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A Dutch contractor is erecting a distribution center in Emmerich, Germany. The center will soon include 20,000 m² of storage space and 1,000 m² of office space. The entire project will be built by Dutch professionals and delivered turnkey.
Germany is already a familiar working area for Tara Bouw. It has built distribution halls for several large companies, often with large volumes. The Convent distribution center in Emmerich, Germany, is intended for the storage of plastic granulates and is being built in two phases. Phase I - 12,000 m² - will be delivered turnkey in September 2019. Phase II - another 9,000 m² - started in April. The challenges faced by Tara Bouw in this regard hardly differ from those in the Netherlands.
Tara Bouw is based in Doetinchem - close to the German border - and that has certainly made the move to build for German clients easier. No traffic jams, short travel times and little competition from the Netherlands: Paul Bockting, director of Tara Bouw, sees almost only advantages. "Communication does happen in German," he says. "We had to study German regulations carefully. Only German products are allowed in Germany, certified according to the German certification system. But once you know what to look out for, it's very transparent."
Germans tend to choose a concrete shell for DCs;
The Dutch prefer steel construction.
Tara Bouw has now built a network through which works are awarded in construction teams. From specifications, design, work preparation and static calculations to construction and site layout. "The Dutch are known in the German market as good organizers," says Bockting. "Because we work with fixed partners and tight work schedules, we achieve very short construction times. But that this requires a lot of guidance and commitment from all parties is obvious. For distribution center Convent, we worked through the construction vacations and several weekends."
Only German-certified items are allowed.
A particular challenge in the first phase was the construction site in Emmerich. Bockting: "A lot of war activities took place in this area during WWII. Because the work was founded with piles, metal detections had to be carried out for each pile. These had to be pre-drilled and assessed by the German 'EOD'. This involved four to six weeks."
In terms of construction methods, Tara Bouw can build as it sees fit. "German contractors generally choose concrete structures; in connection with construction speed, we prefer steel structures for distribution centers. That choice actually never causes any problems and works faster. Phase I went according to plan. Of course we - like the entire construction world - are faced with a shortage of professionals, but here we reap the benefits of permanent partners. These go the extra mile for us to meet deadlines. Phase I was delivered to Covent & Schramm Grundbesitz GmbH in September; Phase II will follow at the end of September 2020."
