Towards an optimal construction process

Construction partner in structural systems Vilton develops, manufactures and supplies an extensive range of products and solutions to make homes and utility buildings airtight, watertight, crack-free and acoustically better. "Our products are used particularly in places where there is no access after construction," stresses commercial director Alexander de Vries. "Correct product selection and application are therefore essential. We like to meet with architects, structural engineers and contractors as early as possible to understand the building, the local conditions and the client's wishes and requirements. We then develop and produce tailor-made solutions, which we also assemble ourselves if required. This assures clients of a carefree construction process as well as an optimal end result."

Primarily, Vilton provides products and services in five categories: sealing, formwork, expansion, imposition and acoustics. "Our product range is continuously being developed and expanded to meet the construction needs of today and tomorrow," says De Vries. "In doing so, we are highly committed to improving quality, accelerating and easing the construction process, reducing construction costs and preventing failure costs. Prefabrication plays a prominent role in this. At our factory in Lelystad, our products are prepared under the best conditions and in a timely manner, so that concrete factories, carpentry factories and hull builders can seamlessly incorporate them into their elements. This not only enables faster construction, with fewer hands, but also guarantees a 100% airtight, watertight and crack-free building."

Innovations in airtight and crack-free construction

A great example of an innovation is the Vilton crawl hatch, with which Vilton is capitalizing on airtight building trends, among other things. "Special about the hatch is the plastic mat edge, which rests on a Vilton E10 sealing tape and seals the creep hatch completely air- and gas-tight. In addition, the hatch is very easy and significantly faster to assemble." Also unique is the development of the Vilton housing slider for ground-level homes. "In the earthquake area of Groningen, we are handling several projects, protecting homes from earthquake damage," explains operations director Bert van den Brink. "In high-rise projects, we have long been using Vilton Base Isolation sliders, which are placed on top of the foundation and, thanks to this decoupling, make reinforcing and reinforcing buildings unnecessary. The sliders can accommodate up to 20 inches of displacement without moving the superstructure, giving residents the assurance of a safe home. Last year we further developed this application for ground-level homes, working closely with the contractor, structural engineer and project developer. The first projects have now been successfully completed."

The above project is a nice calling card for Vilton's services, which also applies to the new construction of 455 homes in Rotterdam Katendrecht. "For project De Groene Kaap, we were commissioned by contractor Stebru to do the dilatations, the waterproofing of the parking garage and crane piers, and the water- and airtightening of the facades, among other things," says Van den Brink. "An extensive project, in which, in addition to water- and airtight construction, sustainability and limiting waste streams were also central, about which we were happy to think along. Our account managers are always looking for projects in which we can contribute our knowledge and expertise from the very first moment. Moreover, we have our own engineering department, which takes care of the calculations and drawings. After production, our assembly service guarantees seamless processing. If the contractor prefers to handle the application in-house, this is of course also possible. In that case, our technical advisors provide comprehensive work instructions and on-site demonstrations."

Reduction of reverberation time

In addition to new homes and utility buildings, Vilton is regularly active in renovation projects. For example, to calculate, draw, produce and install acoustic solutions that reduce long reverberation times and high noise levels. De Vries: "We have developed our Silent Building approach for the acoustic improvement of spaces, which takes us back to our roots. Clients can choose from a wide range of felt systems and visuals, in all conceivable shapes and colors, which guarantee excellent room acoustics and aesthetics. A good example of this is Wildlands Adventure Zoo in Emmen, where we have continued the gray and black facade cladding of the theater inside, in a sound-absorbing material. But our Silent Building solutions also come into their own in gymnasiums and office buildings, for example."