Facade specialist combines aesthetics, engineering and collaboration

New facade gives DC face

In Zwolle, contractor Ten Brinke built a sustainable distribution center of nearly 25,000 square meters for flooring specialist Cotap. The building should ensure more efficient logistics. Facade and roof specialist Elan Varsseveld BV provided the wind and watertight outer shell and gave the building a characteristic appearance.

For Elan, this was already the fourth project with contractor Ten Brinke in a year. "We know each other well and know what we have in common," says director Kayh Arink. "When the cooperation runs smoothly, you see that reflected in the end result. Just good communication, that works." A delivery of panels with a production error was quickly picked up by the entire team so there was no delay.

As conceived by the architect

Elan was involved from the beginning in the construction process of the distribution center with 23,000 square meters of warehouse space and 1,600 square meters of office space. For the Cotap hall, sandwich panels were chosen as the basis, supplemented with point profiles to give the whole more dynamism. The entrance was given a wood finish, to make it a whole, as the architect envisioned. "When we have been there, the building has a face. You see immediate results," Arink says. 

Courses and specialists

Thanks to its specialization in distribution centers and commercial buildings, Elan knows exactly what is needed for good execution. Arink: "We make sure that what the architect comes up with theoretically is also realistically feasible." Elan's role has changed in recent years, he observes. From purchasing to structural calculations, drawing and assembly: everything is done in-house. In the preliminary phase, for example, Elan helps think about wind and snow loads, wind and water tightness, logistics and the most practical feasibility of the plans. "More and more specialized knowledge is needed for this. We relieve the contractor in this area." 

The roof and wall specialist ensures that all employees are always up to date with the latest developments in their field. "We are a member of IFBS (Internationaler Verband für den Metallleichtbau) - the German trade association for steel building systems. We have to meet its requirements and we are constantly being inspected for that. Our employees regularly attend industry-specific courses and training at Ketlitz Facade and Roof Consulting, for example, and our staff is VCA certified."