Hembrugterrein

Gebouw 430

Hembrugterrein

This building, called the ‘vulhuis’ (filling house) was where .50 ammo was assembled. These are cartridges with a 0.5-inch diameter. Artillerie Inrichtingen produced this ammo on behalf of the United States.
Gebouw 429 – Projectielfabriek hembrug

Projectile factory – building 429 – Hembrug

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In the wake of World War Two, the construction of this iconic factory by the water was financed from the American Marshall Plan. The Americans helped rebuild Europe by providing financial and material assistance, to counter the expansion of the communist Soviet Union. The building is a full 200 metres long, and has three floors.
Gebouw 420 Hembrug

Explosives assembly workshop – building 420 – Hembrug

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Like the identical building beside it, explosive materials were handled in this building. Impact and ignition fuzes were filled here. An impact fuze causes a grenade to explode when it hits something.
Gebouw 419 – Was- en kleedlokaal

Washing and changing room – building 419 – Hembrug

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In this space, workers who worked with explosive materials could wash and change. Like the other buildings nearby, this building was given a curved roof so that it could be used in future to produce explosives.
Gebouw 415 – Laboreerwerkplaats

Explosives assembly workshop – building 415 – Hembrug

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The explosives assembly workshop was where various types of primer were assembled and the .50 bullet was produced. A primer is a fast-burning, usually explosive mixture, such as gunpowder. There are various types. Shock-sensitive primer was used for percussion caps on cartridges.
Gebouw 414 – Munitiemagazijn

Munitions store – building 414 – Hembrug

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Munitions were prepared in the munitions store, where they were assembled, sprayed, and packed. This building is structurally weaker than the surrounding ones. Its roof is curved instead of semi-curved. Many buildings had special roof structures to limit physical damage following an explosion.
Gebouw 413A

Shell and grenade store – building 413A – Hembrug

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This building is a prime example of a factory building dating from the reconstruction period. It was here that shells and grenade casings were made and stored. In the 1980s, some of it was converted to dip baths, a workshop where grenade casings were degreased, phosphated, lacquered, and muffled.   
gebouw 382 Hembrug

Bunker – building 382 – Hembrug

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A staircase leads to a room behind steel doors. In this bunker, the staff could shelter from acts of war. The room has walls one-and-a-half metres thick, and a three-metre thick ceiling. This kept the bunker impervious to bombs and gas, but could not hold out against radioactive fallout.
Gebouw 341 – Expeditiegebouw 'Het Station', Hembrug

‘Het Station’ dispatch building – building 341 – Hembrug

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The dispatch building, nicknamed ‘Het Station,’ was the transit hut for raw materials. These arrived via the adjacent railway or by truck. This began in 1878, with the railway connecting Amsterdam and Zaandam via the Hembrug bridge.
gebouw 322A Hembrug

Cartridge shell turning shop – building 322A – Hembrug

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The building was the turning shop for cartridge shells (section A), but was later extended with the annealing line (section B). In the 1950s, the building was used to make the AR-10 rifle. This virtually indestructible weapon was the pride of Artillerie-Inrichtingen.