But we have to be honest: our story goes back much further than those 25 years, to almost a century of experience. Our history extends back to 1933, when Piet van Gelder sold his first litre of oil in Deest, Gelderland. From that time on, the family business grew from generation to generation in knowledge and boldness, with a good dose of groundedness.

From oil to smart solutions

We built our first fuel depot in the 1960s, and by the 1990s we were one of the first companies in the Netherlands to offer cleaner fuels. In 2000, three Van Gelder brothers rolled up their sleeves and established their own enterprise: GVG Oliehandel.

Instead of bulk quantities and mass products, they chose to focus on quality, custom work and smart solutions. This was the foundation for what we are today: a comprehensive supplier of strong brands and solid technical expertise, run by a team with boundless energy.

A new, more appropriate name

We kicked off 2025 with a new name: Gelders.
Not because we’ve changed, but because this name better reflects who we are now, and what we can do for our customers.

Gelders stands for our origins, our way of working, and our focus on the future. Because no matter how proud we are of our achievements, we continue in our commitment to progress.

25 years of Gelders, almost a century of experience

It goes without saying that we’ll be celebrating this milestone, but not just with cake and reminiscences. Specifically, we are taking this opportunity to reveal where we’re headed to next.

We believe in progress, in innovation without fuss, and in doing what works – not only for humanity, but also for machinery and the environment.

With this in mind, we’d like to invite you to accompany us on a journey through our story by means of photos, blog posts, comments from colleagues, and memories. After all, the past 25 years at Gelders carries meaning for the present too.

But our experience of almost a century says everything about what we stand for.