1987 is a memorable year for various reasons. It’s the year Guns N’ Roses rose to fame with Appetite for Destruction, Lionel Messi was born, and the stock market crash occurred. However, it is also the year that Co van Leeuwen joined Drumarkon. That same Co is still working at Drumarkon today and has recently been promoted to Production Manager. We spoke with Co about his career so far, what Drumarkon means to him, and more.

Co van Leeuwen (57) has been working at Drumarkon since 1987. His career at the company began under the first owner, Jaap van Drunen. After completing his military service, he immediately started working at Drumarkon, which at the time was solely focused on trade. Its own production process only developed later.

At the end of the 1980s, Co transitioned into production, working in a warehouse measuring 13 by 15 meters in Werkendam. At the time, he worked with just a single machine, a so-called “jack-of-all-trades,” and a glue line. Over time, new machines were introduced, such as an edge bander and a panel saw. Co learned to operate all these machines and worked alongside colleagues to further develop the production process.

A Jack-of-All-Trades

From the mid-1990s, Co moved into leadership positions. He started as the supervisor of the first production area, but within two weeks, he was also responsible for the second hall. Until 2004, he held an all-round leadership role, combining logistics, work preparation, and production. “I was a jack-of-all-trades, but to me, that was the most normal thing in the world.”

A Challenging Period

At the end of the 1990s, Jaap van Drunen sold the company, after which Drumarkon started to decline. In September 2004, the company went bankrupt under the then-management, leading Co to leave. Shortly afterward, the company was restarted under a new director, Bert de Jonge. During the intervening years, Co worked at various woodworking companies. In 2010, Bert approached him with the question of whether he wanted to return. Co didn’t have to think twice. “I really wanted to come back and help rebuild the company. Bert got Drumarkon back on track, and I’m proud to have been part of that.”

In mid-2017, Paul Verweijen, Wilfred Barenbrug, and Johan van Tilburg took over the company. Bert de Jonge gradually handed over his responsibilities and eventually stepped down. Under the new management, Co continues to work with great enthusiasm. “Drumarkon has grown significantly in recent years. Johan has brought in a lot of business, and his drive is contagious.”

A New Phase

In January 2025, Co advanced to the role of Production Manager, partly thanks to the arrival of Jiska Stauthamer. He is handing over certain tasks to her while taking on the leadership of production together with his colleague Jean Baptist. “I look forward to contributing to Drumarkon’s further growth in this role.”

Read more about Jiska Stauthamer’s arrival here.

Not only professionally but also personally, Co is entering a new phase. He describes himself as being “pleasantly busy,” including with family matters. “I have a wonderful family consisting of a wife—whom I have been happily married to since ‘89—and two amazing children (a son and a daughter). In recent years, I have also become a proud grandfather of two fantastic grandchildren.”

DrumarCo

Co has a true Drumarkon heart. “I am deeply committed and have always felt responsible for the development and growth of this company.” Even though he worked at other companies in between, Drumarkon feels like a part of him. He concludes proudly: “If possible, I’d love to stay here until I retire.”