Curtain falls for Groningen trailer production of Bulthuis and Vogelzang. Trailer factory in Bedum closed after long and turbulent history.
The Vlastuin Group from Kesteren has closed its trailer factory in Bedum (Groningen, the Netherlands). This puts an end to the production of Bulthuis and Vogelzang trailers in the province of Groningen. The two famous brand names remain the property of Vlastuin.
Vlastuin has already stopped production in Bedum in mid-2024. The factory hall has now been cleared and the real estate sold. The production of Vogelzang stone trailers has stopped, trailers from the Vogelzang and Bulthuis portfolio are still being produced on a limited scale in the D-TEC factory hall in Kesteren. “We are still considering how we are going to fill this in the future,” says Vlastuin.
The Vogelzang factory was originally located in Noordwolde (also in the province of Groningen) while Bulthuis was located in Bedum. Both brands were popular in the north of the Netherlands, among buyers of tippers, bulk trailers, tank trailers, stone trailers, concrete mixers and container trailers. However, the manufacturers suffered from growing competition, high costs and various crises in the transport sector.
After several bankruptcies, the then owners restarted at one location, under the name VB Trailerbouw bv. But the earlier success could not be matched. In 2012, VB was taken over by the Nijwa Group (transport company and Volvo dealer in Overijssel). In 2018, the Vlastuin Group bought the factory. The Betuwe concern was particularly interested in the knowledge in the field of aluminium tippers.
After six years of doing business in the Bedum factory hall, Vlastuin is pulling the plug on the Groningen factory. Reason: the production numbers are too low to build trailers at competitive prices. Vlastuin now offers customers tippers from the German manufacturer Carnehl.
