Traditional knowledge and modern working methods

Building with wood and wooden products has many advantages, such as sustainability and the possibility of circular construction. In civil engineering, too, we see that it is becoming increasingly important to reduce the use of non-renewable raw materials as much as possible and to reuse available raw materials as efficiently and high-quality as possible, thus reducing CO₂-emissions. 

In the GWW sector, wood is widely used for sheet piling, sinkers and shoring. Van Aalsburg Griendhouthandel is one such company that does not see wood as waste but reuses it in new products. Dick van Aalsburg, one of the seven brothers who manages the family business, says, "Wood, a unique natural raw material that, with sustainable forest management, is regrowable and does not become exhausted. We have some 140 hectares of brushwood nurseries, planted and harvested by machine: in a multi-year cycle with our own developed machinery."

Sustainable operations
Van Aalsburg is working hard to reduce CO₂-emissions and create a sustainable work environment. Through the wood stove (burns on wood chips), the entire company is heated (no more gas needed). "Electricity is generated by the 550 solar panels on our roof. We use LED lighting and have a charging station installed. We also use low-emission fuel and 25 of the 50 chainsaws have a battery. With our entire team, we are proud of the CO₂ reductions!"

Using machinery developed in-house, the willow branches are harvested. Van Aalsburg performs this type of work for the Forestry Commission in more regions: Rhoonse Grienden, Heinenoord the Summerlands, Avelingen, Lingebos, Lingeoevers, Biesbosch etc.

Applications
"Bog wood is a good alternative to less environmentally friendly products and is often used for zinc pieces, shoring and drift fences. The latter are not only used in the dunes but also in road construction. To prevent sand from causing traffic unsafe situations and to prevent very open asphalt concrete (ZOAB) from becoming clogged with sand.

Making sinkers for a project in Rotterdam on behalf of Boskalis.

New innovative technology
A fairly new application is land piece making. "We have developed a patented system to build a land piece from willow branches. This successful technique was first applied in a pilot project in the Loosdrechtse Plassen. We build the piece of land from overlapping zinc pieces (latticework of willow) on a pontoon. When the piece of land is finished and sunk, we fill the construction with peat silt. Pontoons with cranes on them dredge the peat silt from silted up waterways in the immediate vicinity. This sludge can be transported in hopper barges with very limited transport (so hardly any CO₂-emissions) and unloaded onto pontoons by the same cranes. Finally, we plant the new banks with reeds and sow a strip of grass in the middle. We use only natural materials throughout the construction. The technique is new, innovative, under development and offers enormous advantages. Water managers can combine dredging operations with the realization of policy goals, landscape development and recreational goals. Recently, a piece of land was built in a lake at Artis for the new slinger monkey enclosure."

The design of the land piece in a small lake in Artis for the new garland monkey enclosure. Our new patented technique is used in the making.

Praised for the knowledge and experience
"In the Netherlands, but also abroad, we are renowned for our knowledge and experience in the field of zinc pieces, corbels and shoring in particular. A 300-year-old craft, combined with modern working methods and an experienced and enthusiastic team, that makes us unique."