Stout Construction and Interduct have been working closely together since 2010. Project Manager Jos Pruijssen says, “Being open with people is the foundation of the rapport we share.”

Stout Construction has been in business since 1908. After 114 years in Hardinxveld-Giessendam, the company is now based in Sliedrecht. Stout builds homes, offices, schools, and healthcare facilities. Mainly new construction—though its sister company, Lagendijk-Stout, does have a renovation division.

Our partnership in pictures

Stout originally specialized in commercial construction, but around 2010, it began to focus more on residential construction. That’s also when Bemar, a division of Interduct, came into the picture. For this interview, Jos looked it up in the records: a project in Schiedam in 2010 was the first job. That marked the beginning of a long-standing partnership.

In 2015, Stout also developed its own concept home: the Stout-HUISmerk. The Interduct company Bemar became the partner for the ventilation component. “We’ve built a strong partnership and a good rapport through previous projects,” says Jos. “That’s how the co-makership for our concept came about.”

Building on expertise and trust together

Stout outsources a lot of work to subcontractors. And for good reason. “In terms of expertise, I see that Bemar is truly a specialist in the field of ventilation. That’s what we rely on. During the bidding process and the engineering phase, the company provides real technical added value.”
Jos sees a similar identity between the two companies. “Our motto is ‘People Before Buildings.’ That means we focus on the human element in our projects. We build buildings for people, but we also look at the people who work on them and the people we work for. That’s not a slogan dreamed up by an advertising agency. We came up with it ourselves. So it’s our identity.‘

He sees that quality at Interduct. “I see it in the people who’ve been there a long time, who’ve worked their way up. I myself went from being an intern to a work planner and project manager. The way we interact openly with each other is the foundation of the connection we share.”

Working together makes us strong

The partnership between the two companies is perhaps best compared to a marriage, says Jos. “There are ups and downs—it’s not all sunshine and roses. But when there are downs, you talk it out with each other. That’s what I find important in a partnership: staying connected with each other through good times and bad.”

A telling example of what collaboration can lead to: Stout contracts out the installation disciplines (plumbing, electrical, and ventilation) separately. This results in a great deal of coordination in the mechanical room. That is why, a few years ago, the construction company asked: couldn’t we make that prefabricated or more compact? Interduct took on that challenge and, together with Stout and the HVAC and electrical contractors, developed the Powertrain, an installation skid.

A look into the future

Jos believes we can expect more from this Powertrain—and perhaps other prefab solutions—in the future. The same goes for the focus on healthy living and a good indoor climate. As a builder, Stout also aims to make progress with the concept home: the goal is to eventually generate 25% of revenue from the Stout ConceptenHUIS concepts. “Interduct is part of that, too. Let’s stay in tune with the market and keep optimizing and improving. Collaboration is the key to tackling many challenges in the future.”