The VeKa Group has its origin in the Versluis family, which earned its bread in inland navigation. However, the father, Piet, did not remain an inland navigator, seeing more opportunities in the trade in inland navigation vessels. In 1988 he set up VeKa (Piet Versluis and Jan Kapel). After two years, partner Kapel decided to do something different and left the company. The name, however, remained and the company expanded to become the VeKa Group of today: a shipyard with a comprehensive order book plus seven allied companies and shipyards in Werkendam, Lemmer (Bijlsma shipyard) and Heusden (Teamco finishing company). VeKa Scheepsbouw specialises in the construction of various types of vessels. The hulls are primarily sourced from foreign shipyards and then completed in the Netherlands.

In 1995, when father and mother Versluis stepped down from the company, VeKa received a request to take on a new ship construction project, which a year later resulted in the delivery of the first ship. Successes followed in quick succession, not least because VeKa continually invested in quality and knowledge as well as in competent and motivated staff. The company also responded directly and efficiently to the needs and wishes of the market, which quickly resulted in the expansion of the construction and finishing sites in the Netherlands. What started with one ship in 1995 had expanded to 50 by 2009 and currently stands at more than 200.