#2 - A revolutionary idea

At the age of 23, Kommer Damen started working at the shipyard owned by his father and uncle. He quickly saw that a lot of opportunities for improvement were passing them by. He had a revolutionary idea that would enable the company to respond to market demand from the market more quickly: build hulls for stock and then finish them to the customer's specifications. In the late '60s, that was a highly unusual approach. As such, Kommer's plan was not well received within the family.Despite all the tensions, Kommer refuses to give up. Only a handful of friends and staff members have confidence in his plans. Together with them, he tries to realise his vision. And that’s not easy, because the yard he has is only suitable for putting the finishing touches on the boats. To build the hulls, he needs the help of others. Does Kommer’s plan actually have a chance of succeeding? This episode covers the period between 1967 and 1975. Want to know more about this podcast? Check out podcast.damen.com ‘On Course’ is a Damen Shipyards podcast and is produced by audio agency Airborne.

Om Podcasten

How does a tiny company grow to become one of the worlds biggest shipbuilders? In On Course, we follow the unique history of Damen Shipyards Group. At one time the company was nothing more than a wooden shed on the banks of the Merwede River, run by a couple of handy young men. The company now has a global presence and builds virtually every conceivable model of ship.The key figure in this story is Kommer Damen. With his revolutionary vision and entrepreneurial spirit, he set up the company at a time when the world was changing rapidly: from the oil crisis in the 1970s to the fall of the Berlin Wall.In ‘On Course’, Kommer Damen talks extensively about the rich history of this family business for the first time. In addition, many others speak about Damen’s turbulent growth, but also about developments within the shipping industry and the global economy. ‘On Course’ is a 6-part podcast series; a special story about headwind and perseverance, about daring and doing.Liever luisteren in het Nederlands? Prefer to listen in Dutch? Please note that the original version of this show is Dutch and available under the name 'Op Koers'. Want to find out more? Check out podcast.damen.com‘On Course’ is a Damen Shipyards podcast and is produced by audio agency Airborne.