Lucas Bols beverages. (In a later divestiture, these brands became part of Campari Group). Through the 1980s, Bols continued to expand its range of non-alcoholic beverages with particular emphasis on the Italian and Swiss markets. Already a leading producer of alcoholic beverages in its home country, Bols became the dominant producer of genever with its 1986 acquisition of Rotterdam based . In addition, this allowed Bols to vertically integrate itself, as Henkes had a network of retail liquor stores in the Netherlands. In 1988, Bols acquired "Strothmann Brennereien GmbH & Co AG.", instantly giving it the largest market share in the Korn
Eric Bols Bols was finally offered the command of the 6th Airborne Division in 1944, he had not previously commanded a military formation as large as a division. Bols took command shortly before Christmas of 1944, superseding the previous General Officer Commanding (GOC), Major General Richard Gale, who had raised the division and commanded it during Operation Tonga, the British airborne landings in Normandy. He was granted the acting rank of major general from 6 December 1944. When he took command the division, comprising James Hill's 3rd and Nigel Poett's 5th Parachute Brigades and Edwin Flavell's 6th Airlanding Brigades along with supporting