Pieter Smit Group: Celebrating 45 years of passion
From emerging bands to stadium acts, and from musicals and rock concerts in sold-out arenas to large-scale sporting events, many have found a reliable logistics partner in Pieter Smit Group.
Founder Pieter Smit reflects on a successful career that he stumbled into by chance. “I started working for theatre producer Hans Sleeswijk by coincidence,” he says. “I drove the productions across the country in trucks, but soon I was also helping with stage setup, lighting – it was fantastic, and I did everything that was needed. After four years, Sleeswijk closed his company to focus on television, and the accountant told me several other companies were interested in me. I was quite modest about it. I thought, ‘What I can do, anyone can do, right?’
So, I decided to start my own business. I bought two old trucks from Sleeswijk’s assets and never expected things to get so out of hand.”
Passion for the craft
Smit isn’t exaggerating. Forty-five years later, the company has become an institution and is recognised across Europe as the specialist in the transport, setup, and storage of touring theatre and music productions. In addition to its headquarters in the Netherlands, the company now has locations in Belgium, Germany, France, Poland, and Portugal. “I never planned it this way; it just grew over time. The foundation has always remained the same, and the staff we work with share the same passion for the craft that I had when I started – and still have today.”
Smit has always actively involved his children, Pim and Louise, in the company. “We were taken everywhere, and the company was always present in our lives,” recalls Louise. “Taking a detour during vacations in the camper, picking up something together on a Saturday at the warehouse—the company was (and still is) a big part of our lives, especially now that the three of us are involved in it.”
“What connects us is the passion and dedication we bring to our work”
A New Chapter in Leadership
In 2024, after dedicating over 45 years to building the company, founder Pieter Smit stepped down from his leadership role, passing the torch to Louise Smit. Under Louise’s leadership, the Pieter Smit Group has doubled down on innovation and sustainability. While preserving her father’s legacy, she is working on the company’s operations, focusing on long-term growth and fostering collaboration with clients and partners.
“Given Pieter’s age and the challenges of today, it was the right time to start this process,” says Louise. The management structure now consists of a CEO and CFOO, with daily operations led by the country managers and, since last year, a newly established Advisory Board. “What connects us is the passion and dedication we bring to our work; our official name is therefore Pieter Smit Group – we do this together. We are a group of dedicated people, working across different countries, languages and roles, all striving every day to take the show from one venue to another.”
Future-Focused on Sustainability
With a focus on environmental responsibility, the fleet operates on HVO diesel wherever possible, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 90%. The company has invested in two HVO fueling stations and bulk purchasing to make it financially viable for clients to embrace CO2 reduction.
The theatre company Jakop Ahlbom Company and Pieter Smit Group have partnered in the Netherlands to tour entirely electrically and emission-free across the country. Lykle Hemminga, country manager of Pieter Smit Netherlands, stated: “We are proud to embark on this journey and to take a pioneering role in the electric touring of theatre productions.”
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.