Our history

Stork was the driving force of many technological revolutions and supported the energy transitions of the last century. What started with repair work in 1865 soon expanded with the construction of new equipment for textile and adjacent industries. Innovations followed at a rapid pace, opening up new markets, domestic and abroad. Watch our 'Past-Present-Future' video below for a brief look at Stork's legacy. 

Stork, a Fluor company, is the overall name of today's technology company. Still, its activities date back to the formation in 1827 of the Nederlandse Fabriek van Werktuigen en Spoorwegmaterieel (Dutch machine and railway equipment works): Werkspoor, which later also became the official name. 

In 1868, on September 4, our name-giver and founder, Charles T Stork, opened a machine factory in Hengelo, at the center of the Netherlands textile industry, that would form the basis of today's Stork company. In 2018, we celebrated 150 years of continually improving productivity and the performance of our client's assets.

Stork's international expansion started as it concentrated on (industrial) production equipment (steam and other engines, boilers, pumps, sugar refineries) and Werkspoor's main activities were means of transport (ship components, steam locomotives, diesel train sets, carriages, buses, and bridges).

In 1954, the originally Amsterdam-based company, Werkspoor, merged with the engineering works Gebroeders Stork & Co.

In the fertile post-World War II years, the combination (which for a long time worked under the very well-known name Verenigde Machinefabrieken/VMF) grew strongly in the sector, which can best be described as heavy capital goods. The vulnerable nature of this market (completion of the post-war rebuilding, large projects, long decision-making processes) led the company's management to initiate a far-reaching - and with government support successful - turnaround in the 1970s and 1980s. This led the company into new (niche) markets for (lighter) industrial production equipment, concentrating on primary needs: clothing, food, energy, water/air and transport, and technical services for the maintenance of industrial and building-related installations.

Aerospace activities were added to this list in 1996, thanks to the acquisition of the Fokker companies, specializing in the building of aircraft components and integrated aircraft maintenance services. A strategic reorientation at the beginning of 2000 led to a structure with five groups, focusing on digital (textile) printing technologies, poultry processing/fast food, aerospace, industrial components and technical services. In 2004 Stork sold the Industrial Components Group; four groups left (Stork Prints, Stork Food Systems, Stork Fokker and Stork Industry Services).

In 2007 Stork acquired Turbo-Services and MASA, and sold Stork Food Systems. In 2008 Stork was delisted from the Euronext Stock Exchange and established two separate management teams in 2009: Stork Technical Services and Fokker Technologies. 

In May 2011, Stork announced he acquisition of RBG ltd, the UK-based supplier of inspect, assess and repair services to the global energy industry.

In January 2013, a new separate Governance Structure for Stork Technical Services and Fokker Technologies was realized. This created two separate capital structures for the operations, allowing Stork to operate fully independently.

With the acquisition of Australian-based Giovenco Industries in September 2015, Stork extended its regional footprint.

On March 1, 2016, Fluor completed the acquisition of Stork. The combination of Stork and Fluor's Operations & maintenance business creates a global market leader in maintenance, modification, and asset integrity products and services.