History of Urk-Export
Since Urk-Export was founded in 1963, we have had an extraordinary journey, from a modest fish auction to a leading player in the European fish market. Urk-Export has adapted to changes in the industry, developed innovative products and always remained committed to quality and sustainability.
1905 – 1925
The beginning
Urk has had its own fish auction since 1905, the first in the Zuiderzee, although in the beginning it was a modest enterprise. The Urk fish trade grew and consisted of several small businesses. In 1925 the firm of Bakker and Gerssen was established, located next to the fish auction on the Westhavenkade. This firm can be seen as the forerunner of Urk-Export.
1937
Founders
In 1937, Lucas Schrijver, a Kamper, came to Urk and began working at Bakker and Gerssen. Soon he was nicknamed Juun and fell for Iske, the daughter of firm owner Jacob Bakker. Their love led to their marriage on November 2, 1939. Together they had three children: Johannes Pieter (Nov. 20, 1940), Jacob (Nov. 4, 1944) and Pietje (June 16, 1951). With the birth of his sons, the foundation was laid for the later Urk-Export.
1963
Founding
With the rise of beam trawling and the motorization of the fleet, the Urk North Sea fleet grew enormously. In 1962, Urker fishermen decided to auction their catch at the local fish auction. This led in 1963 to the establishment of UVEC (Urker Vis Export Combinatie) by some fish traders, including Lucas Schrijver. Soon the name was changed to Urk-Export, beginning the challenge of selling fish throughout Europe.
1963
First branch
Since its establishment in 1963, Urk-Export was not only active in the trade of fresh fish, but also in the development of the plaice fillet market. It began by providing small packages of plaice fillets free of charge to truck drivers, who shared them with workers in France. This introduced them to this new, boneless and easy-to-prepare product.
This resulted in a rapid expansion of the customer base; soon trucks were driving daily between Urk and France. In addition to the French market, other European countries, such as Italy, were also entered. This growth led to several expansions and relocations of Urk-Export over the years.
1978
Relocation
To make room for new construction, the old building was demolished. In 1978, construction began on Klifkade, where three attached fish processing plants with upstairs apartments were built.
1998
New location
In order to meet increasingly stringent hygiene requirements, it was decided to build a new building. Since there were already two branches in the industrial park, it was decided, after a thorough renovation, to centralize all activities. To this day, this is the location of Urk-Export.
2013 – 2016
Plaice fillet market development
Since 1963 Urk-Export has been active in the development of the plaice fillet market, which has grown considerably over the years. Initially, filleting of Plaice and other flatfish species was done by hand. In 2013, Urk-Export decided to automate this process with the purchase of a filleting machine. An expansion with a second machine followed in 2016. Urk-Export always stands for quality and guarantees it by keeping the processes in-house.
2020 – 2024
New premises
In 2020, Urk-Export expanded with the construction of a new packing hall and the purchase of a modern salmon filleting machine. This expansion greatly increased the production capacity. This was followed in 2024 by the expansion of the cold storage area with the addition of a new cold room to meet growing demand.
We are proud of our rich history and the steps we have taken to make Urk-Export grow and prosper. From the first fish auction to today’s modern facilities, our commitment to quality and innovation continues to drive our success. We look confidently to the future as we continue to meet the needs of our customers and the markets we serve.
