RH Marine

RH Marine is a Dutch maritime electrical and automation system integrator headquartered in Rotterdam. The company describes itself as a leading and independent system integrator and innovator of electrical and automation systems in the maritime industry, supporting and advising customers from the design phase through the entire lifecycle of a vessel. Its business is organised around two main divisions: a naval division serving Defence, Safety & Security markets, and a yacht division delivering integrated systems for one-off or semi-custom yachts from 50 metres to more than 120 metres. RH Marine's core competence is creating synergistic functionality between all electrical and automation systems on board a ship. Rather than manufacturing every component itself, the company acts as a system integrator: it brings together components developed by knowledge institutions, universities and manufacturers worldwide, and integrates them into new and improved functionalities for shipyards and end users. Its portfolio includes the Rhodium Suite, a family of advanced hardware, software and services for safe navigation, efficient power generation and ship automation, designed for both naval vessels and yachts. Beyond integration, RH Marine positions itself as a full-service and lifecycle partner. Its services span system integration, advice and consultancy, project management, engineering, assembly, installation and commissioning, service and maintenance, refits, spare parts and training. In refit projects the company replaces traditional signal cabling with advanced IIoT solutions communicating over Ethernet, reducing weight and cost while improving the efficiency of control and monitoring systems and enabling remote software updates. The company's roots go back to 1860, when sea captain Jan Jacob van Rietschoten started supplying ship rigging and equipment in Rotterdam. It operated for decades as Van Rietschoten & Houwens, later became part of Imtech Marine, and was renamed RH Marine Group in 2015 after Imtech's bankruptcy. Ownership passed through Parcom Capital and Pon Holdings, then a management buy-out in 2022, and since late 2024 RH Marine has been part of VINCI Energies.

RH Marine's history begins in 1860, when sea captain Jan Jacob van Rietschoten started a business as a supplier of ship rigging and equipment at the Wijnhaven in Rotterdam. He supplied materials for rigging ships such as rope, steel wire, lamp cotton, petroleum, blocks and lubricants, as well as engine-room necessities including gaskets, asbestos cord, various oils and oil cans, pipes, fittings and refractory cement. In the 1860s Van Rietschoten associated with engineer Willem Houwens, and in 1872 they continued together as 'Van Rietschoten & Houwens'. Around 1875 they began supplying steam cranes for loading and unloading ships, steam hoisting machines and steam engines for driving tools. In 1885 Van Rietschoten's son joined the company; he had completed part of his education in England, studying electrical engineering at various companies including Siemens Brothers, a supplier of electrical machines and apparatus. The younger Van Rietschoten expanded the company with an electrotechnical department. In 1888 Van Rietschoten & Houwens delivered the first public lighting installations to the 'glazen straat', the Passage in Rotterdam. The company also supplied the first electric railway in the Netherlands: an electrically driven locomotive with tipping cars for earthmoving in North Holland. In the same year the first electrical installation on board a ship was delivered and installed on board the Amsterdam, when the ship was taken over by the Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart-Maatschappij from the British Shipowners Co. Ltd. With that experience, a private electrical power station was installed in 1889 in the boiler house of the Maatschappij voor scheeps- en werktuigbouw Fijenoord. In 1890 Mr. Houwens left the firm. Between 1889 and 1900 Van Rietschoten & Houwens for the first time provided ships of the Royal Netherlands Navy with electrical installations. The first ships were Hr.Ms. Holland, Hr.Ms. Friesland and Hr.Ms. Noordbrabant. In 1906 the firm moved into a new building on the Westzeedijk, which it had built through its own construction company. In 1916 the firm's name was converted to Technische Industriële Maatschappij Van Rietschoten & Houwens, and the following year the firm was converted into an N.V. (public limited company). In 1952 the first pile was driven for the building at the Sluisjesdijk. At the end of 1967 Van Rietschoten & Houwens was acquired by Internatio, a trading company active in the former Dutch East Indies. In 1970 Internatio merged with Müller & Co. Around 1990 Internatio-Muller was a conglomerate of companies, about 35 of which specialised in electrical or mechanical engineering. In 1998 Internatio-Muller continued under the name Imtech. The company was then part of the Imtech Marine business unit, together with among others Radio Holland. In 2015 Imtech went bankrupt, and Imtech Marine was acquired by Parcom Capital and Pon Holdings. That year the business unit was renamed RH Marine Group. 'RH' is a tribute to Radio Holland and Van Rietschoten & Houwens. At the end of 2019 Pon Holdings became full owner of the business unit consisting of RH Marine, Radio Holland, Van Berge Henegouwen (VBH) and Aerius Marine. At the beginning of 2022 RH Marine and Bakker Sliedrecht were sold to management through a management buy-out. At the end of 2024 RH Marine and Bakker Sliedrecht became part of VINCI Energies.

• 2024

  RH Marine and Bakker Sliedrecht become part of VINCI Energies.

• 2022

  RH Marine and Bakker Sliedrecht are sold to management through a management buy-out.

• 2019

  Pon Holdings becomes full owner of the business unit comprising RH Marine, Radio Holland, VBH and Aerius Marine.

• 2015

  Imtech goes bankrupt; Imtech Marine is acquired by Parcom Capital and Pon Holdings and renamed RH Marine Group.

• 1998

  Internatio-Muller continues under the name Imtech; the business becomes part of Imtech Marine.

• 1970

  Internatio merges with Müller & Co.

• 1967

  Van Rietschoten & Houwens is acquired by Internatio.

• 1952

  First pile driven for the building at the Sluisjesdijk.

• 1917

  The firm is converted into an N.V. (public limited company).

• 1916

  The firm name is converted to Technische Industriële Maatschappij Van Rietschoten & Houwens.

• 1906

  The firm moves into a new building on the Westzeedijk.

• 1890

  Mr. Houwens leaves the firm.

• 1889

  A private electrical power station is installed in the boiler house of Fijenoord.

• 1889

  Between 1889 and 1900 the firm first provides Royal Netherlands Navy ships with electrical installations (Hr.Ms. Holland, Friesland, Noordbrabant).

• 1888

  First public lighting installations in Rotterdam's Passage; first electrical installation on board a ship (the Amsterdam); first electric railway in the Netherlands.

• 1885

  Van Rietschoten's son joins and expands the company with an electrotechnical department.

• 1875

  The firm begins supplying steam cranes, steam hoisting machines and steam engines.

• 1872

  Van Rietschoten and engineer Willem Houwens continue together as 'Van Rietschoten & Houwens'.

• 1860

  Sea captain Jan Jacob van Rietschoten starts a ship rigging and equipment supply business at the Wijnhaven in Rotterdam.

Leading independent maritime system integrator and innovator of electrical and automation systems, offering end-to-end, full-service and lifecycle support for naval and yacht customers.

• Rhodium Suite

  Advanced hardware, software and services for safe navigation, efficient power generation and ship automation, designed for naval vessels and yachts.

• System integration services

  Engineering and integration of customised solutions creating synergistic functionality between electrical and automation systems.

• Refit solutions

  Customised refit solutions for naval vessels and yachts, replacing traditional signal cabling with IIoT solutions communicating via Ethernet.

• Lifecycle services

  Advice and consultancy, project management, engineering, assembly, installation and commissioning, service and maintenance, spare parts and training.

1. 1Uw partner voor maritieme systeemintegratie en innovatie - RH Marinerhmarine.com
2. 2Ontdek onze services - RH Marinerhmarine.com
3. 3Refitoplossingen voor marineschepen en jachten - RH Marinerhmarine.com
4. 4Ontdek de full service dienstverlening - RH Marinerhmarine.com
5. 5RH Marine - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6RH Marine - Wikipedia (NL)nl.wikipedia.org