The Dutch sugar industry
Description
Beet sugar manufacturing in the Netherlands, after a hesitant (and unsuccessful) start at the time of Napoleon, suddenly took off when the first modern beet sugar factory in 1858 in Zevenbergen proved a success. Between 1858 and 1873, 32 factories were established, almost without exception "turnkey" plants supplied to the most modern design
by partly foreign machine factories.
It is important to note that beet sugar production necessarily differed in a number of ways from the technology that had been used for many years in the production of tropical cane sugar. A beet sugar factory was (and still is) a complex organisation. In this structure, logistics, engineering and trade (purchasing raw materials, selling products) are in permanent interaction. Moreover, the dynamics of technology were also influenced by the fact that the government in the Netherlands and elsewhere in the world levied excise duty on sugar. In a special
way, the method of levying excise duty worked through to the choice of technology of sugar production.
The history of 19th century and early 20th century Dutch beet sugar production provides an intriguing insight into innovative entrepreneurship in which technology is one of many decisive factors
10.30 am Reception with coffee
11.00 am Drs. M. van der Meer, head of Science Centre: "100,000 visitors and beyond"
11.20 am "Sugar in structures, the Dutch sugar industry" by Dr M.S.C. Bakker
12.00 pm Break
12.20 pm Continuation of the lecture with a concluding discussion
12.45 pm End of meeting
Speaker(s)
drs. M. van der Meer (head Science Centre)
dr. M.S.C. Bakker
Martijn Bakker (1956) studied history in Nijmegen and, after graduating, came into contact with the fledgling History of Technology section at TU/e. There he obtained his PhD in 1989 with the thesis Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The Dutch Beet Sugar Industry 1858 - 1919. He subsequently served on the editorial board of the six-volume series History of Technology in the Netherlands. He also contributed to several volumes as an author. After completing that project in 1994, he began studying Dutch law at Radboud University Nijmegen. He now works as team leader Patents and Contracts at St Radboud University Medical Centre. Nevertheless, as a "first love", the topic of engineering history always remains in his interest
Location
Science Centre, Mijnbouwstraat 120,
2628 RX Delft
Organiser
History of Technology
Histechnica
Name and contact details for information
Further information from L.A. Hissink at the e-mail address below.