VentTrade: 25 years of passion for ventilation
A silver milestone
The official anniversary actually took place earlier this year, in January to be precise. That was when the second, and perhaps most important, milestone was reached: VentTrade officially began operations 25 years ago. The first step had been taken much earlier, on 29 November 1999, when Vent Trade International B.V. – together with Comfort Services – was registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce as a wholesaler of sanitary products and plumbing installation materials. Today, this product range accounts for just a fraction of the extensive portfolio VentTrade offers.
Between its establishment and the start of its actual operations, VentTrade existed only on paper. That all changed when Hugo Lammers and Wim Dams decided it was time to turn that Chamber of Commerce registration number into a real business with a story to tell. And so, in early 2001 – when the last of the New Year's treats had barely been eaten – they embarked on a new chapter, with Hugo at the helm and Wim as his sounding board. We therefore regard that year, more than 25 years ago, as the true beginning of VentTrade.
An office without a desk
After several relocations, VentTrade settled at Afrikastraat 22 in Ittervoort, sharing the premises with its parent company, Interduct. Today, the building remains one of the ventilation specialist's main locations. The space? Large, filled with natural light, and otherwise completely empty. “There was no computer, no chair, no desk – everything still had to be bought. So we really did start from scratch,” Hugo recalls. “Fortunately, Interduct and sister company Bemar were quick to lend a helping hand.” The period that followed was largely spent building relationships with suppliers and customers, both in the Netherlands and abroad. And the efforts soon paid off. Alongside smaller customers, larger industry players such as DHG and Pluggit also came on board. To this day, they remain valued partners of VentTrade.
Different, yet the same
As turnover increased, so did the team: from just three employees in 2001 to eighteen in 2026. Wim has since stepped away from the business and is thoroughly enjoying his retirement, while Hugo has gradually shifted his focus towards personal customer contact and relationship management. Meanwhile, important departments such as Sales and Logistics have been established, with teams working hard every day to ensure high-quality products, fast delivery and personal service. Their mission? To take as much of the hassle as possible out of choosing the right products for each customer's desired ventilation system.
Anyone familiar with VentTrade, both then and now, will agree that remarkably little has changed. Although digitalisation is something few businesses can avoid, values such as reliability, personal contact, quality, fair pricing and commitment have remained at the heart of VentTrade for 25 years. And that is unlikely to change any time soon. These are precisely the values that customers appreciate about VentTrade and that form the foundation of everything we do. We look forward to the next 25 years, during which we will continue working alongside our fellow Interduct companies to create sustainable, healthy and comfortable indoor environments.
To all our customers: thank you sincerely for your trust and support over the years. We look forward to continuing our successful partnership.
