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On the 7th of August, 1915, N.V. Nederlandsche Instrumentenfabriek Waldorp
was founded in The Hague. It is stated in the memorandum of association
that it is
the continuation of the activities of F. Onland (N.V.
Instrumentenfabriek F. Onland van den Kastele & Co.). It can
be assumed that the name of the new organisation was derived
from the name of the street where the company was located (Waldorpstraat
278 in The Hague). |
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In the beginning the company
mainly made instruments, but starting in 1923, radios and radio
components are made as well. On the 5th of December 1930, Waldorp started a special firm
for these activities: N.V. Waldorp Radio. |
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R. van Romunde is the first
managing director; in 1940, R. Friedheim becomes the second
managing director. |
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Waldorp Radio
first used the name Waldorp for its radios since 1931, and the
company becomes a very important radio maker in the Netherlands.
If one looks at the number of receivers turned in during World
War II in 1943, Waldorp is the fourth radio producer (with a
market share of 3%), after Philips (48%), Erres (7%) and NSF
(3.5%).
Since 1937,
Waldorp receivers are no longer based on own designs, but on Philips chassis,
housed in a Waldorp cabinet.
Until 1942, Waldorp issues more than 150 different models. |
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After WWII Waldorp Radio starts selling other
household utensils like heaters, irons and vacuum cleaners. In
1947 these activities are registered in the trade register. In
1950, Waldorp formally ads the trademark "Fridor", but already
since 1949, radios are produced, using the name Fridor, or
Waldorp-Fridor. There may be a connection between the name
Fridor and the aforementioned German-born R. Friedheim, who was
granted Dutch citizenship in 1948.
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In 1951
the name N.V. Waldorp Radio was changed
in "N.V. Fridor Fabrieken".
Almost certainly this is due to the sale or transfer of company
shares. After that, the trademark "Fridor" is used for all
radios produced. |
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The original company, the N.V. Nederlandsche Instrumentenfabriek Waldorp,
experiences financial problems a few years later, and in the beginning
of 1954 the district court in the Hague declares bankruptcy. N.V. Fridor Fabrieken
manages to continue and starts a special sales organisation, N.V. Fridor Verkoopmaatschappij.
The activities focus mainly on trading in electrical and
mechanical devices. Business does not develop as planned and in
1957 bankruptcy is also declared for Fridor Fabrieken, thus
ending the activities of Fridor
Verkoopmaatschappij as well. |
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The bankrupt
company and its trading name are handed over to Australian William Ross Wright,
who founds Fridor
Handelmaatschappij N.V. in 1958, aiming to "buy and sell, import
and export electrical and mechanical devices". This company was
still active in 1968. In that year a new deputy manager was
registered at the Chamber of Commerce in the Hague. |
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Many thanks to Gidi Verheijen for this text,
based on extensive research in the Chamber of Commerce trade
register in The Hague. |
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