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Prefabricated construction is gaining ground - and fast. Where previously carpenters and finishing specialists spent weeks working on site, a compact and controlled process is now emerging in the factory. Two North Holland companies, Zicht Bouw and IBS Afbouw, have found each other in this playing field. Since September 2024, they have been working together on small-scale precast projects, and with 35 joint orders, the tone has now been set.
Zicht Bouw and sister company Zicht Dakopbouw focus entirely on prefab additions, build-ups and dormers. The principle is clear, says co-owner Sybren de Vries: “Prefab means control, speed and less inconvenience. We can prepare and assemble complete elements in our warehouse. No long construction site activities, no dependence on the weather. With an overhead crane we put the elements in place in one go. That's efficient and better for our people.”
At the 1,100 m² production site in Zwaag, the HSB frames are assembled on a production line. Zicht Bouw focuses on the carpentry work. Installations, plastering and painting are outsourced to specialized partners. One of those specialized partners is IBS Afbouw, which has been partly responsible for the facade insulation and finishing since last year. De Vries. “As far as cladding is concerned, almost anything is possible. If it involves stone strips or decorative plaster, IBS Afbouw takes care of the assembly in our warehouse. All other cladding we do ourselves with our own people. Since the start, we have completed dozens of projects together.”
For IBS Afbouw, the partnership is a valuable addition to its existing work. Marc Veenstra, owner of IBS: “We do a lot of project-based renovation assignments. Zicht Bouw's smaller prefab assignments fit in perfectly with this on a plan basis. Moreover, prefab is fully in line with the future of construction: faster, cleaner and with fewer operations on site.” In facade finishing, IBS works exclusively with A-brands. “That applies to large corporation projects, but just as much for a single extension,” Veenstra explains. “For Zicht Bouw we use Sto EPS boards, glued with Sto Coll Mineral HP - a fire-resistant adhesive mortar especially for wooden substrates. This is followed by stone strips, decorative plaster or other finishes. You can see that this gives a precast element the appearance of a fully traditional facade.”
The collaboration tastes like more. “Prefab is not only efficient, but offers opportunities to industrialize parts of the construction process,” Veenstra continues. “We are currently working on plans for our own production line for precast HSB façade elements, partly robotized. Our goal is to also start supplying small-scale precast elements ourselves starting next year. This fits in perfectly with the work we have been doing for years and small-scale projects such as for Zicht Bouw.” With their shared focus on quality, speed and smart construction methods, Zicht Bouw and IBS Afbouw complement each other perfectly. Their collaboration shows how prefab is coming of age in small-scale construction projects: industrial where it can be done, flexible where it must be done. For both companies, this is not a temporary project but a strategic step forward. And as De Vries puts it, “When you can build on each other, prefab is only really powerful.”
