Van Doorne's Aanhangwagenfabriek began in 1928 as a small metal workshop with only four employees, including brothers Hub and Wim van Doorne. This venture evolved from manufacturing ladders and window frames into a major automotive firm, fundamentally changing Dutch industrial production through the development of the Variomatic continuously variable transmission system.
Early Development and Technical Apprenticeship
Born in 1900 in the town of America, Hubert Jozef van Doorne was the son of blacksmith Martin van Doorne and Petronella Vervoort. Following his father's death in 1912, the family relocated to Deurne. Denied the opportunity to immediately take over the family forge due to his age, he pursued technical training as an apprentice at the Mandiger machine factory in Eindhoven. His early professional life included roles as a chauffeur-mechanic for local doctor Hendrik Wiegersma and employment at the De Valk brewery. By 1920, he attempted an independent metalworking business, though he eventually returned to Mandiger's to serve as company manager.
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Take the IQ test →Founding and Expansion of DAF
With financial backing from his former brewery employers, Van Doorne re-established an independent manufacturing business in April 1928. Initially focused on repair work and light metal production, the firm shifted toward trailer manufacturing, leading to the name Van Doorne's Aanhangwagenfabriek, or DAF, in 1932. The partnership functioned with Hub leading the technical and engineering divisions while his brother Wim managed administrative and financial operations. During the Second World War, the company expanded its output to include military vehicles, which necessitated the transition into Van Doorne's Automobielfabriek.
Engineering the Variomatic
The firm achieved widespread recognition during the 1950s and 1960s for its technical innovation in automotive drive systems. Hub van Doorne developed and applied the concept of the continuously variable transmission, commonly referred to as the Variomatic. This system utilized a belt drive mechanism between two adjustable coned pulleys, allowing for seamless speed transition without traditional gear shifting. This engineering solution became the defining feature of DAF’s line of small automobiles.
Personal Life and Public Recognition
Van Doorne married Henrica Maria Reijnders on 15 July 1929, with whom he had five children. Following his death in 1979 in Deurne, he was interred at the Jacobshof cemetery. His contributions to the Dutch industrial sector were recognized through several state and institutional honors. He was named a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 1951, a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great in 1953, and a Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 1968. He also received the Great Silver Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria in 1958 and was granted honorary citizenship of Eindhoven in 1959.
Fast facts
- Born: 1900, America, Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Died: 1979, Deurne
- Primary Occupations: Entrepreneur, Inventor
- DAF Foundational Year: 1928
- Known Innovation: Variomatic Transmission
- Burial Site: Jacobshof Cemetery
- Spouse: Henrica Maria Reijnders
- Key Award: Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (1951)
Questions readers ask
What was Hub van Doorne's specific technical contribution to the automotive industry?
He developed and applied the Variomatic, a continuously variable transmission system that used belt drives and adjustable coned pulleys.
How did the DAF business change over time?
It started as a small metal repair shop in 1928, shifted to trailer manufacturing by 1932, and eventually expanded into large-scale truck and automobile production.
Achievements
- Great Silver Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria — 1958
- Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion — 1951
- Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau — 1968
- Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great — 1953
