Dutch King and Queen visit Auping factory

We are proud to share the news that on Tuesday 14 September His Majesty the King and Her Majesty Queen Máxima visited the Royal Auping factory.

The Royal Couple paid a regional visit to Deventer, Raalte and Olst-Wijhe, three municipalities in the southern part of Salland (Province of Overijssel). The regional visit started in Deventer and focused on the region's ability to continuously adapt to new circumstances by working together. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima walked through the Havenkwartier, visited a few entrepreneurs, and spoke with those involved about the way in which the city of Deventer is shaping its urban development.

After the city walk, the Royal Couple visited our Auping factory, together with the King's Commissioner of Overijssel, Mr Andries Heidema and Mr Ron König, Mayor of Deventer. The theme of their visit was sustainable production. Every year 1.5 million mattresses are discarded in the Netherlands. Through innovation, sustainability and reuse of materials, our company contributes, together with partners, to reducing the mattress waste problem.

Last year, Auping was the first manufacturer in the world to market a fully circular mattress. The Royal Couple talked with Auping CEO Jan-Joost Bosman and researcher Geert Doorlag about the efforts around innovation and sustainability. Collaboration is very important to realise the circular transition and overcome challenges. That is why Job Dröge on behalf of Innofa and Chantal Jörissen on behalf of Covestro-Niaga joined the conversation as partners within our circular supply chain.

Afterwards, the Royal Couple was given a short factory tour. In our sewing atelier, Operations Director Martijn van Haaf and colleagues showed how we manufacture our circular mattresses.

We look back on a relaxed visit, during which we were able to show the Royal Couple something of the positive strength of Auping and of our region. At the closing meeting at De Haere Castle, located along the River IJssel in Olst, King Willem-Alexander mentioned that he was very grateful that, despite the restrictions imposed by the corona rules, we managed to set up a nice regional visit in Salland. “It was fantastic”, said the king, who has really experienced that Salland has its own identity.

The visit to this part of Overijssel was the eighteenth regional visit since the enthronement in 2013 and the third in times of corona.

Photo credits: © RVD and Bullet-Ray Fotografie and Vincent Jannink.