The society was founded in 1965 under the name "Vereniging van Rubber- Chemici en Technici". In 1982 the name was changed into "Vereniging van Kunststof- en Rubber Technologen" after merging with the Dutch Section of the PRI (Plastic & Rubber Institute, London). In 1993 the Dutch Section of the PRI joined the new founded "Institute of Materials" and separated form the VKRT. The VKRT joined in 1998 the IRCO, the International Rubber Conference Organisation.

In the period 1994-1999 a fundamental discussion took place about the position of the Society, either to continue as an independent society, to merge with a similar society in the field of plastics and rubber or joining a so called "umbrella" organisation. The necessity of this discussion had its roots in the decreasing number of members and the question how to involve/attract a larger audience. In 1999 the VKRT joined as an independent society the "Bond voor Materialenkennis". From that moment on the "Bond voor Materialenkennis" took over the VKRT office from the NVR (Nederlandse Vereniging van Rubber Fabrikanten). The NVR had taken care of the general tasks from the early days of the VKRT. In 2007 the VKRT separated from the "Bond voor Materialenkennis".