ABOUT HEMLOCK

Craftsmanship that keeps moving

Hemlock is an interior construction company where craftsmanship, people and modern technology come together. We work in a down-to-earth way, keep lines short and keep investing in ways to do our work smarter, better and more sustainably.

Colleagues at work in the joinery in Lisserbroek

WHO WE ARE

People who want to make something good together

Hemlock is made up of craftspeople, engineers, work planners, project teams, fitters and colleagues who support the organisation.

Different disciplines work close together. That lets us share knowledge, switch quickly and take responsibility for the end result together.

Short lines · Personal responsibility · Improving together

A Hemlock colleague measuring and marking out a perforated panel on the panel saw

WHAT WE STAND FOR

Four principles that guide our work

  1. Down-to-earth

    We like clear agreements, practical solutions and open communication.

  2. Involved

    We feel responsible for our own work and for what we deliver together.

  3. Craftsmanship

    Knowledge of materials, technique and execution is the foundation of Hemlock.

  4. Looking ahead

    New techniques, software and ways of working help us work better and smarter.

CRAFTSMANSHIP × TECHNOLOGY

The craft stays.
The way we work keeps developing.

Technology plays an ever larger role at Hemlock. Modern machines, digital engineering, software and automation help us work more precisely and efficiently.

But technology does not replace craftsmanship. The knowledge of our people still decides whether something is technically right, practically feasible and, in the end, well made.

That is why we invest in both: people and technology.

Our workshop on film

OUR HISTORY

Built on experience. Focused on tomorrow.

From our founding in 1996 to a modern interior builder with its own production facilities. Over the years we have kept investing in people, craftsmanship and technology.

  1. 1996

    Retail as the foundation

    Hemlock is founded as a specialised interior builder for the retail sector. From a compact team, the company grows into a trusted partner for large-scale retail projects.

  2. 2012

    Joining forces

    Retail experience, engineering and production capacity come together, laying the foundation for the Hemlock of today. Even in economically difficult years, the company deliberately invests in people, knowledge and production.

  3. 2014

    Investing against the tide

    While the market is still recovering from the financial crisis, Hemlock invests in a new machine park. That choice lays the groundwork for further growth, scale and internationalisation.

  4. 2015

    Holland & Barrett, internationally

    In a short space of time, more than 150 stores across the Benelux, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia are refitted. An important step in working at a larger scale and across borders.

  5. 2018

    Rolling out 151 tram desks

    For GVB, Hemlock develops an open service desk for the conductor and rolls it out across all 151 Combino trams in Amsterdam. The conversion takes place at night in the depot, so the trams are ready for service again every morning.

    View project
  6. 2019

    KLM International Lounge

    As turnkey partner, Hemlock delivers the renewal of the international KLM Crown Lounge at Schiphol. A project in which design, engineering, production and delivery come together at scale.

    View project
  7. 2021

    Award-winning craftsmanship

    For the realisation of Boekhandel Paagman in Mall of the Netherlands, Hemlock receives the Baars & Bloemhoff Maatwerk Award Retail.

    Read the news story
  8. 2024

    The factory of tomorrow

    A new round of investment further modernises the machine park. Automation, digitalisation and people-friendly production processes play an ever larger role on the shop floor.

    About machining
  9. 2025

    From department store to campus

    Having previously built at V&D and Hudson's Bay locations, Hemlock is transforming the iconic Spui building in The Hague into the new Leiden University campus. A location from Hemlock's retail past gets an entirely new purpose.

    View project
  10. 2026

    Everything under one roof

    With the move to Kruisbaak 49-51, design, engineering, production, logistics and showroom are brought together in one location. That creates more room for collaboration, further professionalisation and future growth.

  11. 2027–2030

    Expertise, control and collaboration

    We are developing Hemlock further as a knowledge-driven interior builder. With our own engineering and production we can develop, test and improve solutions. Together with specialist partners, we then bring the right knowledge and production capacity together to deliver projects efficiently, safely and predictably.

2027–2030

Our vision towards 2030

Knowledge that works in practice

Hemlock’s strength lies more and more in the knowledge we bring to the whole project. From material choice and engineering to buildability, planning, production and delivery.

Our own production plays an important part in that. Here we can test ideas straight away, build mock-ups, improve processes and see what does and doesn’t work in practice. We then take that knowledge with us to the next project.

That doesn’t mean we have to produce everything ourselves. For the best solution, we deliberately work with specialist suppliers and production partners. Hemlock brings the disciplines together and keeps an eye on the whole.

Control starts before production

The earlier parties work together, the more manageable a project becomes. That is why we want to bring clients, architects, consultants, suppliers and contractors together earlier.

We don’t make choices on design or price alone, but also look at buildability, planning, use of materials, safety, logistics and maintenance. That way we try to solve problems before they arise on site or in the workshop.

From experience to insight

Towards 2030 we want to be able to back more and more decisions with data. Up front, we want to give better insight into the expected impact of choices, for example on use of materials, CO₂, waste, service life and maintenance.

Afterwards, we want to compare that expectation with what was actually achieved. That way we don’t just learn within one project, but build up more knowledge project by project.

Safety as a design requirement

For us, working safely doesn’t start when installation begins. Safety has to be part of engineering, work preparation, production and logistics.

By spotting risks early, preparing work well and making clear agreements with our partners, we reduce surprises during delivery. Toolbox talks, last-minute risk assessments and learning from incidents remain practical parts of how we work.

Together we make the whole

Hemlock doesn’t need to be the specialist in everything. Our role is precisely to connect knowledge.

We combine our own knowledge of interior fit-out, engineering and production with the expertise of partners in areas such as materials, metalwork, upholstery, building services and other specialist disciplines. The result is not a collection of separate suppliers, but one coordinated project team.

Colleagues and partners around a first version of a new cabinet in the workshop
Operator, programmer and CNC specialists engineer a new cabinet together with partners, settling its buildability straight away.

Towards 2030

Our ambition is to gain ever more control over the whole project: technically, organisationally, financially, sustainably and safely.

Not by doing everything ourselves, but by making better use of knowledge, working together earlier and using every production and project experience to make the next project better.

Hemlock brings knowledge, production and partners together to make complex interior projects manageable and buildable.

OUR PEOPLE

The people behind the craftsmanship.

Behind every project are people with their own knowledge, experience and commitment. Meet some of the colleagues who shape Hemlock every day.

Working at Hemlock
Erik van Bekkum checks a digital working drawing on a tablet in the furniture workshop
“Whatever leaves the workshop has to be right to the millimetre.”

Erik van Bekkum • Furniture Maker

Chiel Bos on the phone in the workshop, with his hard hat under his arm
“I make sure the workshop and the site never lose track of each other.”

Chiel Bos • Manager Projects

Robin van der Zwet checks a cabinet during a quality inspection
“I started in the workshop. Now I’m learning to run projects.”

Robin van der Zwet • Trainee Project Manager

John Reuser explains a pantry design on a large screen
“Good work starts with preparation that adds up.”

John Reuser • Operations Manager

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RESPONSIBILITY

Working with care. Today and tomorrow.

At Hemlock, quality goes beyond the end result. We pay attention to safe working conditions, considered material choices and solutions that last.

Two colleagues checking the first-aid kit at the safety station with a fire extinguisher in the workshop

Safety

Safety is central in our workshop and on our projects.

More on safety
Two colleagues wrapping a tabletop in film for transport

Sustainability

We focus on responsible use of materials, reuse and sustainable solutions.

More on sustainability

Curious what we could realise for you?

We are happy to think along from design to realisation, with an eye for detail and execution.