De Spijkermaker

The Nail Maker, on the Piet van Thiel square in Beek en Donk, symbolises the metal industry in Beek en Donk and the nail makers in particular. The statue was unveiled in 1993 by Theo Vereijken, then deputy mayor of the then independent municipality of Beek en Donk, and former nailmaker Toon Engels. That the statue stands on the Piet van Thielplein is no coincidence. Piet van Thiel, born in 1816 in Beek en Donk, started a nail factory/forge in 1842. In the early years, Van Thiel's nails were mainly used for shipbuilding. When metal started to make its appearance, the Van Thiel factory switched to rivets. The statue of the Nail Maker was erected in honour of Thibo's 150th anniversary. A company that evolved from Piet van Thiel's nail factory. The nail industry, set up by Van Thiel, has meant a lot to Beek en Donk. In 1860, the company came to sit beside the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal. In those years, people in Beek en Donk were either farmers or employees of Van Thiel. In Beek en Donk, it was impossible to avoid Van Thiel. The Van Thiels were the founders of the O&U brass band, were at the beginning of the housing association and played an important role in the establishment of the Leonarduskerk and the parish at the end of the nineteenth century. They were also the first to have electric light in Beek en Donk.