1921
Royal Dutch LV Logistics was established in 1921 in the Netherlands under the name J. Lensveld & Zonen B.V. The family company started with horse and carriage and traded in transport, road building, sand and rubbish skips. The head office is still located in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands.
1932
The economic crisis of the 1930s hit the entire world, including the Netherlands. At the time, LV was well known in Vlaardingen and the surrounding area as an expert in sand and gravel transportation. Transport was done with two Fords, but still mostly with horses. Toward the end of the 1930s, heavy investments were made in expanding the fleet of cars.
1945
After World War II, LV plays an important role in rebuilding hard-hit Rotterdam and the surrounding area. The purchase of seventeen GMC army trucks and a large Mack proved to be a golden opportunity from a business perspective. The trucks are mainly used to transport sand, gravel and stones for the construction of housing.
1965
Housing construction and road construction require large amounts of soil to be moved. Heavy equipment is needed to perform this groundwork. In the Netherlands, but now also abroad, the emphasis is on earth moving, excavation work, the supply of sand and building materials and the removal of rubble. In the 1960s, LV is also increasingly emerging as a specialist in heavy transport, including with extendable trailers.
1977
In 1977, Elvex is founded, a creative abbreviation for LV Expedition. Elvex focused specifically on transportation from Germany and the Netherlands to the United Kingdom and vice versa. Trailers without tractors went unaccompanied by ferry to the other side and were picked up upon arrival for further transportation to the final destination. With Elvex, LV laid the foundation for future success.
1986
LV's steady growth as a logistics service provider leads to the opening of its first office outside the Netherlands in 1986. In fact, in one and the same weekend, as many as two branches are opened in the UK as a result of a business acquisition, namely in Felixstowe and Middlesbrough. Needless to say, the opening of both offices was appropriately celebrated.
1990
In the 1980s, LV experienced strong and rapid growth. The winning of lucrative contracts for an oil giant and the opening of three new offices in the UK enabled the company to expand its range of services exponentially. By the early 1990s, LV had grown from a family-owned company with a focus on transport to one of the offshore logistics market leaders, specialising in the supply and construction of platforms in the North Sea.
2012
LV has been among the leading project operators in the North Sea oil industry since the early 1990s. Managing the logistics of transporting equipment and components worldwide is a very complex business. In 2012, LV starts the Cygnus project for client Gaz de France to build four gas platforms in the North Sea. The multi-year project is a great success and shows what LV is capable of.
2015
In 2015, LV reached another special milestone in its rich history. In this year, LV will have its own branches in as many as ten different countries, including Saudi Arabia, Brazil, the United States and Azerbaijan.
2017
In 2017, LV handled the transportation of the 33-meter Helix tower in the Netherlands, from Lekkerkerk to Vlissingen. Many things had to be taken into account, such as the wind force on the Westerschelde River, the lift bridge en route and the tower's center of gravity. The special feature of this expedition was especially that the tower was transported upright. In this way, a lot of costs were saved for the customer. It was one of LV's logistics masterpieces over the years.
2021
In 2021, LV officially celebrated its 100th anniversary. To mark that anniversary, LV received the exclusive Royal Warrant in the Netherlands. This distinction is only awarded to internationally operating companies from the Netherlands with a good reputation and that are seen as an authority in their sector. The Royal Warrant stands for quality and reliability. At LV we were of course very proud of this distinction and for that reason the company name was changed to Royal Dutch LV Logistics in 2022.
2022
Following the change of LV's brand name to Royal Dutch LV Logistics, it is decided to also highlight this new brand name externally through global sports sponsorship. In 2022, LV becomes official sponsor and logistics partner of professional cycling team Team DSM. The LV brand logo is prominently displayed on the riders' jersey, among other things. Team DSM competes annually in the Tour de France and LV employees and associates visit races on a regular basis.