Transport with tradition
Dating more than 125 years back, K. Hansen Transport AS is a family-run company with tradition for dedication, commitment and for handling cargo as if it was the company’s own. This means that an agreement is an agreement and an agreed delivery time is something you set your watch by.
Streets and trucks have undergone big changes since K. Hansen Transport was established back in 1896. At that time horse powers were few and had four legs. A long road up to today’s top modern trucks transporting cargo on the roads 24 hours a day.
1896 – The start
The company was established in 1896, when Christian Nissen Lorentsen established a haulage business in Vejen.
1924 - Peder Hansen – First generation
In 1924 Peder Hansen bought the haulage business. Peder Hansen’s son, Kristian Hansen enters the business at the age of 20 and is employed as an assistant. Under Peder Hansen’s leadership the business experiences a tremendous technological development. At the end of the 1920s the company takes the leap from horse wagon transports to motorized vehicle transports.
1930 - Kristian Hansen - Second generation
In 1930 the entire business is handed over to Kristian Hansen. The business develops positively not least due to a visionary management, but also due to good and loyal employees. Another precondition for the positive development of the company are long-lasting customer relations which is also characteristic for the company today.
1974 - Karsten Hansen - Third generation
Karsten Hansen takes over the company on 1 May 1974, on which day the generational change was completed. In this connection Kristian Hansen gets a lifelong employment in the company. After having taken over the company Karsten Hansen restructured the company to have first priority on cargo transport.
1996 - 100 year jubilee
In 1996 K. Hansen Transport AS celebrated its 100 year jubilee. The jubilee was celebrated properly over four days with arrangements for present as well as former staff, family, customers, suppliers and other interested business relations from Vejen and the environs of Vejen.
2006 - 110 year jubilee
On 1 May 2006 K. Hansen Transport could celebrate its 110 year jubilee with a big party at Park Alle 18 where the tables were set for 220 employees and family. The year also brought honour to the company as one of the apprentices won the Danish Championship for storage apprentices.
2012 - Jakob Wiborg Hansen - Fourth generation
Jakob Wiborg Hansen takes over the company after a three-stage generation change. Jakob does not have a driver’s license for trucks but he does have a driver’s license for running the company safely on in the same vein. The company has undergone a natural development and is today ”trimmed” and action-oriented.
From horse powers to trucks
When great-grandfather Peder Hansen took over the at that time small company, the most important assets were: "7 wagons, 4 platform wagons, 3 wagonettes, 1 governess carts, 1 landau, 5 horses and harness". Kristian Hansen, the father of Karsten Hansen was the first to be of the opinion that the future was trucks and in 1928 a second-hand Chevrolet was purchased for the huge sum of DKK 1,100. Today the fleet counts 65 trucks of which only very few are older than 4 years.
At K. Hansen Transport you will meet loyal employees who understand the importance of good service. Seniority among the employees is unusually high, which proves that employees have a good working environment. In 2010 K. Hansen Transport was elected the ITD company of the year and have earlier been very close to being awarded the title of Transport Company of the Year and the Work place of the Year. In addition to this our apprentices have achieved very fine placing in national as well as international competitions (ITD is the Association for the Danish road transport of goods).
Dry figures:
200 skilled employees
50,000 m2 warehouse
68 own trucks supplemented by sub-haulage contractors
7,000 m2 terminal
If you would like to read more about the story behind K. Hansen Transport, you are welcome to ask for our anniversary book, which tells the story from start up until 2012. The Anniversary book can be ordered by mailing to: post@kht.dk.
