Personnel for each stage of construction

Aelbers has also been an integral cooperation partner for Heijmans for many years. An interview with director Peter van Zaanen about the deployment of the right people in the right place and the cooperation that goes much further than just supplying personnel.

Aelbers is one of the few parties in the Netherlands that focuses largely on the recruitment of personnel for civil concrete construction. "Really a niche market in which some 65 companies are active in various combinations," Van Zaanen knows. "Last year we rolled out a new strategy where we follow the life cycle of a project with personnel for each construction phase. From the preparation phase (draftsman, calculator, work planner) and execution (in the precast workshop and on site) to maintenance. Thanks to our extensive network of partners, experienced skilled workers from different countries within the EEA as well as self-employed workers. Indeed, civil concrete construction is characterized by a high proportion of self-employed workers. Almost 50% of the Dutch skilled workers in construction are self-employed. These are driven specialists who we also know how to bind to us."

Deepening 

"We maintain a 'close relationship' with our clients and prefer to work with permanent pool compositions that are familiar with our clients' culture," Van Zaanen continued. "Heijmans is a good example of this. We don't just supply personnel, we go deeper together. After all, the integral cooperation is also about improving safety, sustainable employability, digitalization, reducing movements, and so on. We are aware of the shared interests and fly them together. Each environment has specific working conditions. For example, for a project like Heijmans' Completion Double Lane System in a complex environment like Schiphol Airport, the highest level of safety applies. Some fifteen of our people are permanently working on that project. Mainly foremen and concrete carpenters, but also a lady who is deployed on the project as a receptionist. This shows once again the added value of our mix of specialists."

Aelbers has no shortage of specialists. Van Zaanen: "We employ about 400 people every day and can scale up to 650 quite easily. This flexibility is particularly important because we are often involved in large infrastructure projects. Some 80% of our workforce has a non-Dutch nationality, but in addition our Dutch proposition, the mediation of ZZP'ers, also bears fruit."

"During the construction of the viaduct, we will soon introduce the Aelbers Coach for the first time; an initiative in which we give the most experienced foremen an important role with people who are new to the Netherlands. The coach teaches them the tricks of the trade, makes them accustomed to the Dutch culture, as well as the culture at our clients. Heijmans is one of our clients who has been closely involved in setting up this initiative. In this way, together with our clients, we always strive for the best possible end result with an eye for the well-being of our employees."