Triple Takeover

Monday, 10 November 2025
Consolidation in the recovery sector accelerated sharply in October 2025. The independent existence of three IM recovery operators came to an end. Autohulpdienst Ben Heiltjes in Cuijk (NB) transferred its recovery operations on 1 November to Van Eijck Mobility in Eindhoven. The company's vehicle-transport services will be continued by Monique Heiltjes and her sons Robert and Stefan.

Monique Heiltjes in 2015, with three colleagues

Transport, Takel- en Bergingsdienst A. van der Eng in Heemskerk (NH) will be taken over on 1 January 2026 by road contractor De Jong Zuurmond. Earlier this year, that company acquired majority shareholdings in the IM recovery operators Bergnet and Amsterdamse Bergings Combinatie. Van der Eng handles only the relatively quiet IM-rayon NH124, around Castricum, but within roadside assistance it is one of the larger recovery operators in the Netherlands. Jeroen Zwart, the current director of Van der Eng, will remain with the company after the takeover. The company name will remain unchanged.

Jeroen Zwart (L) and Marjolijn Husslage of Transport, Takel- en Bergingsdienst A. van der Eng together with Arie van der Eng, the company's founder

The third takeover candidate is Automobiel- en Takelbedrijf Schoenmaker en Zn in Avenhorn (NH). With retroactive effect from 1 July, the company has become part of the newly established Assistance United, which already has branches in Zwaag, Oostzaan and Rijsenhout. The Avenhorn branch will remain operational and will become the location where Assistance United concentrates its maintenance activities. Ron Schoenmaker, who has led the company for many years, will continue his work after the acquisition. The trade name will also be retained.

Ron Schoenmaker in 2014, with one of the many certificates of excellent service he received over the years

IM recovery operators carried out 40,481 recoveries on trunk roads in the third quarter of 2025. That was 850 (-2%) fewer than in the third quarter of 2024 and 1,076 (-3%) fewer than in the second quarter of 2025. The average response time for all assignments was 10:42 minutes, 20 seconds more than in the previous quarter.

Fastest recovery operators 2025-Q3

The ranking includes only companies that carried out at least 100 recoveries in the past quarter. For each company, only those IM-rayons are counted for which that company is contracted.

The fastest recovery operator in the country, just as in the first and second quarters, was Takel-, Berging- en Transportbedrijf A. Barendregt in Rhoon. They are followed closely by Besems Recovery Service in Tilburg and Amsterdamse Bergings Combinatie in Amsterdam-West. Good performance figures were also recorded by Automobiel- en Takelbedrijf Schoenmaker en Zn in Avenhorn (NH). For all IM assignments received in this contract area, the company achieved a response time below twenty minutes. No other company managed to do this.

IM recovery operators with 100% performance