Whenever I hear an advert on the radio for the Achterhoek, I internally scream ‘shhhhhh’. The Achterhoek is indeed an area of the Netherlands worth exploring. There is indeed lots to keep you entertained here in the Achterhoek. And yes, finally, it is beautiful here. And the last thing I’d want is for the masses to come and holiday here, fall in love with it, and decide to move here. (Sort of like what we did). So as long as you promise not to move here en masse, I am willing to share some regional gems with you. Starting with the DRU Industriepark, a cultural and historical gem in Ulft.
The Achterhoek
Way over in the east of the Netherlands is an area known as the Achterhoek. Quite literally it means the back corner. But don’t let the name fool you. If you are old enough, then imagine Patrick Swayze uttering ‘nobody puts the Achterhoek in the corner’ and you’ll understand where I’m coming from.
Reading Tip: 10 Fun Facts About the Achterhoek in the Netherlands
The Achterhoek has its own dialect, beautiful cycle and walking routes, castles galore and an abundance of quirky attractions. Of which the DRU Industriepark is one.
DRU Industriepark in Ulft – History
The iron industry played a significant role in the history of the Achterhoek from the eighteenth century through to the twentieth. In fact, the Oude Ijssel area is the birth place of the Dutch cast iron industry.
The DRU Industriepark represents a long and important relationship and was formerly an ironworks of Diepenbrock en Reigers te Ulft (DRU), cousins who acquired the local blast furnace and never looked back.
Made in Ulft
Originally, hearth-plates, pots, simple heaters and cannon balls were made in Ulft.
As DRU moved into the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the product selection widened to include bathtubs, enamel, machine and car parts and gas heaters. And business boomed. In fact, it flourished so much the OudeIjssel river was moved to accommodate the industry and a new factory was built around 1900.
During the 1900’s the factory was regularly extended. The DRU employed 1500 people in its peak during the 1960s, making it a major employer in the area.
Declining Industry and Difficult Times
As was the case with many traditional industries (many Brits of the same age will still have vivid memories of coal mining in Thatcher’s Britain) the cast iron industry hit rough times in the 1980s. The industry began its decline and DRU slowly declined as an employer.
DRU Industriepark Today
The buildings that comprise DRU Industrie park are now protected national monuments. By 1999, the factory buildings were no longer used for their intended purpose. The DRU buildings became earmarked as a cultural centre, amongst other things.
Cultuurfabriek
The Dru Industriepark now hosts music, theater and comedy shows in the Cultuurfabriek. There’s also a film screen, the local library and a restaurant. There are regular (art) exhibitions and conference and event rooms for hire, as well as a music school.
SSP Hall
The SSP Hall is now an event hall that hosts numerous exhibitions, congresses, trade fairs and leisure events. In school holidays it becomes a play paradise for children. During the COVID-19 lockdown the event hall served as a drive thru for stoofpotjes prepared by the onsite restaurant Het SchaftLokaal.
Other Buildings in the DRU Industriepark
A local radio station broadcasts from one of the DRU Industriepark buildings and there’s a media centre too.
There’s an innovation centre offering an interactive museum experience in the Afbramerij (you’ll need about two hours for a visit to this if you want to do it justice).
You’ll find a tourist office and visitor’s information centre in the Loonbureau building providing you with inspiration for things to do in the area, as well as around the DRU Industriepark itself. You can also take part in a guided tour of the DRU complex.
There are a variety of organisations and individual businesses that call the DRU Industriepark home, an example being a VluchtelingenWerk Nederland office.
Outside Attractions
You can sit on the restaurant terrace whilst your children play in the water fountains outside. There’s an ice cream food truck on the terrace with your name on it.
You can take a boat trip along the Oude Ijssel, departing from the DRU Industriepark terrain. I can thoroughly recommend this for a beautiful summer’s day.
Across the river there is the DRU Park, which plays host to the popular music festival Huntenpop annually, as well as other outdoor events.
You can set off from DRU on a walk along the river, or use it as a stop off point on a cycle route of the area.
Just promise you won’t move here.
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