Son of a blacksmith
A hard time
The young Hub leaves school at age 10 to assist his father in his small workshop. Two years later the family moves to Deurne. The same year Martinus van Doorne dies at the age of 41. This leads to a hard time for the Van Doorne family. Hub, till then working in his father's forge, has to work as an apprentice for the tenant of his father's workshop. In 1914 he has to look for another job. He starts at the Mandigers Machinefabriek in Eindhoven.
In 1918 he goes back to work for the tenant of his father's forge, but he doesn't stay for very long. After a little period working for the Helmat company in Helmond, he becomes the chauffeur of doctor Wiegersma in Deurne.
But the temptation to become independant grows stronger, and in 1920 he starts his own company in the Kerkstraat in Deurne, together with his younger brother Wim. The company is called: Hub van Doorne, Coarse and precision wrought iron and stove works, Bicycle and motor repairs.
The company is not very succesfull. Hub decides to return to his former employer Mandigers Machine Fabriek in Eindhoven. This time however, he is appointed as a manager.
Hub, as many other boys develops a passion for cars. In that period, cars were only for the well situated people. In 1926 he contstructs a pedal car which has to be propelled by two people. Two years later he designs and builds two delivery vans. He dreams of manufacturing cars, but he realises that he needs quite a bit of money to seriously start developing and producing a car.
The promise of success
In the period when he is working for the Mandigers Machine Fabriek he meets Mr. Huenges who is the owner and director of Brouwerij (Brewery) De Valk. Mr. Huenges' car is giving him a lot of trouble, and Mr. Mandigers advises him to let Hub van Doorne to repair the car. Huenges is impressed with Hub's technical abilities, and urges him to start his own company. He is even willing to supply 10.000 guilders as capital to start with. There is also a small workshop on the brewery's grounds that Hub can use. The CV Hub van Doorne's Machine Fabriek is founded. Again, his younger brother Wim is his partner, which will remain so for the rest of his life.
In spite of the harsh economic situation, the company is succesfull and grows very rapidly. In a short span of time the number of employees reaches 40. They mainly produce warehouse racks and steel windows and do construction work. The dream of building cars remains just a dream for the time being. But the contstruction work is not very rewarding financially. So Hub decides to focus on the growing transportation market. The company starts to build trailers and semitrailers. He calles his company the name DAF which stands for Van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek, hoping the Aanhangwagen will change in Automobiel one day.
The cooperation of Hub inventing the products and Wim selling them is getting more and more succesfull. The company is beginning to materialize in the way Hub wants it to. Although the company builds up a solid reputation for the good craftmanship and the technical insight of Hub van Doorne, the latter has still not forgotten his dream of building cars. But he has to wait for the right time, because of the threat of war the economy has come to a stand still.
Truck production
In 1946 he starts to work on two prototypes for trucks, known as the DT5 and the DT10. In 1949 the production of trucks is finally commencing. In 1950, on the 4th of april, he opens his first automobile factory. The factory grows quickly, producing both civilian and military vehicles. In 1955, the 10.000th Daf chassis has been produced. Further more, the company announces that is has received an order from the Dutch government to build 3.600 military vehicles, amounting to a total value of 100 million guilders.
On the 13th of November 1957 the new engine factory is opened by Prof. Dr. J. Zijlstra, Minister of Economic Affairs. In his words of thanks, Hub van Doorne states that the preparation for the production of luxury cars is in progress and that they will be presented at the RAI automobile show in 1958.
The press is to be kept at a distance, because Hub doesn't want any photographs to appear untill the official presentation of the car.
A dream come true
On the 28th of January 1958, the press is invited for the introduction of the first Daf luxury car. When in 1959 the first car rolls of the production line, it is presented to Mr. J. Smits van Oyen, president of the KNAC (the Royal Netherlands Automobile Association).
In 1961, the second model nicknamed Daffodil is presented. The first one to roll off the production line is presented to the Dutch royal family.
On the 25th of September 1964, the 100.000th Daf luxury car rolls of the production line. That is quite a good result, realizing production had been going on for only 6 years. The Daf is the first Dutch production car for over 50 years. And it has its innovative and unique variomatic automatic transmission.
Retirement, but not the end of work
On the 28th of May 1965 Hub van Doorne retires as President of the Board of Directors. His much appreciated brother Wim succeeds him. Hub's son Martien becomes Vice-President. But Hub stays in close contact with the company, because he is appointed President of the Board of Commissioners.
Apart from this, Hub van Doorne is also active in establishing the Willibrord Hospital in Deurne (which is now called the Elkerliek Hospital) and of the Netherlands Equestrian Centre, also in Deurne.
Before he retreats as President of the Board of Commissioners in 1972, he witnesses the inauguration of the factory built in Born in 1968. This new plant means a great expansion for the Daf company.
His brother Wim succeeds him as President of the Board of Commissioners, making way for Martien van Doorne to become Predident of the Board of Directors.
Continuous development
Hub is also working on the Transmatic, which was supposed to be the successor of the Variomatic. The Transmatic used steel belts instead of the rubber belts of the Variomatic. This Transmatic is later called CVT (for Continue Variabele Transmissie). He uses the small workshop behind his house. But as soon as the first technical results materialize, they move to a small part of the Daf factory in Eindhoven. Later they move to Tilburg. The company established for the development and production of it is called Van Doorne's Transmissie (VDT). 
With the Transmatic, Hub tries to overcome the weaknesses of the Variomatic. A lot of technical and financial difficulties have to be overcome. But success is near, and production starts in 1986. In early 1990, the company starts to generate profits. Today companies like Ford, Subaru, Fiat and Nissan use CVT transmissions in their cars. In the early 90's the company starts a cooperation with the Bosch Group in the area of electronic controls. Five years later, the Bosch Group acquires all shares in VDT.
In 1978 the company celebrates it's 50th birthday. All the employees, HRH Prince Bernhard and Hub van Doorne are joining in the celebration. Wim is not present due to his illnes. Not long after, he dies at the age of 71. Hub van Doorne dies on the 23rd of May 1979.
He will be remembered as an ingenious inventor, a succesfull entrepeneur and a man who is socially involved.
| Close window |
|---|