DC Fetim | Amsterdam

Mega distribution center built in record time

Eight soccer fields. That's the size of the new distribution center for Fetim Group at Amsterdam's Atlaspark. Construction combination Hercuton/Remco Ruimtebouw tackled this immense new construction project integrally and delivered within a year.

Appelhoven Vastgoedontwikkeling developed the large-scale distribution center, which is also sustainable with a BREEAM Very Good certification. "In Hercuton and Remco Ruimtebouw we found the parties who could realize such a building," says developer Pim Appel. "They came out well in the tender phase in price and quality. Moreover, we already knew Hercuton as a solution-oriented party with whom it is pleasant to work together." Ivo van der Mark, director of Hercuton and Remco Ruimtebouw, among others, adds, "From our integral approach, we thought along at an early stage on the design and implementation of the distribution center. From the preliminary phase, we worked together with Appelhoven and coordinated all activities. That paid off in execution."

For now and the future
With a gross floor area of 61,000 m², 54 loading docks, 10 ground level doors and 8,000 m² mezzanine floor, the distribution center fits Fetim Group's needs seamlessly. "At the same time, the distribution center is not custom made," Appel emphasizes. "The building must also be suitable for future tenants. That's why we equipped it with standard loading docks and a standard clear height of 12.20 meters. The floor load is 5,000 kg/m² and the building is fully sprinklered." The indoor office is executed in loft architecture, one of Hercuton's building concepts. It is characterized by its open structure, high ceilings and industrial look. "We paid a lot of attention to the accommodation comfort," says Van der Mark. "The new office is a nice, light and pleasant workplace."

Cycling to the canteen
"The building is really big," Van der Mark reiterates. "If you walk around it, you cover almost a kilometer and a half. And it's about 600 meters from one end of the hall to the other. That brings interesting situations. Employees will soon go from the hall on bikes to the canteen, and during construction we rode quads back and forth." In execution, everything was big and a lot. For example, 16,000 piles had to go into the ground. Van der Mark continues: "On top of the piling, we applied a concrete floor. Then we built the steel structure. We sealed the facades with a concrete plinth and sandwich facade elements. The roof is plastic."

Quality assured
Hercuton and Remco Ruimtebouw realized the distribution center according to the Building Quality Assurance Act (Wkb). This makes the building consortium responsible for building in accordance with the drawings, advisory reports and the Buildings Decree. Quality assurance company Seconed checks this during the design and execution process with Technical Inspection Services (TIS). "That works extremely well," says Van der Mark. "We keep building records with which we guarantee the quality of our work from day one. Thanks to Seconed's inspections, we know after each phase whether we are meeting all the requirements. And, where necessary, we can make timely adjustments." Appel adds: "For the investor, the technical checks are especially nice. It allows him to see that the quality of the distribution center, and thus his investment, is guaranteed."

Less than one year
In November 2018, the construction consortium completed the first of three phases. On Feb. 1, 2019, just 11 months after the start of construction, the official final acceptance took place.