Timeline
1947
The first Volkswagen Beetles enter our country on March 13. Pon becomes the official Volkswagen importer on August 8.
Op On April 23, Ben Pon Sr. produces the legendary initial sketch of the Volkswagen T1 bus.
1948
Volkswagen Beetles and Volkswagen parts are supplied by train. The train arrives at the cattle platform at Amersfoort station once per week.
1951
The warehouse on Arnhemseweg in Amersfoort has 1,200 different Volkswagen items in stock.
1956
The number of items in stock has now increased to approximately 10,000.
1956
The central warehouse on Amsterdamseweg 25 in Amersfoort is officially opened on March 13, 1956, exactly nine years after the first official Beetle import.
1956
Aerial view of Pon’s central warehouse, one month after its official opening.
1962
Ben Pon Sr. buys a used English aircraft hangar, has it dismantled in England and rebuilt in the Netherlands against the pre-existing first hall of the central warehouse. This second hall is completed in 1962. Pon now has over 8,000 m² of floor space at its disposal.
1966
Start of asphalting of the unloading site in Leusden. On December 16, 1966, the first double-decker wagons carrying Volkswagen Beetles arrive by train in Leusden.
1967
The third hall on Amsterdamseweg with offices on Industrieweg is completed in March.
1967
The unloading site in Leusden is also completely finished.
1969
The first foundation stone is laid by Mr. W. M. Pon for the construction of the new main building in Leusden. The building is put into use in 1971.
1973
New central warehouse in Leusden, move from Amsterdamseweg in Amersfoort to Bavoortseweg in Leusden on May 31 and early June.
1973
The ‘Robotug’ was also put into use in this year. A self-propelled transport car with three carriages behind it. This vehicle picked up the parts from the train and delivered them to pre-programmed delivery points.
1975
The deconservation street is put into use. The new cars are delivered under a layer of paraffin. This is a wax layer to protect the paint during transport by train. This wax layer is removed in the deconservation line.
1984
Since January 16, there is an 24-hour emergency service. With the arrival of MAN parts, there was a need for parts to be delivered 24 hours per day.
Now that parts from other operating companies are also stored in Leusden, there is no longer talk of a central warehouse. Instead, the new name is Distributie Centrum Leusden (‘Distribution Center Leusden’, DCL).
1988
On May 11, the NS Locomotive 6401 is christened ‘Mijndert’ by Frederieke Pon. This locomotive has always transported cars and their parts.
1990
The racks in the V-sector are moved and rearranged.
1990
Over the course of the year, DCL (Distribution Center Leusden) becomes independent.
1993
The LIS system is introduced: a unique self-developed scanning system that halves the turnaround time at the unloading site.
In September, work begins on installing a sprinkler system for optimum fire protection. No less than 40,000 meters of water pipes with 10,500 sprinkler heads need to be installed. A 1,000 m pipeline is also laid between the pond and DCL (Distribution Center Leusden).
1994
As of January 1, the unloading site becomes part of DCL. We welcome the 16 employees from Pon’s Automobielhandel (‘Pon’s car dealership’, PAH) to DCL (Distribution Center Leusden).
1996
Surveillance is installed on site from January onwards and a fence is erected at the entrance to the site in February.
2002
DCL is renamed Pon Logistiek on September 9, 2002. DCL celebrates its copper anniversary and the Pon Logistiek logo is unveiled at the same time.
2005
On December 16, the Tolboom (‘Toll Tree’), an additional section for 1,300 cars at the unloading site, is opened by Koen Valk.
2011
Pon Logistiek becomes Pon Logistics.
2016
On December 5, we celebrate the opening of the new entrance to the unloading site on Ben Pon Baan.
2018
In January, 8,890 solar panels are installed on the warehouse building and 600 solar panels are installed on the main building. This brings us closer to realizing our sustainability goal: a CO2-neutral Pon site.
2019
Pon’s 125th anniversary. This is marked with the opening of the new headquarters and the MOVE Mobility Experience Center in Amsterdam.
1947
The first Volkswagen Beetles enter our country on March 13. Pon becomes the official Volkswagen importer on August 8.
On April 23, Ben Pon Sr. produces the legendary initial sketch of the Volkswagen T1 bus.
1948
Volkswagen Beetles and Volkswagen parts are supplied by train. The train arrives at the cattle platform at Amersfoort station once per week.
1951
The warehouse on Arnhemseweg in Amersfoort has 1,200 different Volkswagen items in stock.
1956
The number of items in stock has now increased to approximately 10,000.
The central warehouse on Amsterdamseweg 25 in Amersfoort is officially opened on March 13, 1956, exactly nine years after the first official Beetle import.
April 1956: Aerial view of Pon’s central warehouse, one month after its official opening.
1962
Ben Pon Sr. buys a used English aircraft hangar, has it dismantled in England and rebuilt in the Netherlands against the pre-existing first hall of the central warehouse. This second hall is completed in 1962. Pon now has over 8,000 m² of floor space at its disposal.
1966
Start of asphalting of the unloading site in Leusden. On December 16, 1966, the first double-decker wagons carrying Volkswagen Beetles arrive by train in Leusden.
1967
The third hall on Amsterdamseweg with offices on Industrieweg is completed in March.
The unloading site in Leusden is also completely finished.
1969
The first foundation stone is laid by Mr. W. M. Pon for the construction of the new main building in Leusden. The building is put into use in 1971.
1973
New central warehouse in Leusden, move from Amsterdamseweg in Amersfoort to Bavoortseweg in Leusden on May 31 and early June.
1973
The ‘Robotug’ was also put into use in this year. A self-propelled transport car with three carriages behind it. This vehicle picked up the parts from the train and delivered them to pre-programmed delivery points.
1975
The deconservation street is put into use. The new cars are delivered under a layer of paraffin. This is a wax layer to protect the paint during transport by train. This wax layer is removed in the deconservation line.
1984
Since January 16, there is an 24-hour emergency service. With the arrival of MAN parts, there was a need for parts to be delivered 24 hours per day.
Now that parts from other operating companies are also stored in Leusden, there is no longer talk of a central warehouse. Instead, the new name is Distributie Centrum Leusden (‘Distribution Center Leusden’, DCL).
1988
On May 11, the NS Locomotive 6401 is christened ‘Mijndert’ by Frederieke Pon. This locomotive has always transported cars and their parts.
1990
The racks in the V-sector are moved and rearranged.
1990
Over the course of the year, DCL (Distribution Center Leusden) becomes independent.
1993
The LIS system is introduced: a unique self-developed scanning system that halves the turnaround time at the unloading site.
In September, work begins on installing a sprinkler system for optimum fire protection. No less than 40,000 meters of water pipes with 10,500 sprinkler heads need to be installed. A 1,000 m pipeline is also laid between the pond and DCL (Distribution Center Leusden).
1994
As of January 1, the unloading site becomes part of DCL. We welcome the 16 employees from Pon’s Automobielhandel (‘Pon’s car dealership’, PAH) to DCL (Distribution Center Leusden).
1996
Surveillance is installed on site from January onwards and a fence is erected at the entrance to the site in February.
2002
DCL is renamed Pon Logistiek on September 9, 2002. DCL celebrates its copper anniversary and the Pon Logistiek logo is unveiled at the same time.
2005
On December 16, the Tolboom (‘Toll Tree’), an additional section for 1,300 cars at the unloading site, is opened by Koen Valk.
2011
Pon Logistiek becomes Pon Logistics.
2016
On December 5, we celebrate the opening of the new entrance to the unloading site on Ben Pon Baan.
2018
In January, 8,890 solar panels are installed on the warehouse building and 600 solar panels are installed on the main building. This brings us closer to realizing our sustainability goal: a CO2-neutral Pon site.
2019
Pon’s 125th anniversary. This is marked with the opening of the new headquarters and the MOVE Mobility Experience Center in Amsterdam.