Classic plugs and sockets made by Dutch companies

 

Only a few companies in the Netherlands have been active in producing electrical accessories for domestic use. Import of plugs and sockets made in Germany and other European countries have always dominated the Dutch market. When the use of Bakelite came to an end in the 1960s it was no longer profitable for Dutch companies to switch to new thermosetting polymers for domestic plug production. Material, made by Dutch companies in the 1930s - '70s, is shown below. Companies are listed in alphabetical order. Click a logo for more company details. At the bottom of the page you will find a summary of plug types nowadays used in the Netherlands.

 

Corodex Corodex made its own phenol-formadehyde resins. Necessary additives could be adapted to specific end products. From late 1940s the company made a variety of Bakelite procducts, including plugs.

1	Early 1950s model of plug and connector, both rated at 6A - 250V. Partially split pins had a diameter of 4.0 mm.  {WN}
2, 3	Plug and connector rated 10A - 250V. Plug has 4.8 mm solid pins.   {WN}
4	Plug rated at 10A - 250V. It is the only model of the shown Corodex plugs that has a KEMA certification mark.   {WN}

 

Draka Hollandse Draad- en Kabelfabrieken, shortened to Draka, was founded in Amsterdam in 1920. In the 1950s the Draka rubber cable division started production of appliance and extension cords with moulded plugs on both ends. The tradename Drakaflex was used for these flexible cords. The Drakaflex logo shows a dragon, draak in Dutch language. The relation to Draka is obvious. Drakaflex cords are still in production, but no longer for domestic use.

5 Neoprene appliance cord with moulded Schuko plug and DIN 49491 appliance connector. Rating: 10A - 250V. Cord length: 84 cm. Drakaflex appliance and extension cords for domestic use have been made from the 1950s until '70s.   {RH}

 

HAF Hollandse Apparaten Fabriek was founded in Rotterdam, in 1931. Production started with cast-iron installation boxes. From 1934 Bakelite - named Hafeliet - processing allowed production of plugs and other electrical accessories.

6	Top: 1930s plug rated at 6A - 250V with 4.0 mm partially split pins. Bottom: plug with solid 4.8 mm pins, but still rated at 6A - 250V. Probably a 1950s model.   {WN}
7	Not earthed appliance connector plug rated at 10A - 250V.   {WN}
8, 9	Four pole socket and matching plug. The 4.0 mm pins are arranged in a square with 11 mm sides. This non-polarized pin orientation means that there are four positions in which the plug can be inserted in the socket. The intended application of plug and socket is unknown. Socket has a KEMA certification mark.  {WN}

 

Hazemeyer Hengelo In 1906 F. Hazemeyer & Co. started in Hengelo production of cast-iron middle voltage electrical appliances. Bakelite (named Hajaliet) press facilities were introduced in 1930. Bakelite was among others used for production of domestic plugs and sockets. The production of low voltage electrical accessories has been discontinued in the 1960s. Classic HH three-phase plugs are shown in the museum heavy duty section.

10, 12	Non-earthed surface mount socket with switch, rated at 6A - 250V. Image No. 12 shows the socket interior. Right: the single pole rotary switch. Left: socket with high quality connectors. A spring (see green arrow in inset) pushes a plug pin firmly to the opposite metal part of the contact. Each of the Hazemeyer plugs, sockets, switch and components shown on this page have a rectangular KEMA mark that was introduced in the early 1950s.   {WN}
11	Non-earthed plug rated at 10A - 250V. Plug has 4.8 mm solid pins.   {WN}
13	Schuko surface mount socket with cap. Rating: 10A - 250V.   {WN}
14	Schuko surface mount triple socket, rated at 10A - 250V. Single, dual and triple surface mount sockets are listed in the 1938 Hazemeyer catalog, including the shown Type 23. A 15A dual socket is shown on the classic Schuko page.
15, 16	Schuko plug rated at 10A - 250V. The earth clip (image No. 16) is a remarkably sturdy and quite unique design. Dating: a similar plug is mentioned in a 1938 Hazemeyer catalog. The model shown is probably a 1950s or 60s version.   {WN}.

Hollandse Apparaten Fabriek (now ABB Electrification in Ede) and Hazemeyer Hengelo (now Eaton Holec) are still active electro-technical companies, but production of domestic plugs and sockets ceased many decades ago. However another product, distribution boards, made by both HAF and HH,can still be found in many Dutch homes. An example of a classic distribution board is shown on a separate page.

 

Inventum Huishoudelijke Apparaten Founded in 1908 in Bilthoven. Production started with electrical household appliances as toasters, kettles, irons (see image elsewhere). From the late 1920s until '60s (?) necessary plugs and extension cords were made also.

17	Ebonite multi-outlet for five flat - or three round base - plugs, mounted on a wooden base.
18	Connector plug with large grip that offers the possibility to wrap cord around the grip to fasten the extension cord (see plugs 2002 and 2005 in image 20). It is an alternative to an internal cord grip that is used in the other plugs shown on this page.   {WN}
19	Not earthed appliance connector plug for irons, toasters etc. with 6 mm inlet pins. Rating: 10A - 250V.   {WN}
20	Images taken from a 1932 Inventum catalog showing multi-outlet 17, connector plug 18 and appliance connector plug 19.

 

Philips Manufacturing of incandescent lamps started in 1891 in Eindhoven. In 1923 Philips started processing Bakelite (named Philite). Among others it was used for radios, shavers and household appliances, including necessary plugs. Philips has outsourced production of plugs and appliance cords many years ago.

21	Plug with side cord entry, rated at 6A - 250V. It has an MPAD mark with company code 58, which referred to Deutsche Philips GmbH in Berlin. A German (Bakelite) MPAD registration does not exclude the possibility that the plug has been made in the Netherlands. Duroplast press work made by NV Philips Industrie in Hasselt, Belgium had MPAD code ZH.
22, 23	Plug of a Philishave razor with switch for 110-130 Volt or 180-220 Volt. The two colour duroplast plug was introduced in 1960 for a new series of razors.   {WN}
24	Polarized, not earthed, neoprene appliance connector, rated at 6A- 250V. Spacing of contacts is 10 mm (center to center). Plug - not an IEC 60320 model - has type number BB6782. The plug was used to power the Philips cassette recorder types N2205 (1968-'70) and N2209 (1971-'76). The recorders used direct current, provided by a transformer or by batteries*. The transformer converts 220V AC first to a lower voltage, then to DC and stabilized the output at 9.6 Volt DC, which corresponds to the voltage given by a set of six 1.6V batteries**. However, because the transformer was built-in, rather than external, a polarized plug was not strictly essential. * Information given by Jean Lorteije, Museum of Philips Historical Products, Eindhoven.  ** Information given by Werner Hepp.

Plugs permitted in the Netherlands from 1984 The use of the following types of domestic plugs is allowed: • CEE 7/4 (Schuko) plugs; fit in both types of sockets. • Round base CEE 7/2 plugs that fit not in earthed sockets. This feature goes back to an old safety rule that unearthed plugs may not fit in earthed sockets. The other way round was allowed. • CEE 7/17 plug, also known as contour plug because its shape follows the inner outline of a Schuko socket and the earth pin of 'French' sockets. CEE 7/17 could replace round base 16A plugs, but rewireable contour plugs are not allowed in the Netherlands. • CEE 7/16 (Euro-type) plugs. Initially only non-rewireable  plugs were allowed, but nowadays also rewireable models are on sale. Perilex sockets and plugs are still used for electric ranges, because they are less bulky than IEC 60309 (CEE 17). Furthermore: IEC 60430 appliance couplers, and - for replacement only - "classic type" DIN 49491 connector plugs.

KEMA certification marks Dutch certification marks are issued by the Keuring van Elektrotechnische Materialen, founded in 1927 in Arnhem. The circular mark with triangles - rare on plugs - has been replaced by the rectangular model about 1950. KEMA was taken over by Det Norske Veritas in 2011, but KEMA certificates are still issued.

 

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