Old Port Rotterdam

Company History

Growing our future together since 1920

Our history

Established in 1920 as a family-owned inspection company for grain that was traded and transported on the rivers and canals of the Netherlands, Peterson has since grown to become the local, global expert for risk management, logistic solutions.

Peterson’s scope of activities has expanded over the years, growing their product and service range to introduce the global oil and gas marketplace into their services as well as consultancy and technology.

Control Union was established by Peterson family alongside three European partners as an independent international inspection company which expanded its network by developing a thorough knowledge of commodities, its markets and specific client requirements.

Control Union has grown to become a global trustworthy partner for testing, inspection and certification (TIC), providing a comprehensive range of quality services.

What began as a single company has now grown into a large family of companies under Royal Peterson Control Union Group B.V. Each company operates independently, yet all share the same values and passion for being trustworthy partners to our stakeholders, no matter the challenges they face.

Learn more about our entrepreneurial journey below.

1920 – Peterson Company foundation
At Geldersekade 20 in Rotterdam. It is very busy on the docks in the center of Rotterdam. Peterson starts by inspecting and expediting various types of cargo.
1957 – Control Union foundation
Founded by Mr. Peterson together with other three partners, Control Union aimed to provide inspection services to grain transportation businesses across Europe, highlighting the international focus of our entrepreneurial efforts.
1968 – Formation of Energy Logistics offshore
Peterson Energy Logistics was established in 1968 to provide logistics services to the oil and gas industry from strategic locations in the Netherlands. This was later expanded globally, firstly in the UK then into the Middle East and Asia.
1979 – Start of activities in the Americas
The activities in the Americas began in March 1979 when Control Union established the first office in Brazil with operations at the key ports of Santos, Paranaguá, Rio Grande, Recife, and Maceió.
1992 – Control Union Industrial Inspections
Control Union Industrial Inspections provides high-quality, independent inspections to allow owners to maintain maximum control over their objects. In the main offshore regions, we have our own offices for industrial inspections.
1993 – Start of activities in Asia
The activities in Asia started in April 1993, when Peterson established its first office in Balikpapan, Indonesia. This, and the establishment of an office in Hong Kong in 1996, were key milestones that enabled the rapid expansion of our network to more than 10 countries in less than a decade.
1999 – Formation of the SNS Pool
After a Peterson study, all active operators on the Dutch continental shelf agree to use one shared Supply Base in Den Helder to serve all production platforms for their marine offshore logistics demand, starting what is now known as the SNS Pool.
2002 – Start of Certifications Activities
What started as a joint venture with Skal (Dutch Foundation for Organic farming market) lead later to the creation of Control Union Certifications in Zwolle, The Netherlands.
2015 – Start of Peterson Solutions
Increasing client demands for consultancy services related to sustainable practices in supply chains led to the formation of what is now known as Peterson Solutions. Having started as a small addition to our TIC services, this is a now a business active in over 35 countries.
2020 – Dutch Royal Designation
We were honoured and privileged awarded Royal Designation from Dutch Monarch, King Willem-Alexander, to mark us celebrating 100 years of business, in 2020.

Royal Designation is a distinction that can be granted to companies to symbolise the respect, appreciation and trust towards the recipient. Not every company comes into consideration for Royal Designation and it is not an award that is automatically given to companies who reach 100 years of business.

The history and current activities of Peterson and Control Union, specifically in relation to social, financial, fiscal, managerial and ethical behaviours, were verified as part of the process of awarding Royal Designation.

Celebrating 100 years

Growing together since 1920

 

2020 is the year we celebrated Peterson and Control Union completing 100 years of being in business and making a difference in the world.

On August 1, 1920 Mr. Peterson started our company as a ‘graanfactor’, a service provider in quality and logistics in grain and feed, and today, more than 100 years later, quality and logistics are still the key activities within our business.

Honesty, integrity and respect for people, society and our environment have helped us achieve this centennial milestone, which our celebratory slogan ‘Growing together since 1920’ reflects.

The theme of our centenary celebrations was sustainability, recognising the challenges we all face in relation to climate change, and also our desire to grow together with our customers and other stakeholders.

We chose the tree as a symbol of growth and strength to represent our activities in our 100-year celebrations. We launched the RPCU Tree Planting Initiative,  a programme aiming to plant 100,000 trees on behalf of our employees as a gift to our communities around the world. The counter has already surpassed 265,000 trees planted, and it continues to rise.