History

>Rag-and-bone Business in Harderwijk

Dirk Huissen is at the origin of the Reukema journey. After setting up a business collecting among others rabbit skins and bones, he was then succeeded by his son Jaap Reukema.
Through the years, Jaap made the company grow into a large family business.

The journey kept going with the third generation…

Jaap sons’ – Dick and Nico Reukema – took over the business with their brother in law: Ron Smeink.

Paper and Non-ferrous

The three family owners take it on to bring Reukema to the next level and focus on different part of the business…

Ron Smeink is responsible for Reukema Papier Harderwijk that collects, processes and trades used paper.

Dick Reukema starts Reukema Non-Ferro B.V., a separate business in the scrap-metal sector, and takes part in the founding of Reukema Non-Ferro Scheiding.

Nico Reukema sets up a new used-paper business in Almere. He focuses on the collection and processing of paper in the region.

Pioneers of the international recycled-paper trade between Europe and Asia.

Development by Nico Reukema of an export channel to sell used paper to Asia. This will become PaperNed with Reukema as shareholder.

PaperNed grew and expended with nine sales offices in South-East Asia. It is seen as one of the pioneers of the international recycled-paper trade between Europe and Asia.

The mid-1990s marks the decision of the Reukema family to focus entirely on the Harderwijk based businesses. They decide to sell the business based in Almere and their interests in PaperNed.

Birth of Reukema Block & Maneschijn B.V

Blocq & Maneschijn B.V. – based in Harderwijk, specialized in non-ferrous metals trading and  similar in size to Reukema Non Ferro B.V. – is taken over by the family.

All trading of scrap metal was then carried out under the new name Reukema Block & Maneschijn B.V.

In 2002, a new trio is put together to manage the business: Jeroen Reukema, Henry Staal and Peter Weij. In 2003, they will become the three owners of Reukema Blocq & Maneschijn B.V. and Reukema Papier Harderwijk B.V.

The set-up of Reukema Recycling International in 2004 marked the company’s expansion into the international market.

2004:

• Borders Recycling Ltd. (UK), active in the field of paper recycling, is brought into the Reukema Group.
  Activities in Germany and Africa are then purchased
• Container Terminal Harderwijk B.V. is taken over by the Reukema Group.

2006:

• Opening of a trading office in Shanghai (China).

2007

• C&L Associated Inc. (USA), active in the field of non-ferrous metal recycling, join the Reukema Group.

2009:

• Reukema Recycling is reinforced by a number of national and international experienced traders.
• In Germany, new purchasing offices are opened in Willich and Sinn, as well as two new scrapyards in Hamburg and Magdeburg.

2010 marks the set-up of Reukema Balkan. Focused on the trade of ferrous metals, it opened more than 10 locations distributed across multiple Balkan states.

In order to support the operations in the Balkan, four ships were purchased.

Creation of the establishment of Reukema Metalli Italia Srl in Brescia in order to trade non-ferrous metals in Italy.

With business operations being conducted on nearly all continents, Reukema Recycling blossomed into a major world player in the trade and recycling of ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, paper and plastics in just under one century.

2012 marks a turn in the Reukema strategy and vision.

In order to adapt to the changing markets, Reukema decides to focus on non-ferro in the home town of Harderwijk.

By 2014, Reukema successfully reached that goal and is now focused on the Harderwijk site with non-ferro and papers trading, its container terminal activities and still have trading office in Germany, Poland and China.