The history of Arbin
With roots dating back almost a century, Arbin is a family-owned business that has emerged as a pioneer in the field of respiratory protection equipment.
Every day, we strive to develop improvements and innovative techniques based on the latest technological advancements. Our priority is to cater to the needs of our users by offering reliable and durable products.
At Arbin, we take immense pride in our rich heritage and our commitment to providing top-quality equipment.
1916
The first breathing protection hood
In the 19th century, the van der Grinten family invented a dye to colour margarine yellow. However, during the dye production process, various substances were released, resulting in the discolouration of workers’ skin. To protect them from these hazardous substances, Frans van der Grinten created the very first breathing hood in 1916, known as the VanderGrinten hood. Initially developed for internal use, the hood soon gained popularity and was supplied to other companies as well.
1958
Creation of Arbin Veiligheid BV
In 1958, a new company, Arbin Veiligheid BV, was founded to focus exclusively on the production of respiratory protection hoods. Under the leadership of Henk van der Grinten, the company emerged as a market leader in respiratory protection in the Benelux countries.
1989
Expansion of the product range
In 1989, the business was passed down to the next generation. Karel van der Grinten rebranded it as Arbin Personal Protection BV and significantly expanded the product range. In addition to respiratory protection, Arbin introduced chemical protective clothing, gas filters, and helmets. The company witnessed substantial growth in exports, reaching customers worldwide.
2002
Acquisition by North Safety Products
In 2002, North Safety Products, a prominent U.S. manufacturer of personal protective equipment, acquired Arbin. Eventually, in 2008, North Safety Products itself was acquired by Honeywell.
2013
Arbin Safety Products
In 2013, Karel van der Grinten and Jurriaan Suurenbroek embarked on a new venture, founding Arbin Safety Products. The company’s objective was to develop and market an innovative range of respiratory protection equipment, leading to the creation of the Arbin Kite.
2023
The modernised VanderGrinten hood
After several years of dedicated development, we launched a completely revamped version of the VanderGrinten hood that meets the latest technical requirements, fulfilling the demands expressed by users.
2023
Team enlargement
Karel van der Grinten recently transferred ownership of Arbin Safety Products, which allows him to concentrate entirely on research and product development. Patrick, Jarno, and Thabo Lambreghts make up the new management team, although all the familiar people still work for the company to maintain continuity.
Now
The success of the Kite Pro range
In 2023, following extensive research and incorporating valuable customer feedback, we introduced the Arbin Kite Pro range. This new line of equipment combines the advantages of different types of respiratory protection into a single, comfortable, and reliable device – the Kite Pro, an easy-to-use powered respirator. The Kite Pro line has received glowing reviews both domestically and internationally.
