History
The history of HDV visual branding
1979
The establishment of HDV
HDV was founded in 1979, not from a stately office, but from a modest attic room in Amsterdam. Jaap, who was still working at a large paper factory, was asked again and again if he knew someone who could print menus and placemats. For Jaap this was not just a question, but a new market. An opportunity that Jaap, together with his wife Ineke, grabbed with both hands. HDV, in other words ‘Horeca Drukwerk Verzorging’, was born. The rest is history.
1992
Signmaker as an asset
The attic room was exchanged for an office in Amsterdam South East. And the team was expanded with a sign maker: Marcel. This created more room for design. Placemats were exchanged for signage for shops and football fields.
1996
The sale of the signage company
After about 17 years it was time for a shift change. Jaap and Ineke decided to sell HDV. Together with a business partner, Joost (Michiel's father) decided to take over. Marcel was still part of HDV. And that was a must, because he came from the car industry. In the meantime, not only Marcel's burning passion, but also his burning dream had grown: his own business.
1997
Amsterdam's signmaker is gaining momentum
As the design branch grew, it was also time to expand our sales team. The enthusiasm for sales also flows through the veins of Michiel, Joost's son. With his infectious enthusiasm, he, his father and Marcel put HDV on the map. At the same time, we opened the doors to our very first corporate customer, Pon Mobiel. This is truly a milestone that put us on the map for visual communication in the business world. It was also the year in which a 16-year-old girl came knocking for an internship for school. Nicole came in, radiant and driven, and never left.
2001 - photo of Marcel and Michiel
Marcel and Michiel in charge of HDV
'The sky is the limit' was our motto. After our first successful international collaboration, the time had come in 2001. Marcel's big dream came true: his own business. After years of proven teamwork it was clear, Marcel and Michiel formed an unbeatable duo. Marcel took care of the studio and production, Michiel took care of the figures and sales. The men had big plans and bought their first real printer.
2007
Everything under one roof, from design to installation
With 14 talented employees, the team had now doubled. HDV now had everything under one roof: idea, design, production and assembly. Within no time, HDV had put itself on the map as the leading signage company for offices in Amsterdam. 2007 was all about unburdening, creativity, innovation and your visual identity. And Marcel and Michiel reaped the benefits of that. Now that everything was under one roof, it was literally time for a new roof. Michiel and Marcel became co-owners and moved into a new business premises, which is still the home base of HDV.
2020
The HDV family is growing
The business premises have now been subjected to an impressive transformation twice. And that meant more room for our ambitions. For example, we acquired Eyes on Media in 2019. The former Capi Lux was a company full of specialists with valuable expertise. Their specialty? Stunning fine art photo prints for professionals and eye-catching signage for the retail market. Investments were made not only in people, but also in better machines. And the most important thing? The 'HDV family' had grown to 18 people. From mechanics, designers to project managers. Quality remains number one at HDV visual branding.
2024
45 years of HDV Visual branding
Anniversary time! HDV Visual branding celebrates 45 years of passion for signage and an eye for quality. We have been there for everyone for almost half a century, from architects to end users. Anyone can contact us with their business questions when it comes to visual identity.