The year 1955, became in more ways than one, a milestone in the history of Houtstra. A company buiding was bought, which would forefill the growing need for space at the Verspycklaan in Naaldwijk (former jam factory "Cleo") and simultaneously a new name and legal form have been chosen. The old name "Nationale Kleefstof Industrie" was for a family business too impersonal and replaced by "Houtstra's Kleefstoffenfabriek NV". Due to the expansion the company had to take major decisions, against the diversification trend of the time there was chosen for specialization; only adhesives for paper processing and packaging industry. Firstly a restriction, on the other hand a challenge. The laboratory was greatly expanded after the breakthrough of the synthetic adhesives, they decided to polymerize themselves. At the end of 1961 the for that time precious polymerization plant went into operation. The trade in adhesive processing machines was extended with equipment for flexography and gravure. The sales of these special machines rose under the led of son Jan enormous. As a result, the relationship between adhesives and machine trade did not really exist anymore and Jan founded in January 1961 Machinehandel JMJ Houtstra at the Stadhouderslaan in The Hague. On May 2, 1970 -75 years old- Romke Jacobus Sr. died in the knowledge that he left his sons a healthy company. True to its spirit, his sons worked -oil crisis and recession despite- to further growth. In Belgium and Switzerland the first foreign sales offices were founded. Max Cornelisz (sales), Aad van den Berg (supervisor) and Henk Nolten (laboratory) were added. A new generation of adhesives presented itself, the "hot melts". One can hardly imagine now that in the beginning, the previously purchased installation was only a few days per week operational!
Beneath you can find a picture overview of this history period, you can enlarge te pictures by clicking on them.
