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“I used to weld parts for the first terminal tractor.”
“When I left school I could only do arc welding with stick electrodes. Here I learned MIG/GMAW welding.”
Adrie van Os “In September 1974 I started at Terberg, with seven other guys from the technical college. As a mechanical benchworker and MIG/GMAW welder I worked on parts for the first terminal tractor. At that time a lot more parts were manufactured here in the plant. I then transferred to the Tools storeroom where I am still working. We issue tools to Chassis production, Machining and Assembly. I also maintain the pneumatic tools. We have had a number of government ministers visiting the site, they often drove a completed tractor out of the building.”
Jan van Zuijlen: looking back on 50 years of terminal tractors We were lucky to be able to interview somebody who was involved with the production of Terberg terminal tractors from the very beginning: Mr Jan van Zuijlen who joined the company 1961 and retired in 2000. “When I started working at Terberg in 1961, they were converting GMC trucks by fitting additional parts, or a tipper body. In 1973 I became head of the Assembly department. At that time, Goof Terberg and Head of engineering Joop Bouwmans were developing an attractively priced terminal tractor which was easy to assemble. It was targeted at distribution businesses, and the lifting fifth wheel was a key feature. I was regularly in contact with the designers, and they came to the Assembly department, from the beginning. The chassis was designed in-house and we also built it here. At that time we even did the spray painting ourselves, in the middle of the factory. When I started here we built two or three vehicles every week, and by the time I retired that had risen to ten or twelve. Initially, each vehicle had just two electrical cables, later we added printed circuit boards and smart features. When I started here they had just built the first factory building. That looked far too large, but was fully in use within two years. And in the 1970s they built on the other side of the site. Initially those buildings were empty, but they were soon taken into use. Even at that time, Terberg was already looking far ahead. And that was necessary, because it takes a long time before a vehicle reaches the market. I witnessed the introduction of computers. Initially they were complicated. But I enjoyed that, you could do a lot with them. And the introduction of the ISO standards, of course. Training was also important, for example about hydraulic systems. We did training in-house or externally. I’m now 86 and I’ve enjoyed a lot of things in life. Both my wife and I are in good health, and I like to play billiards and go cycling. And we are still living close to the Terberg plant in Benschop.”
“You can always borrow tools, if you ask.”
“They were very frugal, instead of throwing bread out you would put it in the kitchen for the horses.” “When we started here in 1974 it was 10% terminal tractors and 90% trucks, later it was the other way round.” “The machinery in the factory got bigger, and we got more of them as we were building more vehicles.” “Terberg is green, that’s why we have the electric Volvo truck for transports to the spray painting shop.” “I do know a good story, but you’ll have to turn that recorder off.” “If there was something to celebrate they organised a really good party, and fortunately they’re maintaining that tradition.”
Arjan de Haaij “I started here in March 1974 as benchworker and machinist. We made a whole range of components, such as steering arms and suspension parts for the terminal tractors. The vehicles got bigger, and we were building more of them. The last few years I have been transporting terminal tractors and chassis, RRs, TTs and DTs between the Benschop factory and the spray painting contractor in IJsselstein. We use a trailer and electric Volvo road truck. I’m behind the wheel two days a week, sharing the job with two other drivers. I really want to reach the full 50 years here.”
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TERBERG SPECIAL VEHICLES MAGAZINE 2023/2024
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