Jacky van Zwam: 40 years of furniture driver at Van de Kamp

On April 22, Van de Kamp celebrated a special milestone: driver Jacky van Zwam has been employed for no less than 40 years. A moment to remember, because behind this achievement lies a story full of passion, dedication and craftsmanship.

In a personal conversation, Jacky looks back on his impressive career. From his childhood in rural Meuse and Waal to his role as a familiar face on Dutch roads. This is the story of a man who sees his work not just as a job, but as a life's work.

From SRV man to furniture hero

Jacky's father used to work as “Man of the SRV”. A moving supermarket on wheels that drove through villages and neighborhoods to deliver groceries to homes. It was a familiar sight in the Land of Meuse and Waal. Jacky was sometimes allowed to go with his father, but his heart wasn't in the moving store.

During their trips, they came to Maasbommel, where the Van de Kamp family was active in freight transport. That's where Jacky saw the impressive trucks for the first time and knew right away: “No SRV for me, I'll be a truck driver!”

He got his truck driver's license and had the opportunity to prove himself to Van de Kamp. His working days often started at 5 am in Maasbommel. In the early years, he rode with Gijs van de Kamp as a co-driver. Gijs taught him the tricks of the trade and instilled in him a passion for furniture transport.

From student to expert

Jacky quickly grew into an experienced driver. He got his own trailer and drove furniture nationally from manufacturers to dealers. Through his experience, he became familiar with the products, customer requirements and working methods. The customers also got to know Jacky, which created a close relationship.

Along the way, he learned how to solve problems, advise customers and planners about improvements, and his work became more and more fun. He developed into an expert in his field and a valuable force within Van de Kamp.

Although Jacky is a bit older now, he continues to work with pleasure and dedication. He now drives a tailgate with a lift to make work physically easier and enjoys a free Monday every other week. Nevertheless, he remains critical and quality-conscious, an attitude that is highly appreciated within the company and among customers.

A well-deserved gift

To mark his anniversary, Jacky and his wife can go to MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. They tour this event on their bikes, where they can fully live out their passion for motorbikes (Jacky's second great love besides work). As he himself says: “They think I've earned it. Actually, so do I.”