Brouwer Company | about us

Brouwer Company is known as the specialist provider of passenger transport services in and around Noordwijk, Katwijk, Leiden and the dune and bulb-growing area. The family business has been in existence for over 95 years now and comprises the following business units: Taxi Brouwer, Brouwer Tours, Brouwer Travel, Taxicentrale Oegstgeest and De Jong’s Taxicentrale.

FROM CONTRACTING FIRM TO PASSENGER TRANSPORT

Brouwer Company is a household name in the Noordwijk region. Around 1905, Piet Brouwer started a contracting firm and livery stable for agricultural activities in Noordwijk. The company developed and grew, eventually shifting its focus to shipping and transport (specifically removals and bulb transport). In 1921, Brouwer acquired its first lorries, followed by the first luxury car for taxi transport in 1927. The rise in tourism in the bulb-growing area led to a greater need for group transport and so the first bus to be operated by Brouwer was brought into use in 1931.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE BROUWER FAMILY BUSINESS

Ten years after the war, the mixed company was split up and divided among the sons of its founder, Piet Brouwer:

– Frans carried on the transport business (lorries)

– Jan and Karel concentrated on mechanical tillage for bulb cultivation

– Cees and Piet Jr focused completely on the coach and taxi business. The collaboration between the two brothers ended after a year. Piet started travel agency ‘Het Centrum’ in Lisse. Cees carried on operating Brouwer’s Tours.

Cees’s company grew and moved to Bronckhorststraat/Zeestraat. Cees’s sons, Peter and Cees Jr, joined the company. In the early 1980s, the management team was further strengthened when John, Cees’s youngest son, also joined. In 1984, Peter and John took over the fast-growing, successful company. In the 1990s, the wives of John and Peter, Joke and Riekie, came on board, enriching the company with their expertise. Thanks in part to their dynamic involvement, the taxi business developed very positively. In 1999, the successful company – which had become too big for its location – moved to Keyserswey in the ‘s Gravendijck industrial estate. During this period, Paul Brouwer, Peter’s son, joined the company. From 2007, John and Paul Brouwer managed Brouwer Company together. Sadly, Paul Brouwer (41) passed away on 10 February 2017 following a serious illness.  A great loss to both the family and company.

On Friday 21 April 2017, the latest addition to the Brouwer Tours fleet was delivered. In honour of Paul’s memory, this 206th coach, which is named after him and carries his picture and name, was unveiled in the presence of Mariël, Guido, Dexter, his father Peter Brouwer, other family members and employees.
View the atmospheric impression.

BROUWER COMPANY AS AN EMPLOYER

Today, Brouwer employs more than 400 people, making it one of the region’s bigger employers. The near 350 presentable, well-trained (bus) drivers are the company’s driving calling card. The core values of reliability, flexibility and service orientation are central to the service provided: safe and professional travel, everywhere and always.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS IN NOORDWIJK

Brouwer Company is aware of its responsibility to operate its business in a sustainable, environmentally aware way. After all, all Brouwer vehicles spend many kilometres on the road, both in the Netherlands and abroad. The company strives to carry out its activities as environmentally friendly as possible. To this end, it makes use of the latest developments and innovations such as Blue Efficiency, green gas, electric and hybrid vehicles.

BROUWER COMPANY’S SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Brouwer Company is socially engaged, not only at a regional level but also nationally. It sponsors the regional truck run, for example, and donates to charities such as Roparun, Alpe d’HuZes and Stichting Zonnebloem.