What Trekhaakcentrum does

Trekhaakcentrum.nl BV is a Dutch specialist in towbar (trekhaak) sales and installation, headquartered in Made, North Brabant, and operating through more than 100 branches across the Netherlands under a combination of direct and franchise ownership. The company serves individual Dutch car owners who need a towbar for towing a caravan, trailer, or boat, or for mounting a bike carrier, with additional segments covering pickup-truck owners requiring heavy-duty flenskogel towbars, motorhome owners needing custom chassis modifications for brands such as Hymer, Carthago, Burstner, Knaus, Dethleffs, Adria, and Chausson, and electric and hybrid vehicle owners — including a specialized RMC-Trekhaak product for EVs not officially rated for towing. Its core offering is a bundled towbar product (fixed, removable, foldable, or electric foldaway) combined with the appropriate 7- or 13-pin wiring harness and professional installation, sold at an all-inclusive transparent price that includes a lifetime transferable warranty on installation work and a free loaner car during service.

The business runs on a license-plate-based online configurator (kentekentool / kentekenconfigurator) that identifies the correct towbar model and price for any vehicle and feeds into branch-level appointment scheduling, supported by A-brand towbar supplier relationships with Brink (formerly Thule Towing), Westfalia, Oris (formerly Bosal), and GDW. Distribution is exclusively through owned and franchised physical installation branches — there is no e-commerce shipment of physical towbars — with digital channels (organic SEO across hundreds of vehicle-specific pages, the configurator, ANWB member-discount partnership, Klantenvertellen review platform, phone, and chat) functioning as the demand-generation layer that drives customers to a same-day branch visit. The company complements its towbar install business with an accessories stream that includes the exclusive TowMotive in-house bike carrier sub-brand, Yakima FoldClick carriers, loading ramps, breakaway cables, and overrun brakes, lifting average revenue per customer beyond the core installation ticket. Founded around 2006 with founder Ad van Strien credited as the developer of the afneembare (detachable) towbar concept (1993, production 1999), the company is privately held as a Dutch BV with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or subsidiaries.

Name

Trekhaakcentrum

Legal name

Trekhaakcentrum.nl BV

Website

https://trekhaakcentrum.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Trekhaakcentrum is a Dutch towbar installation specialist selling fixed, removable, foldable, and electric towbars with wiring and same-day installation across 100+ Netherlands branches, serving individual passenger-car, EV, pickup, and motorhome owners via an online license-plate configurator and franchise network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Made

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Towbar Product + Installation: Core revenue stream from selling a towbar (fixed, removable, foldable, or electric foldaway) inclusive of professional installation at one of 100+ Dutch branches. Price is determined by vehicle make/model via the online configurator.
2. Wiring Harness / Cable Sets: Sales of 7-pin and 13-pin wiring harness kits required for electrical connectivity between vehicle and trailer/caravan. Always included in all-inclusive package.
3. Bike Carriers and Accessories: Sales of bike carriers (Yakima FoldClick, TowMotive e-bike series) and accessories such as license plates for bike racks, loading ramps, breakaway cables, and overrun brakes. Available as standalone purchases or combination packages with towbars.
4. Camper Trekhaak Custom Installation: Specialized towbar installation for motorhomes (Hymer, Carthago, Burstner, Knaus, Dethleffs, Adria, Chausson) requiring custom chassis modifications. Billed as a custom quote based on vehicle specifics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trekhaakcentrum sells and professionally installs complete towbar packages (towbar, wiring harness, and labor) for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and motorhomes at 100+ branches across the Netherlands. Each package is priced all-inclusively per vehicle via an online license-plate configurator and installed same-day with a transferable lifetime warranty and free loaner car. The company also sells complementary accessories such as bike carriers, loading ramps, breakaway cables, overrun brakes, and license plates for bike racks.

Product overview

Trekhaakcentrum is the largest towbar installation specialist in the Netherlands, offering a comprehensive range of towbar products and installation services. The core offering consists of towbars (trekhaken) available in fixed, removable (vertically, horizontally, and diagonally detachable), foldable, and electrically operated retractable variants, along with specialized camper towbars. The product portfolio includes cable sets (kabelsets), bicycle carriers (fietsendragers), loading ramps (oprijgoten), breakaway cables (losbreekkabels), and overrun brakes (oploopremmen). Installation is performed at 100+ locations across the Netherlands with same-day service, lifetime warranty on installation, and complimentary loaner vehicles. The company serves all car brands and offers an online towbar configurator tool for customer quote requests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TowMotive: Own brand of bicycle carriers, including TowMotive e-bike Premium II and III models
• Trekhaakcentrum.nl

Products and services

• Trekhaak (Towbar) Towbars for passenger cars, vans, and campers available in fixed, removable (vertical/horizontal/diagonal), foldable, flange ball, and fully electric foldaway variants, sold together with professional installation.
• Camper Trekhaak (Camper Towbar) Specialized towbars for motorhomes and campers, often requiring chassis modifications or extensions, offered with a custom quote based on vehicle specifics.
• Kabelset (Wiring Harness / Cable Set) Electrical wiring harnesses in 7-pin and 13-pin configurations for connecting the towbar to trailers, caravans, and boat trailers, included in every all-inclusive installation package.
• Fietsendrager (Bicycle Carrier) Towbar-mounted bicycle carriers for transporting bikes and e-bikes, including Yakima FoldClick models (2 and 3 bike) and the exclusive TowMotive e-bike Premium line (2 and 3 bike).
• Trekhaakmontage (Towbar Installation Service) Professional towbar installation service at 100+ Dutch branches with same-day completion, transferable lifetime warranty on installation work, and free loaner car during the visit.
• RMC-Trekhaak (EV / Hybrid Bike-Carrier Towbar) Specialized towbar for electric or hybrid vehicles without official towing capacity on their registration, enabling bicycle carrier use only.
• Losbreekkabel / Veiligheidskabel (Breakaway Safety Cable) Safety cables for trailers that activate the handbrake if the trailer becomes disconnected from the towing vehicle.
• Oplooprem (Overrun Brake) Trailer braking system that automatically engages when the towing vehicle brakes, required for trailers over 750 kg.
• Oprijgoot (Loading Ramp) Loading ramps for bicycle carriers that allow heavy e-bikes to be rolled onto the carrier without lifting.
• Kentekenplaat voor Fietsendrager (Bicycle Carrier License Plate) Required white license plates for towbar-mounted bicycle carriers, compliant with Dutch regulations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ towbar installations completed
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• auto.nl (#zorgheldenauto initiative)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020During the COVID-19 pandemic, Trekhaakcentrum supported the auto.nl #zorgheldenauto initiative by providing 10 cars to healthcare workers who needed personal transportation. This CSR partnership generated positive press coverage.
• ANWBcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerANWB, the Dutch automobile association with millions of members, offers Trekhaakcentrum as a preferred towbar installation provider. ANWB members receive a dedicated discount on towbar installation via a special referral URL. This partnership provides Trekhaakcentrum with access to a large, high-intent customer base of Dutch drivers, caravan enthusiasts, and cyclists.
• KlantenvertellenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrekhaakcentrum collects and displays customer reviews through the Klantenvertellen platform. Review badges are prominently shown on the website homepage, building trust with prospective customers.
• Brink (formerly Thule Towing)coreTechnology or IntegrationBrink is one of the world's largest towbar manufacturers (over 100 years of experience, 2,000+ towbar models produced annually, 200 new models developed each year). Trekhaakcentrum sources A-brand towbars directly from Brink and mounts them as the most commonly installed brand. Brink NEXT electric foldaway towbar is a flagship product offered by Trekhaakcentrum.
• Oris (formerly Bosal)coreTechnology or IntegrationOris (formerly Bosal) is a market-leading towbar manufacturer known for innovative removable and electric foldaway towbars. Trekhaakcentrum mounts Oris products, including the Oris E3 fully electric foldaway towbar available for select models (Audi Q3/Q6, BMW 3/5/X3/X4, Mercedes E-Class, Skoda Octavia IV/Kodiaq, VW T-Roc/Golf 8).
• WestfaliacoreTechnology or IntegrationGerman towbar manufacturer renowned for top-quality products and German engineering rigor. Westfalia also produces motorhome products. Trekhaakcentrum mounts Westfalia towbars as part of its A-brand range.
• GDWcoreTechnology or IntegrationBelgian family-owned towbar manufacturer (since 1952) with 5 production centers in Belgium, France, and Denmark. GDW uses laser and cutting technologies for a perfect fit and develops new towbar models annually for new vehicle releases. Trekhaakcentrum mounts GDW towbars as part of its product range.
• Yakima (FoldClick bike carriers)coreTechnology or IntegrationYakima is a leading global brand for bike carriers. Trekhaakcentrum sells and installs Yakima FoldClick 2 EVO and FoldClick 3 EVO bike carriers, which use a 'just click' mounting system. Yakima FoldClick EVO was rated best in the ANWB bike carrier test 2025. Trekhaakcentrum offers combination packages (towbar + bike carrier) with exclusive discounts.
• TowMotive (e-bike carriers)coreTechnology or IntegrationTowMotive is a bike carrier brand available exclusively through Trekhaakcentrum. The TowMotive e-bike II Premium (for 2 bikes, 17.5 kg, 60 kg load capacity) and TowMotive e-bike III Premium (for 3 bikes, 19 kg, 60 kg load) are lightweight, foldable, and equipped with wheels for easy maneuvering. Trekhaakcentrum also offers TowMotive bike ramps as accessories.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Halfords: UK-based automotive parts, accessories and service retailer with national branches offering installation services. Conceptually analogous to Trekhaakcentrum's nationwide installation-led retail model for aftermarket motor vehicle accessories, though with broader product scope.
• Carglass: European specialist automotive installation service (windshield repair and replacement) operating a high-density branch network across the Netherlands. Closely comparable to Trekhaakcentrum's model of a specialist installer with strong branch coverage and standardized service delivery.
• Norauto: European multi-service automotive chain covering tires, exhausts, brakes and accessories with installation at branch locations. Comparable to Trekhaakcentrum as a multi-country auto aftermarket service retailer that combines parts sale and professional installation.

Broad incumbents

• Speedy: UK-based garage service chain operating hundreds of branches offering a wide range of automotive maintenance and accessory installation. Comparable to Trekhaakcentrum as a multi-branch vehicle service retailer with installation capability, though broader in service mix.
• Kwik-Fit: European tire and automotive service chain with significant branch density across the Netherlands. Comparable as a broad automotive aftermarket service retailer, though its core focus is tires rather than towbars and accessories.
• Feu Vert: French-rooted European automotive service and accessories retailer with branches in multiple markets. Comparable to Trekhaakcentrum as a multi-branch auto aftermarket service retailer with installation services, although serving a broader product set.

Regional players

• ATU: Leading German automotive aftermarket service chain with hundreds of branches offering parts and installation. Comparable to Trekhaakcentrum's specialist installer footprint, though primarily regional to Germany and broader in product scope.

Others

• Thule: Swedish-based global leader in roof racks, bike carriers and towbars (via Brink). Comparable as an upstream product supplier and adjacent in product category for bike carriers and related vehicle accessories.
• Brink: Netherlands-based towbar manufacturer (now part of Thule) that is Trekhaakcentrum's primary supplier of A-brand towbar products including the flagship Brink NEXT electric foldaway. Comparable as a key strategic supplier in the value chain.
• Westfalia: German towbar manufacturer renowned for high-quality products and motorhome towbar expertise. Comparable as a strategic supplier to Trekhaakcentrum, with overlapping specialism in European caravan and motorhome towbar applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trekhaakcentrum