History
1893: The first generation
In 1893 the brothers Carel and Anton Josef Lurvink moved from Aalten to Enschede to pursue their profession of brushmaking. Enschede and the surrounding area are home to large textile factories that need a lot of brushes, dusters and brooms for their daily production. On an upper floor on Deurningerstraat in Enschede, the brothers get started.
With their home-made goods, the Lurvink brothers visit factories and shops in the area. With success: in 1895 they move into a self-built workshop on Boddenkampstraat in Enschede.
1927: The second generation
Carel's second youngest son, Antoon, joins the company in 1927 . Antoon brings a breath of fresh air to the company. In 1932 the new premises on Boddenkampstraat were built.
In the war years the raw materials for manufacturing the products are hardly available, so surrogates are sought. Horsetails are bought from farmers to fill brushes and tassels. Partly due to the war, bartering is an important part of the business process. For instance, toilet paper is exchanged for mops from textile manufacturers.
Click on image to enlarge 1960: The third generation
Harrie Lurvink, Antoon's son, joined the business in 1960. He learned the craft of brushmaker in a West German factory. He expands the range to include cleaning supplies. When Antoon reaches retirement age, Harrie is put in charge.Between 1967 and 1977, almost all textile factories in Enschede closed their doors. This meant that Carel Lurvink had to change tack. In addition to its own production, the wholesale branch was added. Carel Lurvink became a leading wholesaler in Twente.
In 1973, the building on Boddenkampstraat was expanded. The low-rise building now houses the office and warehouse.
1990 - 1991: The fourth generation
Caspar (1990) and Julius (1991) join the company. Like their predecessors, Harrie's sons are very ambitious and expand the range to include safety articles. There is a strong will to continue growing and new construction is planned.In 1993, Carel Lurvink received the designation 'Supplier to the Royal Household'. This special award stands for proven quality, solidity and continuity of the company. The crowning glory of 100 years of experience.
In 2000, Carel Lurvink moved into the brand-new company building at Marssteden 40 in Enschede. The building offers plenty of room to grow. The product range broadens and the organisation develops and produces more and more Premium A+ products itself.
Harrie retires in 2007 after 47 years of service; Caspar and Julius are now responsible for operational management.
The company's own fleet is expanded by 3 trucks and 2 vans in 2016.
In 2018, the 125th anniversary is celebrated and the new building on IJzersteden is completed. The building is connected to the premises on Marssteden and, with 12,000 pallet spaces, is ready for the future. In addition, this year, His Majesty the King perpetuated the designation 'Supplier to the Royal Household' for the next 25 years.
To serve customers even better, Carel Lurvink is split into 4 sectors in 2020: Facility, Industry, Medical and Pharmacy & Food. A new truck that is more sustainable, efficient and safe was also purchased in this year.
2022: The fifth generation
The fifth generation makes its appearance. Chris, Justus, Marleen and Emma are responsible for introducing 100% chemical-free cleaners. Safe for people, animals and the environment.In 2023, we will exist 130 years. We celebrated this with all our colleagues in a special way. In nostalgic buses, we were taken to the Singraven country estate for a tour of the house, gardens and water mill. Then it was time for a delicious dinner and a great party evening.
Construction also started on our own production site in Oldenzaal in 2023. This is where the production, assembly and packaging of much of the range will take place. We will bring much of the production from Asia back to the Netherlands and make a major move towards sustainability.