Company description
Mission
RTD aims to efficiently provide its clients in both onshore and offshore industries with the assurance that quality, safety and reliability are achieved during the manufacturing, construction, operation and maintenance phases of technical installations.
It does so by profitably supplying up-to-date non-destructive testing, destructive testing, data collection, data management and inspection management services; it maintains a competent workforce and plays an active role in the development of effective and efficient techniques and systems necessary to do so.
In fulfilling its mission in the interest of its clients RTD acts responsibly and ethically towards its shareholders, employees, the society and the environment.
History
In 1937 Rotterdam had to deal with industrial radiography. In his work for the Piet Smit shipyard the marine engineer Lambertus van Ouwerkerk from Overschie saw ships hulls were being welded more and more instead of being riveted. Van Ouwerkerk found out that in Germany and the United States a system had been introduced whereby it was possible to see through welds by means of X-rays. Van Ouwerkerk acquired this knowledge and found two businessmen willing to establish a business with him and start using X-rays in the Netherlands. On 9 November 1937 Mr Van Beuningen from Rotterdam, Mr Philips from Eindhoven and Mr Van Ouwerkerk founded the company. Röntgen Technische Dienst bv was born. RTD's initial accommodation was on a farm in Rotterdam, which is now the Kleinpolderplein road junction. RTD opened its first office in Hengelo just prior to the Second World War.
RTD therefore found most of its work in the shipyards in Pernis where the construction of the first refineries was commenced just after the war. A refinery is full of pipes. RTD was brought in to ensure that all welded joints were good and reliable. These days RTD is an essential partner in the construction and maintenance of refineries in the Europoort and Botlek area.
When gas was discovered beside Slochteren in Groningen, this also represented a great deal of work for RTD. The decision to supply the whole of the Netherlands with gas meant that thousands of kilometres of gas pipes had to be laid criss-cross throughout the Netherlands. RTD inspected all welds as well as other parts of the brand-new gas network.
Now, in addition to the eleven offices in the Netherlands, RTD has offices in, amongst other countries, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Italy, Slovakia and Switzerland.
