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Navigation aidIndependents from the Netherlands

BIM   |   DCB   |   GB   |   HAAN   |   SNIJDERS

The Netherlands has always had a moderately active independent fuel distribution sector, taking advantage of the huge coastal refining capacity at Rotterdam and the associated spot markets. While some of the brands, such as Verolko, have subsequently licensed third party brands such as AVIA or, more recently, Gulf, others supplied "white stations" (Witte Pomp) with no branding, and a few have invested in their own brands. As well as the names shown on this page, recent independents (apparently without maps) have included Autofood, Brand Oil (which also operates Amigo unmanned stations), Argos Oil, Firezone, Picobello and VOL (which now distributes Avia and Total). Although it is also a large map publisher, the automobile club ANWB - which operated a small chain of unmanned stations until sold to Gulf in 2008, is not considered here as the maps were not distributed through its service stations.

BIM

Brief History

BIM Aardolieprodukten BV was a small independent brand of petrol based at Smilde in the Netherlands, with a sign that is redolent of PAM that supplied around 50 service stations in eastern Netherlands. At some point it came under the control of Shell, which sold it with TINQ to Gulf (Enviem) in September 2004.

Maps

BIM Road Map of the Netherlands

This BIM map is a typical Suurland Falkplan production at a scale of 1:300,000, probably dating from 1998, although the same cover was also used on a 2002 map. Identical front and rear covers for BIM are pasted onto a standard map. As the slogan ("De Kracht van Kwaliteit" - The Power of Quality) only hints that BIM is a brand of petrol, the photo (right) has been included for completeness!

BIM Service Station

A BIM service station in Varsseveld, Gelderland, May 2000.



Top of PageDCB (DC Berkel)

Brief History

DC Berkel was established in 1961 and operates around 20 commercial refuelling stations (cardlocks) - including 3 in Belgium - as well as supplying 4 service stations under its own dcb brand, and one selling BP fuels.

Maps

2006 dcb map of Netherlands

This pocket sized map promotes dcb's payment card, and is primarily designed for customers wishing to find the locations that accept it. Produced by Falkplan, it marks main roads and only names towns with a population over 5,000. However it does provide a numbered location for some 51 Total, 31 Tamoil and 7 Texaco (through the branded distributors Schreurs and Salland) filling stations, as well as dcb's own location in the Netherlands and Belgium. The reverse is given over to inset maps for each of the dcb and Texaco-Salland locations.

A dcb station seen in 2009



Top of PageGB

Brief History

Gebroeders Broere was an independent Dutch company that had been distributing fuels since 1927 and used the GB brand on a small number of service stations. In 1968 it was acquired by the US conglomerate Tenneco, alongside the British Globe/Golden and Butler operations. By the late 1970s, the GB name was more commonly seen alongside the Total brand in the Total GB joint venture. Gebroeders Broere was sold to the fuel & chemicals storage company Pakhoed (now part of Vopak) in 1989 and it is though that the GB brand disappeared at much the same time.

Maps

ca1960s GB map of Netherlands

ca1960s GB map of Netherlands (rear)

The only known GB map probably dates from the 1960s
Image courtesy Wilhelm Feuer

Total GB co-branded station near Eindhoven, 1980
Total GB co-branded station near Eindhoven, 1980



Top of PageHAAN

Brief History

De Haan Minerale Oliën BV was established at Alblasserdam (just East of Rotterdam) in 1959, and has grown to be a respected independent petrol marketer, initially using the "de Haan" name. It now operates around 25 "haan" stations, plus a handful under major brands (mainly Total, but with one Esso).

Maps

2000 Haan map of the Netherlands

The Haan map is again from Suurland Falkplan, but this time at a scale of 1:250,000, dating from 2000. The rear cover features a night shot of a Haan tanker leaving its distribution depot. Unlike its BIM counterpart, the Haan map is specially printed to show Haan station locations, which are also listed on the top of the map. As can be seen here, around half are concentrated near its Alblasserdam base; this extract does not really do justice to the high quality of the map. The reverse includes b/w street plans and a full index of place names.

Extract from the 2000 Haan Netherlands map



Top of PageSNIJDERS

Brief History

Snijders Olie BV was based in Oosterhout, Netherlands. The company was incorporated in 1921 (with roots going back to 1905) and evolved from a coal dealer into a gas and fuel oil dealer. In 1990 the company was sold to Shell and became its largest subsidiary in the Netherlands, with 60 service stations mainly under Snijders' own brand, but including 9 Shell sites. In the 2000s a number of unmanned Snijders-outlets were transformed into Tinq-outlets, in an effort by Shell to counter the arrival of the discount Tango brand from Petroplus, and the other operations absorbed into the parent company. By 2010 there were no more than a couple of remaining stations in Snijders colours.

Maps

early 1990s Snijders map of the Netherlands

This map offers 60 plans and a sectional map of Holland (province of Noord-Brabant). The back of the map shows the addresses of the outlets as well as a large scale map of The Netherlands (in black and white). No cartographer is mentioned. The map dates probably from the early to mid nineties. The map promotes the 'kreditank' card, a credit card to be used with a pin-code in a self service terminal.

Images and information courtesy of Michel Breugelmans

Detail from early 1990s Snijders map of the Netherlands

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Text and layout © Ian Byrne, 2000-13

All original copyrights in logos and map extracts and images are acknowledged and images are included on this site for identification purposes only.