The Dutch reputation for being happy with a C+ is undeserved, according to HP/de Tijd. The magazine carries a list of 50 Dutch facts which, it says, are worthy of an A- at least.

A selection: Groningen firm Avebe is the world’s biggest producer of potato starch. De Boer International in Alkmaar is the world’s biggest tent hire company. Almelo’s Ten Cate is the world’s biggest producer of artificial grass for sport fields.
The Netherlands is the world’s biggest importer and exporter of flowers and plants.
Brabant firm Vion slaughters 19 million pigs a year, making it the world’s number three. The VanDrie group in Apeldoorn is world market leader for veal, processing 1.4 million calves a year. Stork is world market leader in producing conveyor systems to slaughter chickens.
The Netherlands has the world’s biggest inland shipping fleet – 8,600 vessels. Edam company Boon is the world’s number one for producing revolving doors and the Dutch scientific dictionary Het Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal is the world’s biggest dictionary, with between 350,000 and 400,000 words.