Description

After a delegation of our board attended the kick-off meeting for the construction/furnishing of the Industrial Museum Zeeland, it is now time to take a look inside this impressive museum. The museum is housed in the former sugar shed of the first Cooperative Sugar Factory in Sas van Gent. Before the industrialisation of Zeeland, Sas van Gent was the focal point. During industrialisation (1870-1910), Sas van Gent became home to a number of large companies: NV Zeeuwse Beetwortel-suikerfabriek (1872), the Walzemolen (1893) and the first Dutch Coöperatieve Beetwortelfabriek (1899) are examples.
Sugar shed
The location for the Industrial Museum Zeeland can certainly be called unique. It is the former site of the Netherlands' first Cooperative Sugar Factory. The company was created by the merger of initially three and eventually seven cooperative sugar factories. The oldest of these factories was already located in Sas van Gent. This factory was established in 1899 by dissatisfied beet growers. The dissatisfaction was caused by the price agreements made between the private sugar manufacturers. Eventually, by 1916, there were seven Cooperative Sugar Factories and a host of private factories. The big merger to form the Central Sugar Company (CSM) took place in 1919. The factory operated until 1990, when it closed its doors.
The collection consists mainly of small- to medium-sized utilitarian objects from the last century. Furthermore, the museum owns a steam-driven air compressor, a stained-glass window of the former Rosier boardroom and you can follow the process of making sugar. The museum focuses not only on preserving and presenting Zeeland's industrial history and associated cultural-historical and landscape development, but also on the present and future of Zeeland's industry. With this, innovation and sustainability in Zeeland's industry are important topics in the museum presentation.

Location

Westkade 114, 4551 LA Sas van Gent

Organiser

Zeeland Region

Name and contact details for information

Vincent Calon

v.calon@vacengineering.nl