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W. de Beijer (The Netherlands)

W. de Beyer Shipping Co. Ltd

Last modified: 2018-12-15 by rob raeside
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[W. de Beijer new flag] image by Jarig Bakker, 18 May 2006 See also:

W. de Beijer new flag

Before introducing the current house flag of W. de Beijer, let me quote from the 28 Mar 2006 message: “A company logo is prominently shown on the site and I have no information as to its use on flags.”

Incidentally, the small white stripe underpinning or accompanying the blue triangle seems to be a deliberate design element as it also shows up on funnels.  In fact we will encounter it again.
The company website prominently shows the logo, a rimmed disk surmounted by a trio of arrowy shapes.  See this url and select ‘Actualiteit’ (i.e. current events) then ‘Bedrijfsvideo 1997’ (i.e. company video 1997): We immediately see the current flag – I realize my previous findings were based on older sources – which has the initials replaced by above symbol (in white) and retains the thin white stripe.  In this gravelly video it will appear several times including doubly hoisted in front of the company seat.

Image based on a table flag whereas there are also flags hoisted on an inland vessel, two of which represent W. de Beijer.  Source of the table flag picture: German eBay offer no. 290197237717 (end 20 Jan 2008) put up by “shipflag”.
Jan Mertens, 22 Feb 2008


W. de Beijer

[W. de Beijer houseflag] image by Jarig Bakker, 18 May 2006

‘W. de Beyer Scheepvaartbedrijf BV’ or ‘W. de Beyer Shipping Co. Ltd’ is a firm treated by Jansen & Van Heck in “Duwvaart” on pp. 19-22.   Not much is said about it – most of the space is taken up by photos – except that the firm was founded about 1960, and based at Arnhem.

All the same, two flags are mentioned and illustrated in b/w, the first one rectangular which will be treated here (the second one to follow as soon as I’ve figured out a good way to describe it).   The first flag is red with a blue triangle and white letters ‘WdB’ as our authors put it.  The blue triangle has its base on the hoist edge and extends all the way to the fly; the initials are white and have no serifs.

As luck would have it this one, at least, was encountered on the web. Jansen & Van Heck show letters which are somewhat fatter than the Binnenvaart version.  You may judge for yourselves as the above page also shows the flag on the ‘Manon’.

“Duwvaart” writes “Beyer” but the company site has “Beijer” (no difference in pronunciation), see here.
“Various companies are joined together in De Verenigde Bedrijven (united companies) De Beijer B.V., these companies operating under their own names on the Dutch and German markets. For well over 40 years the company's goal has been the complete organization of offering and delivering raw materials to different kinds of clients. (…)  A striking example is Watertransport W,. de Beijer BV that not only transports raw materials for its own trading department but also millions of tons yearly for third parties including coal, ore, etc.”

From an additional page (in Dutch) concerning water transport we learn that about 6 million metric tonnes are transported each year (not only sand, gravel, stone etc. but nowadays also ore, coal, phosphate, fodder plus containers and construction materials).

De Beijer’s fleet consists of about 40 motor vessels and 50 barges with a capacity between 360-5500 metric tonnes per unit.  The current head office is at Kekerdom which is near Nijmegen, not far from the spot where the Rhine crosses the German-Dutch border and is renamed Waal.

A company logo is prominently shown on the site and I have no information as to its use on flags.
But clicking 'Contact' on the following page leads to a photo of a nice naval-style flagpole with two flags, both of them the same?  And the same as attached, or so it seems?
In any case there is still the triangular house flag to follow, soon I hope.
Jan Mertens, 28 Mar 2006


W. de Beijer pennant

[W. de Beijer pennant] image by Jarig Bakker, 5 Jul 2006

The second house flag is a triangular pennant with a blue wedge leaving two red triangles at the hoist and white initials ‘WdB’ – without serifs – on the blue part.   This image shows small dots not present in Jansen & Van Heck’s - in “Duwvaart” - version.

This pennant was scanned from a German brochure entitled “Ausbau des Rheins” concerning construction works aimed at removing obstacles, improving river banks, etc. along the Rhine.  Published jointly in Oct. 1977 by official bodies and construction firms, it shows house flags and company logos on the inner side of the cover.

Jansen & Van Heck do not say which flag was used first (surely not simultaneously?) but he ‘Manon’ in the photo linked to (message of 28 March) was built in 1987 whereas the pennant appears in a 1977 brochure.  An important detail – now W. de Beijer (German seat at Bendorf near Coblenz) is not described as a transport company but rather as a partner to construction firms.

My feeling is that the two flags represent different periods not different activities but I have been wrong before…
Jan Mertens, 30 Jun 2006