Future-proof and sustainable headquarters for Jimmy Products

Main contractor Hanse BV is building a new headquarters in Ridderkerk on behalf of Jimmy Products BV. Jimmy Products BV is a manufacturer of popcorn, nachos and dips. The building will be built on the Dutch Fresh Port business park. This new business park for exclusively circular and sustainably operating agri-food companies gives JIMMY'S the space to realize sustainable ambitions.

The development was started over two and a half years ago by Fakton Development from Rotterdam, acting as delegated developer for Jimmy Products BV. After a year of development, contact was made with Hanse BV, after which a construction team was put together with architect Kort Geytenbeek from Zierikzee, structural engineer van Roekel van Roekel from Rhenen, installer Barth from 's-Gravendeel and technical consulting firm Feniks from Utrecht. The various parties already knew each other from collaborations in previous projects and were well attuned to each other.

In the summer of 2023, the new construction started. Project Manager Eric van Hoeve of Hanse BV: "For us this is a turnkey project, which we are realizing including the finishing and site layout. At the moment the work in the office is still in full swing, but in the warehouse the production hall has already been realized and Jimmy Products BV is starting to furnish the production equipment." The three-story office has an area of approximately 1,400 m² GLA and the warehouse offers approximately 14,000 m² GLA of space for storage and production and provides 20 loading docks. The production hall located in the industrial hall, a "box within a box," is 3,000 m² in size.

John van den Kleyenberg, project manager of Fakton Development BV, explains what is special about the project: namely, the project will be fully realized under the BREEAM 'Excellent' certificate. In the new building, JIMMY'S integrates sustainability solutions such as wind and solar energy and biogas, as well as a special separate drainage system for waste, rain and process water. In addition, the new accommodation enables the company to house its headquarters, production, packaging, warehouse and distribution in a single building of over 15,400 m² GLA and thus operate more efficiently.

The size of the project and the high level of sustainability make it a special project for Hanse BV, even a flagship. Van Hoeve: "Building at the level of detail required and the level of sustainability we don't come across in every project. Sustainability is in every aspect here. From the building installation including the solar field installed on the roof, the infill of the production hall to the separation of waste streams on the construction site and the monitoring of logistics to and on the construction site."

Good construction route

After completing the construction team phase, pile driving and subsequent construction of the foundation began fairly quickly. Van Hoeve: "We developed a very efficient construction route so that the steel structure, facade and roof cladding could be installed in quick succession. As a result, the building was soon wind and watertight. After that, the focus was on finishing the hall, so that building up the production hall could be started and then fitting it out." 

So far, construction is going well, he indicates. "The first six months we had water problems due to the heavy rain, but we were able to quickly switch with our construction partners to install additional drainage. By now, the coat is on. Right now we are working with several subcontractors at the same time, in multiple construction streams. That requires good coordination." The material choices for the closed facades, the open curtain wall of the office and the composite finish of the various facade parts give the building a very nice look. On the top floor of the office, adjacent to the company restaurant is a walk-out to the roof terrace.

In this project, Barth Installatietechniek BV in cooperation with Feniks installation consultants has an important role. "They jointly advise on the installation. Barth has a lot of in-house knowledge that we were able to add at an early stage in the process. As a construction team, we have one interest: to ensure that we realize a good end product for the client. That's why we also have things inspected by the client in advance, so we can keep the quality high. Upon completion, Jimmy Products BV is ready for the future."