'There was a lot of engineering involved'

Steel structures, stairs, balconies and balustrades

Welding and assembly company Van Pommeren provided specialist steelwork for the new Denim and Kashmir residential towers in Veenendaal. A total of 75 apartments were realized in the two buildings.

Van Pommeren made two different steel structures for the buildings, incorporating some 47 tons of steel. The company also produced, among other things, eight play staircases, ten vertical stairs, 78 French balconies and 450 meters of balustrade. Assembly leader Sylvia van Velthoven: "All parts are custom-made and there was time pressure on the project, because the crane was only available for a short time. So we had to draw, produce and assemble everything quickly. That is one of our qualities, which we were able to put to good use here."

Puzzling on limited construction site

Van Pommeren supplied a high-rise and a low-rise construction. The low-rise construction presented some challenges, Van Velthoven explains: "The construction can only bear a minimal load on the foundation because of the parking garage underneath. In addition, that part of the structure is circular, which made it extra complex. There was a lot of engineering involved."

The inner-city construction site created a logistical puzzle. Working with a regular outside engineer, everything was figured out, then fitted in house and transported to the construction site. "The supply and disposal options and storage space were limited. You don't want trucks to get stuck or our people to be unable to move on because they don't have materials. So we had to plan and deliver adequately. We delivered just-in-time with about three shipments a day. Because we do everything in-house and the construction site is not far from our production location, this actually went very well. Also because of the good communication with the foreman of main contractor De Vree en Sliepen. The cooperation was very pleasant."

This project is now in the final phase for completion, but Van Pommeren is certainly not finished in this region. Van Velthoven: "We are looking forward to the next expansion in Veenendaal center."