In an atmosphere of post-war raw materials' shortages, Gerrit Homburg started a joiner's workshop in Zaandam, just north of Amsterdam.

As the Netherlands was rebuilding its infrastructure, there was a strong demand for electrical cables for civil construction projects. The local cable manufacturers needed drums to transport these cables, so the Homburg company was granted a dispensation to get precious supplies of timber.

By 1956, there was enough demand from customers to justify the investment in a mechanical production line, and 3 years later a new factory was built. The 1960s represented a period of steady growth. By the end of the decade, production levels meant that the Zaandam facility could no longer keep up with demand, and a new factory was built in the middle of the nearby village of Oostzaan.

After Gerrit's death in 1977, his son Wim took over the running of the company. Within a few years, he decided to take the company into timber trading. This diversification allowed the company to reduce its reliance on cable-drum manufacture, which had always been subject to variations with the industrial climate. Starting with the softwood used for making drums, Homburg soon broadened its range to include many different hardwoods as well, sourcing from North America, South America, the Far East, Scandinavia and Russia.

At this point, it was decided to split the company into two parts - Homburg Haspels BV (cable drums) and Homburg Houtimport BV (timber trading).

The company then underwent a period of strong growth, culminating in 1995 with the takeover of the NKF drum manufacturing plant in Delft. This was then renamed as Euro Reels BV.

The family tradition was continued, when David Homburg joined his father Wim in the running of the company in 1998. This coincided with further growth and the eventual construction of the company's brand new factory on the Kolkweg North Industrial Zone, only a few kilometres from the Oostzaan factory but away from the residential area.

Today, Homburg Haspels and Euro Reels together are the Netherlands' leading supplier of wooden and plywood reels and drums to cable manufacturers and distributors.

Homburg Houtimport is a leading supplier of timber, solid wood flooring and wooden garden furniture and accessories.