Plantion processing center in Ede flourishes with new expansion

The roots of Flower Auction Plantion reach deep. For more than a hundred years this company has been building its career as the purchasing center for flowers and plants in Ede, but also beyond. That the company has grown can also be seen in the expansion of the new processing center, carried out by Bouwbedrijf Kreeft from Ede. Project manager Rémon Liefting talks about the project.

Kreeft Construction Company is a family business in Ede that has now been in existence for almost 130 years. In that time the company has expanded considerably. Liefting: "Over the past 15 years our workforce has grown from about 30 to 130 employees. Our order book is also expanding more and more. We perform maintenance, but also many transformation and restoration projects. There is also growth in development and new construction projects. In recent years we have regularly done internal renovations at Plantion, so we were already familiar with the client."

Nice project

Although construction of the expansion was not particularly complicated, Kreeft did face a number of challenges. "These were mainly related to the time we were in during the pricing process," Liefting said. "During the period when the final plans were ready and we had to make our final price, the war in Ukraine started, with the associated equipment shortages and extreme price increases. At that time, the price stability of a large number of products was a risk for both us as a contractor and the client. Because of our long-standing good relationship and mutual trust, we were able to make clear and transparent agreements about this. As a result, it still became a feasible and beautiful project for everyone." 

In addition, preserving the existing facade required considerable customization. "A special element were the existing façade elements of the building. There is a concrete plinth in the building about 3 meters high and a very special structure was poured into it. The molds that were used for that at the time are no longer there. For that reason, we chose to insert the existing walls into the new facade." That proved to be another challenging job for Construction Company Kreeft. "We had to lift those walls out from under the existing facade. Those elements weigh about 7 tons each, so that was quite an undertaking."

A beautiful collaboration

Through good cooperation and clear agreements, Kreeft ensured that the big job was completed with a beautiful result. Not only for the customer, but also for all construction partners. "With this expansion, Plantion can facilitate its customers even better. Moreover, this project has been good for entrepreneurs in and around Ede. We have a number of regular partners with whom we have worked again, such as Nijborg Staal and Heger & Janssen roof and wall cladding. Their involvement in this project has produced another great result." 

With this result, both Kreeft and Plantion can celebrate. "We are very happy with a client like Plantion. That they dare to say in this market: here is our wallet, make something beautiful out of it, shows a lot of confidence. And when I hear the reactions, we have not betrayed that confidence."