75 years of firefighting technology from Winschoten

Winschoten, September 2026 – Ziegler Brandweertechniek B.V. in Winschoten is celebrating its 75^th anniversary. On September 25, 1951, its predecessor, Berwi, began manufacturing vehicle bodies and firefighting vehicles at the Industrieweg site in Winschoten. What started as a specialized family business has grown over the past 75 years into an international manufacturer of fire-fighting vehicles and extinguishing technology, with Winschoten remaining a key production site.

From Berwi to ZIEGLER

The history of Ziegler Brandweertechniek dates back to 1951, when Jan Jurrien van Bergen started his own coachbuilding business in Winschoten. Operating under the name Berwi – an abbreviation of Van Bergen Winschoten – the company initially focused primarily on the construction of firefighting vehicles. The first vehicles were equipped with pumps supplied by his brother, Andries Heero van Bergen, from Heiligerlee.

Berwi soon developed into a versatile vehicle bodybuilder. In addition to firefighting vehicles, the company built vehicles such as ambulances and police cars. For instance, it manufactured vehicles for the Dutch National Police, including a series of technical patrol vehicles based on the Citroën HY. Over the years, the company also established partnerships with firms such as Motorkracht and Ajax de Boer.

Berwi’s history is thus closely linked to the development of the Dutch fire service and vehicle manufacturing in the second half of the twentieth century.

A company with various names

Over the past 75 years, not only did the technology change, but so did the name under which the company operated. In 1975, Berwi was sold to the Noord-Nederlandsche Machinefabriek (NoordNed Engineering Works) in Winschoten. Subsequently, the company came under the ownership of Ajax-De Boer and ZIEGLER.

In 1982, the bodywork factory continued operations under the name Ajax-Ziegler. Ten years later, in 1992, Albert Ziegler GmbH acquired all shares and the company was renamed Ziegler Brandweertechniek B.V. This permanently linked the ZIEGLER name to the production facility in Winschoten and saw Ziegler Brandweertechniek B.V. join the globally operating ZIEGLER Group.

75 years of development and innovation

Although the name and technology changed over the years, one thing remained the same: the focus on safety and innovation.

While the company initially focused on building vehicle bodies and firefighting vehicles, ZIEGLER now develops and manufactures a wide range of emergency service vehicles. Its Winschoten facility produces equipment such as fire pumpers, rescue vehicles, foam tenders, firefighting containers and other specialized vehicles for the Netherlands and neighboring countries.

In addition to its own production in Winschoten, Ziegler Brandweertechniek supplies ZIEGLER products manufactured elsewhere within the international group, thereby giving customers access to ZIEGLER´s extensive product portfolio. For instance, ZIEGLER supplied six water cannons to the National Police in 2025 and three crash tenders are set to be delivered to Groningen Airport Eelde soon.

In addition to this, an increasing number of technical and digital solutions are being integrated – ranging from vehicle bodies and fire pumps to modern systems for operation, monitoring and communication. The guiding principle remains the same: providing emergency responders with reliable, practical solutions that enable them to perform their work safely and effectively.

75 years of association with the fire service

The history of ZIEGLER is therefore not just a story about technology and vehicles; it is also a story about the many generations of firefighters who have carried out their work using these vehicles.

Over the past 75 years, countless firefighters have responded to calls in vehicles built in Winschoten. Day and night – whether dealing with fires, traffic accidents, storm damage, or other incidents – they can rely on the technology and vehicles that make their way from Winschoten to fire departments in the Netherlands and beyond.

That makes the anniversary more than just a look back at 75 years of company development for ZIEGLER. Ultimately, behind every delivered firefighting vehicle stands a team of firefighters who need to be able to rely on it when it matters most.

From local business to international company

Developments over the past 75 years demonstrate just how much the firefighting sector and vehicle technology have changed. At the same time, the connection to Winschoten has remained; fire service vehicles are still fully developed, built and maintained at the current location on Industrieweg.

The history of Ziegler Brandweertechniek thus represents a unique combination of local entrepreneurship and international development: from a vehicle body manufacturer that started in 1951 under the name Berwi, to a specialized manufacturer with 100 employees within a globally operating group.

That development is driven by the people who work at ZIEGLER. Over the past 75 years, generations of employees have applied their knowledge and craftsmanship to repeatedly develop and build vehicles that meet the practical needs of fire departments and other emergency services.

Marin Schouten, Managing Director of Ziegler Brandweertechniek B.V.:

“75 years is a remarkable milestone. We are proud of our history and of everyone who has contributed to the development of our company over the past decades. A lot has changed since the first firefighting vehicles were built at Berwi, but our commitment to the fire service and our presence in Winschoten have remained.

That gives us every reason to look back with pride – and to look ahead with confidence.”