First aid for pipe damage

By specialist in pipe repair and renovation

Pipeline repair and renovation often involves a great deal of inconvenience to the surrounding area. However, not if it is performed by Kumpen nv. The company from Hasselt (B) actually uses so-called less-nuisance techniques and is therefore frequently engaged by Dutch clients. 

Kumpen is part of the Willemen Group, Belgium's largest family-owned construction group with more than 2,000 employees. "We have all the techniques in-house to repair and renovate pipes, without having to dig," says Gert-Jan Merkx, general manager of Kumpen. "Our vehicles are equipped according to the concept of the fire department and ambulance, but in our case then to provide immediate first aid to pipes in case of damage, such as repairing a crack locally, for example. We also specialize in relining, or in other words putting a new inner lining in a sewer, water or gas pipe to extend its residual life. We also have a department that deals with concrete repairs mainly at WWTPs, where we repair the concrete and provide it with an epoxy protective coating so that it can last for years again."

Arnhem swamp sewer renovated

Kumpen employs about 60 people throughout Belgium and the Netherlands. "We have four teams 'on the job' that focus on relining, three teams for concrete repair and three multipurpose teams for first aid for pipe damage," says Merkx. "Because we are based in Hasselt, close to the Dutch border, we can very easily defect to the Netherlands. And that happens frequently. In fact, we achieve 50% of our turnover in the Netherlands and also have multi-year agreements with clients here. We recently renovated the 150-year-old bog sewer in Arnhem (10 meters below the city center) for the next 50 years. So we cover the entire Dutch market and our employees are used to traveling and staying near projects."

Project Manager Sewer Renovation Netherlands

Specifically for the Dutch market, Kumpen is looking for a Sewer Renovation Project Leader. "What typifies our working method is that a customer who brings a problem to a pipe system to us will deal with a single point of contact (project leader) for the complete process from A to Z. From initial contact to repair/renovation and settlement," Merkx emphasizes. "For that position we are looking for a suitable candidate, preferably with a background in infra and a healthy curiosity for innovations and solutions. A type of project leader who likes to be among people, and sometimes in the mud. It is quite an independent job and you must not hate traveling. Does it appeal to you? We'd love to get in touch with you."