And even though they try to hide it, the drivers are especially sad.
The court in Utrecht declared Kool Transport BV from Vianen bankrupt on Thursday. The trucks had already been removed. According to the unions, the trucks had been removed by the leasing company. Employees and management contradict each other about the cause, but what is certain is that the company came into the hands of Gert Bras in June 2022 after a takeover. And that it was declared bankrupt only half a year later.
The history of the family business, located at De Limiet 17, goes back to 1912. The founders started in Schalkwijk with the transport of cheese and fruit. Kool Transport grew considerably over the years and in 2012 the move to Vianen followed. The transport company has been in the news a lot in recent days. The bankrupt company would have been “emptied and deliberately killed”. The story of co-owner Gert Bras, who says he has filed for bankruptcy because of threats to the management, is said to be "full of lies". This is indicated by various sources RTV Utrecht know.
According to FST Group, the company that took over Kool Transport in April last year, the company would have run into problems after a group of employees would not agree with the plans for the company.
Emotions run high among employees. The more than 100-year-old transport company was taken over in April last year by FST Groep from Amersfoort. Work was made impossible for the drivers. Fuel cards no longer worked and the toll boxes were not much better. A large number of employees say they have not received their December salary. Advances would also not have been paid, but owner Gert Bras disputes this.
Before the takeover it was a really good company, without financial problems. Kool Transport already existed for 110 years. A former bookkeeper of the company filed for the bankruptcy of Kool Transport together with other creditors last week. The bankruptcy was pronounced on January 12, 2023 by the court in Central Netherlands and mr JV Maduro has been appointed as curator. The insolvency number of this case is F.16/23/14
