History and future
It was 1934 when Reinier Kempenaar Sr. registered his company with the Chamber of Commerce. "Scrappage of motorcycles and sale of parts" was the official description of the business. In light of the rapidly developing automotive industry, the focus gradually shifted to car dismantling.
When Reinier Jr. took over the company from his father in 1942, the German occupying forces forced him to donate the scrap metal from the collected scrap cars to the war industry. When the company regained its autonomy after the war, it effectively became a "car scrapyard" or "junkyard," as this type of dismantling company would be called for many years to come. In 1968, the scrapyard moved to its current location in Driebergen-Rijsenburg. During the 1970s, his son Jaap took over the business from his father, who, incidentally, remained at the helm. The company name is officially changed to "Autodemontagebedrijf Kempenaar." The reason: the term "car scrapyard" no longer covers it and, moreover, does not do justice to the company's well-considered and responsible working methods.
Professionalization
Under the leadership of Jaap Kempenaar, the company is growing steadily and undergoing further professionalization, including modernizing its parts administration. Over the years, the company has also invested in better and more efficient disassembly processes, as well as in smarter processing and storage of disassembled parts. In addition to obtaining the necessary permits in accordance with increasingly strict environmental legislation, this policy has resulted in significantly improved service, leading to further, organic growth.
Customer-friendly and service-oriented
Automation and innovative mechanization are also introduced under Jaap Kempenaar, with continuous investment in the latest technology. As a result, the company has gained a significant advantage over many industry peers and has gained a reputation far and wide as a customer-friendly and service-oriented car disassembly company.
Car Hotel
The most striking innovation is undoubtedly the construction of the so-called "car hotel," which will be officially opened on June 19, 2015, by the King's Commissioner of the Province of Utrecht. This is a project unique in the Netherlands, where scrap cars temporarily "stay" in a kind of mega-filing cabinet, equipped with internal movable shelving. On demand, any damaged car can be brought forward in no time for further "disassembly."
Electric Cars
The growing market for sustainable, electric cars has led to new regulations regarding safety and the environment during their inevitable dismantling. After all, even Priuses and Teslas don't last forever. The relatively large batteries, in particular, as a rechargeable energy source for this type of vehicle, require expertise not only in their manufacturing but also in their disassembly and storage. While many batteries are largely reusable, they also contain flammable and even potentially explosive chemicals that, if handled incorrectly, can pose serious safety and environmental risks. Kempenaar Auto Dismantling Company boasts relevant expertise in this area as well and holds all the necessary permits.
Online Trading
Our automation isn't limited to the internal resources we use, but also extends across the internet. In fact, the two are fully integrated, allowing our customers to freely browse our logically organized, comprehensive online parts database. Every part in stock is listed here, complete with all relevant information, such as type designation, model number, year of manufacture, color number, and so on. As soon as a disassembled, cleaned, and undamaged part reaches our shelves, it's entered into the database and can be found and ordered online. Naturally, we handle our customers' data with care.
Future
Since the millennium, the number of passenger cars in the Netherlands has increased by about a third, bringing the total to around 8.5 million on the road in our small country. One day, these cars will be scrapped and will therefore need to be responsibly processed into reusable parts and (largely) recyclable scrap. This requires specialized companies, such as Autodemontagebedrijf Kempenaar. To continue serving our customers as best as possible, stay ahead of the competition, and anticipate increasingly stringent environmental legislation, we will continue to innovate. At Kempenaar, we look to the future with confidence!