From a garage in Hasselt (Overijssel, NL), Remko Germeraad and Jarno Visscher started their first company in their spare hours in 2003, named: Zwagers Boating. A name that was not chosen lightly because – in addition to being business partners – Remko and Jarno are also brothers-in-law.  Zwagers Boating was intially still involved in the conversion of polyester boats. But soon the men switched to the much more durable aluminum boats. That choice turned out to be a bull’s eye because the garage in Hasselt became too small and was exchanged by their first ‘real’ business premises in Zwartsluis. And barely four years after their start in Hasselt and two years after their move to Zwartsluis, Alumax Boats, as the company was now called, established itself in a brand-new building in the middle of the (sea) port of Meppel.

Port Entrepreneurs of the Year

The growth of the company steadily continued in the new building in Meppel and this did not go unnoticed in the years that followed. In 2017, Remko Germeraad and Jarno Visscher were name ‘Port Entrepreneurs of the Year’ by Port of Zwolle. This made them the first Port Entrepreneur of the Year of the still young partnership of the port companies of Meppel, Zwolle and Kampen. Germeraad and Visscher were presented with the prize during the annual Harbor Dinner by Bart Kuipers (Port Economist at Erasmus University) and Barbara Visser (then member of the Parliament VVD, now State Secretary of Defence).. Port Economist Bart Kuipers reported on behalf of the jury that Alumax had experienced strong growth. “Alumax’s sales market continued to grow, extending beyond national borders. The success continues to grow. The jam-packed order book, which includes several fire brigade boats, water taxis and tenders, means that Alumax is almost literally bursting at the seams”.