Renowned industrial builder logistically armed for future

With shipyard de Donge in Vlissingen-Oost last year, contractor ASK Romein firmly expanded its site. A strategic move that allows the Zeeland steel builder Hillebrand, part of ASK Romein, to centralize all its activities in one place. "By doubling in covered area and being located on open water, we can realize larger infrastructure and steel construction projects," says Jan Krielaart, Technical Director of Hillebrand.

A site area of 31,540 m², a built floor area of nearly 20,000 m², a hall 170 m long, 40 m wide and
40 m high: ASK Romein is logistically armed for the future. Comprehensive modules can be assembled without difficulty for subsequent transport over open water without the hindrance of locks or bridges. Terrain de Donge also allows structures up to a width of 20 m to be conserved in one go and up to a width of 40 m to be covered and removed in one go. Currently, construction is still in full swing at the new site. "The works will take another year or so," Jan Krielaart expects. 

Market in motion

It is clear that ASK Romein wants to serve the market even better with the new branch. A market that is in transition. "The agreements around energy transition have heralded a turnaround," Jan Krielaart clarifies. "There is now full commitment to offshore wind industry. Those wind turbines require different support structures than drilling rigs and we can now supply those effortlessly from Vlissingen, as well as auxiliary structures for removing rather than installing drilling rigs. Because of the larger production and storage facilities of the renovated site and its location on deep and open water with unrestricted discharge routes and generous loading and unloading quays for ocean-going vessels with decent drafts, we can now build much larger."

The infrastructure market is also on the move, with a veritable renovation drive in the Netherlands and Belgium. Jan Krielaart: "A lot will have to be done in the coming period in the area of infra. With our own engineering departments and the ability to fall back on the large production capacity of ASK Romein, we can offer a wide range of work and relieve (main) contractors in the infrastructure sector of large-scale and complex projects. Thanks to the combination of modern, fully equipped machinery and enthusiastic, skilled employees, we guarantee the quality required for complex steel constructions. To reduce lead time and minimize disruption on the construction site, it is very important to get parts to the construction site as large as possible."

Roggebot Bridge

The realization of the Roggebot Bridge is a fine illustration of the qualities of ASK Romein. On behalf of the provinces of Flevoland and Overijsel, the temporary partnership Roggebot - consisting of Mobilis, Van Gelder and Van den Herik - is working on the N307 Roggebot-Kampen project. Part of this project is the construction of a new, partly movable bridge with a higher clearance over the Vossemeer/Drontermeer. ASK Romein is responsible for the entire project from design to preservation.

Jan Krielaart: "Because we were involved from the early stages, we were able to fully optimize the design. Given the upper contours of the bridge and the weight of the bridge deck with the bascule part (about 625 tons), large facilities are crucial for production and transport. And for that, our site in Flushing is the perfect location. The design and realization of the impressive propulsion system is also part of ASK Romein's assignment. So a great example of a total project where we unburden our client as much as possible by combining knowledge, expertise and quality."

Beatrix Bridge

The realization of the two bascule bridges over the Wilhelmina Lock in the center of Zaandam provided an important milestone in the upgrading of this lock. For this, ASK Romein delivered two identical steel bridges of 23 m in length, a deliberate choice because it simplifies future maintenance. In addition to the bridge decks, the company was also responsible for the entire movement system with counterweights and the control of the bridges. In projects of such magnitude, you have to deal with various stakeholders representing different interests. It remains quite a challenge to tune all the violins equally, but in the end we always strive for the best result for everyone," Jan Krielaart concludes.