also sail across national borders. The Alumax boats, for example, served as the organisation’s official water taxi during the London Olympic Games (2012). But also BAM International, Natuurmonumenten, various fire brigades, Boskalis and Rijkswaterstaat all belong to the large customer base of the company, just like hundreds of private individuals.What has remained unchanged despite the growth and the many praise that Alumax has received is the strong bond between Remko and Jarno; partners in business but above all involved brothers-in-law.Alumax Boats designs and builds different models of aluminum boats in different sizes. In addition to sloops and tenders for private individuals, we also make ‘customized boats’ for our business customers such as port service boats, water taxis, work boats and tour boats.We cordially invite you to come and take a look at our “open kitchen”. You will be able to see how we build the boats and also would we like to tell you more about our company.