Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
On the Saxe Gotha industrial estate in Boxmeer, VTS“ brand new pharma warehouse is rising. The modern 32,080 m² building will be built against the current main location and will provide space for approximately 50,000 pallet spaces (ambient and refrigerated) in a high bay warehouse. ”Activities on different levels ensure optimal space utilization, while thirty loading docks guarantee efficient logistics,“ says Chris van den Biggelaar, project manager at Bouwbedrijf van de Ven. ”In addition, ample attention is paid to sustainability and greenery. Most special for us, however, is the parking deck with last-mile zone on the roof of the expedition, where our craftsmen have to deal with specific details in which their craftsmanship clearly comes to the fore."
Construction company van de Ven has a key role in this project. The Veghel family business is not only responsible for the complete construction of the pharma warehouse, but is relieving VTS from A to Z. “We arranged the architectural and construction drawings and are responsible for the electrical, mechanical and sprinkler systems,” Van den Biggelaar says. “In addition, we are responsible for the refrigeration techniques, infrastructure work, roof garden and site design.” In order to comply with Natura 2000 regulations and prevent the landscape from being spoiled, Bouwbedrijf van de Ven worked with VTS to find an optimum between functionality and the most efficient plot layout. “However, we ran into a problem with the number of parking spaces. So we decided to go up in height.”
The high-rise warehouse has a height of 20 meters, says Van den Biggelaar. “The expedition part next to it is considerably lower, creating space for a parking roof with 229 parking spaces and a last-mile zone with 51 bus parking spaces on the roof. From the parking deck, VTS gains access to last-mile distribution on the second floor. Here VTS drivers can load their cars and continue their route to wholesalers, pharmacies, hospitals, healthcare facilities, veterinarians and/or vaccination centers. In this way, we get the maximum return from the lot.”
The challenge here is to achieve excellent waterproofing because the parking deck will be on top of an air-conditioned shipping zone. “The intensity of the parking deck is high because it is used daily by several hundred employees,” Van den Biggelaar illustrates. “Because VTS drives cars into the building via the parking deck, extra attention is also needed to make and keep the details watertight. Craftsmanship is paramount here.”
An important requirement for the new building is the temperatures in the building because pharmaceutical products are stored there. In the ambient area, the temperature is 20°C and in the cold storage area 5°C. “Moreover, because VTS facilitates many international transports, we have to deal with transport peaks at the beginning and end of the week,” said Van den Biggelaar. “To ensure that all trucks can load and unload their products efficiently and quickly, explicit attention has been paid to the logistics processes and shipping capacity. The new building will soon have thirty loading docks and sufficient space to prepare freights for transport in a timely manner.”
Construction started in September 2024. “The entire hall is built of a steel structure and a roof of hollow-core slabs, with a compression layer and bituminous roofing on top, which was then fitted with insulation and a concrete floor,” Van den Biggelaar explains. “The facades of the warehouse feature horizontal sandwich panels in two colors. The walls have sandwich panels with a higher insulation value than in a ‘standard’ warehouse, which benefits the climate in the building.” The sandwich panels are interspersed with decorative bands and Alucobond frames.
The waste heat from the refrigeration plant is efficiently used to heat the remaining spaces. “This project will receive a BREEAM-NL Excellent certification. Therefore, wherever possible, sustainable and recyclable materials will be used. Think of recyclable sandwich panels and a steel structure, but also concrete products that can be given a circular life in the future. The sandwich panels are supplied with a buy-back guarantee.” Both the office and warehouse will be delivered gas-free. “And there are solar panels on the roof, which provide part of the energy demand. In addition, sustainable lighting has been chosen throughout the building and the flora and fauna in the region and the adjacent nature reserve are taken into account.”
Just before the 2025 construction period, the structural work was completed. The finishing of the offices began in September, Van den Biggelaar concludes. “The office section has three floors, which are stepped up. On each floor we are creating a roof terrace with walkways and lots of greenery.” The facades are composed of curtain walls with Alucobond trim and wood-look panel infills. “And nothing is lacking inside either. A high-quality finish creates a pleasant working environment for the future users.”
