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VDL ETG
De Schakel 22 5651 GH Eindhoven Netherlands
© VDL Groep 2026
De Schakel 22 5651 GH Eindhoven Netherlands
'Metaalindustrie en Constructiewerkplaats P. van der Leegte' was established in 1953, laying the foundations of the VDL Groep that exists today. This family business, which was founded in Eindhoven by Pieter van der Leegte senior, started out with just five employees. Under the visionary leadership of Wim van der Leegte and his son Willem, the company developed to become the modern, family-run business we know today, with its network of more than 100 branches.
A transformation
In 1966, Wim van der Leegte joined his father's company aged just 19 while still a student at technical college. Wim started his internship year and got to practise his technical skills at the lathe and the deep drawing presses. In the meantime, he kept his eye on the ball and after six weeks, he had a very good understanding of how the company operated. During the summer and due to a variety of factors, his father Pieter van der Leegte senior became overworked and Wim was therefore left in charge of the company after just three months. He eventually took over all of his father’s shares in the company in 1972.
Third generation
In January 2016, Wim van der Leegte's children, Pieter, Jennifer, and Willem, joined the main board of VDL Groep as the third generation, continuing the legacy of entrepreneurship and innovation.
VDL ETG's journey goes back to 1900 when the company was founded as Philips Machinefabrieken. The company supplied mechanisation equipment, metals and sheet metal parts for Philips' product divisions.
As Philips expanded its activities in the science and industry sector, the company transformed into a manufacturing partner for mechatronic systems. During this period, relationships were built with companies that are now market leaders, such as ASML, ThermoFisher and Philips Healthcare.
Philips Machinefabrieken not only provided integrated solutions to Philips itself, but also to a global customer base. Thus, the company evolved and gained international recognition.
The name Machine Factories no longer sufficed due to the diversity of activities and was not suitable internationally, hence a new name. Philips Enabling Technologies Group emerged as an independent business unit within Philips and focused on developing advanced systems and components for the semiconductor industry. This marked a shift from a manufacturing company to a development-oriented entity with expertise in complex systems integration.
Growing customer demand for development support led to the creation of a dedicated Technology & Development (T&D) department.
VDL Groep acquires Philips' business under the name VDL Enabling Technologies Group (VDL ETG). This acquisition enabled VDL ETG to develop further and expand, supported by the financial strength of VDL Groep.
In 2015, VDL ETG expanded its global presence through strategic acquisitions. One of these was TEL Mechatronics, now VDL ETG Switzerland, which was a seamless fit with VDL ETG's systems integration for high-quality capital goods. In this way, the company strengthened its global reach. Another acquisition was GL Precision, founded by Gerard van der Leegte (brother of Wim van der Leegte). This company merged into VDL GL Precision, strengthening VDL ETG's expertise, capabilities and reputation in precision machining.
VDL ETG continues to grow and is increasingly recognised as a leading player in the high-tech industry, with customers all over the world.
With its origins in the semiconductor, medical and analytical industries, VDL ETG has diversified its expertise and expanded into new sectors, including aerospace technology.
Responding to the increasing demand for Technology & Development departments, VDL ETG's branches in Singapore and Switzerland achieved significant growth by establishing new T&D departments, in line with the company's global expansion strategy.
Homage where homage is due
Sadly, the founder of VDL Groep passed away on 22 January 1991 and the recent loss of Wim van der Leegte on 19 November 2023 has also left a deep void. Their indelible contributions and unwavering dedication continue to inspire the ethos that drives the VDL Groep.
Growth and innovation – the common threads that unite our history
The timeline of our history testifies to our commitment to continuous growth and innovation and inspires and encourages us to keep looking ahead, innovating, and building a future in which technology continues to shape the world. We are proud of our legacy and are enthusiastic about what the next chapters of our story have in store for us.