U bent hier: english

english

Veendam is situated in the province of Groningen, the northern part of the Netherlands and lies in the area known as the Veenkoloniën (peat colonies) where it has traditionally assumed a special place. Its history leads back more than 350 years, to the days when the peat cutting began.

Veendam, or “Peat Town” as it is sometimes called, largely follows the typical ribbon structure of the former Dutch peat colonies, except in the town centre. It owes its typical structure to the river with the curious name of “Oude AE”, which forces the parallel Oosterdiep and Westerdiep canals to diverge in northern direction.

Industry

The inland shipping of the peat in early days eventually grew to become a lucrative coastal shipping industry, enough to entice Lloyd’s insurance to set up its first on-shore offices at Veendam. The decline of the peat cutting industry, however, was the end of an era, and the land has since been used for agricultural purposes. The change to agriculture gave a vital agricultural industry of which today’s potato starch and derivatives industries are the living proof. By the second half of the 19th century the inward shipping and shipbuilding industries had shed so much of their economic strength that alternatives were sought, for example, in the metal-processing industry.

The municipality of Veendam is primarily an industrial region. The emphasis of its industrial activity is on the processing of agricultural products. AVEBE, the world’s largest potato starch processing company, established its head office in Veendam. Since 2007 the head office has been situated in Foxhol.

Want to know and learn more about veendam?

At the Veenkoloniaal museum you can learn more about the interesting history of Veendam. You can visit the museum or enjoy the introductory slide presentation and guided tour. The museum also hosts rotating exhibitions. For up-to-date information visit the website of the museum (www.veenkoloniaalmuseum.nl) or phone (+31 (0)598) 364224. The museum is situated at Museumplein 5 in Veendam.