ing ▁business ▁in ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁city ▁of ▁Bru ges ▁which ▁divers ified ▁into ▁d red ging ▁can als ▁and ▁building ▁coast al ▁def ences ▁as ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 5 . ▁The ▁company ▁would ▁be ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁and ▁is ▁now ad ays ▁part ▁of ▁DE ME ▁as ▁B agger wer ken ▁Dec lo ed t ▁& ▁Z oon . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁the ▁contract ors ▁Nicola as ▁van ▁H aar en ▁( 1 8 3 5 – 1 9 0 4 ) ▁and ▁Hend rik - W ille m ▁A ck erm ans ▁( 1 8 5 5 – 1 9 4 5 ) ▁established ▁a ▁gra vel ▁winning ▁and ▁d red ging ▁business ▁in ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁city ▁of ▁Ant werp . ▁It ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁December ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁and ▁remained ▁the ▁core ▁asset ▁of ▁what ▁is ▁now ad ays ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁invest ment ▁company ▁A ck erm ans ▁& ▁van ▁H aar en , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁share hold ers ▁of ▁DE ME . ▁Main ten ance ▁d red ging ▁on ▁the ▁Sch eld t ▁river ▁was ▁also ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁Société ▁Gén éra le ▁de ▁Drag age / Al gem ene ▁B agger ma at sch app ij ▁( SG D ). ▁This ▁company ▁was ▁established ▁on ▁ 5 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁with ▁the ▁De ▁Clo ed t ▁family ▁and ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁construction ▁and ▁public