1975-1984: The third generation takes over and the company gets its first big order from a foreign country
The ‘70s were rough years for the company and the family Sneeboer. Despite the bad economic outlook, the company managed to survive that period but the growth in sales came to a standstill. In 1980, the two remaining brothers Kees and Paul had been leading the company for 25 years but reinforcements are incoming. It is in that year that the son of Paul, Frank Sneeboer joins the company. Due to decreasing sales, Frank worked for a family owned plumbing business in 1982 for a few years to decrease wage expenses. This plumbing business, also called Sneeboer, was established in 1937 by Jan Sneeboer who was another son of Arie.
Overall, the beginning of the 80’s were a relatively stable period for the company. Stainless steel tools and fireplaces were sold to a regional client base. But in 1984 another son of Arie joined the business. It was in this year that Jaap Sneeboer joined his brother Frank at the family business and saw that improvements had to be made. And in 1984 a large amount of tools are sold abroad when tools worth over 9,000 Dutch guilders are sent to Tasmania!
