Maduro Holding
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping, Tourism, Logistics, Aviation |
| Founded | 1837 |
| Headquarters | Willemstad, Curaçao |
Area served | Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Netherlands, United States |
Key people | George Alvarez-Correa (Chairman of the Board) Henry Van Der Kwast (Chief Executive Officer) |
| Subsidiaries | S.E.L. Maduro & Sons Maduro Travel, Inc. Insel Air Insel Air Cargo Curaçao Port Services Curaçao Harbor Corporation Laparkan Maduro Airfreight Services Maduro Transport Services TNT Netherlands Antilles Caribbean Shipping Agencies Limited |
Maduro Holding B.V. is a holding company with interests in all companies belonging to the Maduro Group, a conglomerate operating in the shipping services, tourism, logistics and aviation industries throughout the Dutch Caribbean. Maduro Holding is headquartered in Willemstad, Curaçao.
History
Early History
The Maduro Group traces its roots to S.E.L. Maduro & Sons, a trading company founded in 1837 that is the longest operating company in the Dutch Caribbean. The company founder, Salomon Elias Levy (S.E.L.) Maduro, began by importing basic commodities from the tax free port of St. Thomas, later adding schooners to regional ports, eventually reaching as far as New York.[1]
Willemstad became a critical transshipment hub serving as the sole supplier of Venezuelan petroleum products to the Allied Air Forces in Northern Africa and Great Britain during [[World War II]. It was during this period that the port emerged as one of the top ten harbors in the world in both tonnage and traffic handled.[2] In 1929 the firm also entered the travel industry, becoming agents to PanAm World Airways and later to KLM in 1934.
Present Day
S.E.L. Maduro & Sons presently acts as a port and cargo agent to approximately 600 shipping companies. The company also provides logistical services ranging from international sea and airfreight forwarding to warehousing and distribution. Maduro Travel is the group travel agency and specializes in tour planning throughout the America's and Caribbean region. Launched in 2006 in cooperation with local partners, Insel Air is the current flag carrier of Curaçao.
Foundation of Maduro's Bank
In 1901, S.E.L Maduro & Son's began petitioning the Dutch crown for a banking charter or to take over the Central Bank of Curaçao. In 1917 Maduro and Joseph 'Shon Jojo' Alvarez-Correa from the local commerce house Correa Hermanos & Co., founded Maduro's Bank, the first commercial bank in the Netherlands Antilles. In 1932, Maduro's Bank merged with Curiel's Bank to form Maduro & Curiel's Bank.[3][4]
References
- ^ "S.E.L. Maduro & Sons, Roots of Our Future". Curaçao Chamber of Commerce & Industry. December 11, 2002. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
- ^ "Isla refinery, Curacao". vrcurassow.com. February 15, 2007. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
- ^ "The Curacao Island: Maduro Curiel Bank MCB Curacao". thecuracaoisland.com. May 21, 2011. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
- ^ "Maduro & Curiel's Bank, Roots of Our Future". Curaçao Chamber of Commerce & Industry. December 11, 2002. Retrieved August 10, 2012.