DC Hoogsteder | Bleiswijk

Fruit and vegetable specialist Hoogsteder Groep has moved into a new distribution center at the Prisma Bedrijvenpark in Bleiswijk. The total prefabricated concrete construction - a total of 4,000 tons of concrete - was assembled in six weeks.

In the new distribution center, fruit and vegetable specialist Hoogsteder has all commercial and logistics activities under one roof. This allows it to work more efficiently. With the extra space it is ready for the future for the time being. The new distribution center features a loading pit of about 3,000 m², a distribution center of about 8,000 m² and an office of about 1,800 m². Given the relationship between developer/client WDP and Willy Naessens Nederland, with extensive experience in the construction of distribution centers, the latter naturally became the contractor for the project. 

Specialist in precast concrete
The challenge for Willy Naessens was not in the structural engineering side of the project. The construction of the distribution center consisted entirely of prefabricated concrete, which is its specialty. "We are the Dutch division of Willy Naessens Industriebouw, originating from Belgium," says Sjaak Batenburg, superintendent of Willy Naessens Netherlands. "We have our own structural engineers, draftsmen, eleven concrete plants and several in-house assembly teams. For distribution center Hoogsteder, we were responsible for the design, drawings, production and assembly."

Montage film
But even for a seasoned precast concrete supplier like Willy Naessens, the 30-week period was a challenge. It had to pull out all the stops to meet the deadline. "In the first week, we immediately started preparing the site for construction. At the same time, we started recording an assembly video. This allowed all parties involved to see how and from what angle the project was handled. On the video, moreover, all elements were marked with function - for example, "beam" or "column" - and the day and time when the element was to be assembled. Thus, the production department saw when it had to be delivered and the two assembly crews saw when it had to be placed."

Tight planning
"The schedule was tight and of course we realized that nothing could go wrong," Batenburg continues. "But thanks to the commitment of all parties and good cooperation, we met the deadline. We used two assembly crews from the very first moment. The winter was mild; it passed without frostbite. This allowed the concrete floor to be poured without any problems, even though it was the middle of winter. There were hardly any changes to the specifications. And finally, we have been working with the same, regular chain partners for years. These are an extension of our company and always willing to go the extra mile for us when necessary. Thanks to these factors, it has become a very enjoyable job."

Meanwhile, all the concrete elements of the Hoogsteder project in Bleiswijk have been assembled. The window frames and glass have been installed and Hoogsteder is in the process of furnishing the building.