De herindustrialisatie van Zuidelijk Limburg

Abstract

This article gives a brief historical outline of the decline of Holland's coal mining industry - concentrated in South-Limburg - as well as a description of what has been achieved in the field of industrial redevelopment of the region and of the future prospects. At the same time, it outlines, the steps taken by the Dutch Government and the activities displayed by DSM in this reindustrialization process. These activities are enumerated in the following items: 1. Analysis of labour potential according to quantity, quality and time of availability. 2. Stocktaking of needs of industrial sites that are offered and that are available or about to become available, and of the positive and negative qualities of these sites. 3. Promotion of cooperation with and between the bodies concerned, viz., the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Provincial Authorities, the various municipalities united in "industrieschappen" - and the mining companies. 4. Gathering as much information and literature as possible about all subjects that may be of importance to the parties interested, so as to be able to keep parties fully informed. This information has been summarized in an attractive book entitled "Facts and Facitities; South Limburg, an excellent location in the Common Market". 5. Giving effective publicity to the possibilities offered by South Limburg. 6. Assisting entrepreneurs in the development and legalization of their plans and, in so doing, acting as their sparring partner. 7. Designing financial structures for filling the gaps in the "Grant Schemes". 8. Carrying out constructional engineering work (the only assistance for which a fee is levied). 9. In certain cases, offering participation in projects that are in need of risk-bearing capital. L0. Offering temporary accomodation in DSM buildings for projects requiring a quick start. Finally, the results obtained are presented, the present situation examined and the future prospects discussed' The conclusion is that the majority of the collieries has been closed without causing any unemployment' The situation is veiled, however, first because a number of people has retired prematurely, second, because of increasing employment of workers in Germany that travel to and from, and thirdly, owing to migration. That is why the grant schemes should continue to exist and be partly changed to meet the situation.