Foundiz combines rental, sales and knowledge in foundation engineering

Foundation projects are becoming increasingly diverse. From inner-city redevelopments to large-scale infrastructure works. Projects vary greatly in scale, location and technique, while requirements in the areas of safety, emissions and efficiency are becoming increasingly stringent. In that playing field Foundiz positions itself as a specialist in sales and rental of foundation equipment, with a clear emphasis on knowledge and advice.

Foundiz is a young company, but built on years of experience in mechanical engineering, civil construction and foundation engineering. That background determines how the company works with clients. “We know what's going on at the construction site and what clients are up against,” says co-owner Patrick van der Schaaf. “We don't just supply machines, we also think along substantively about the best solution for a project. As a result, we quickly arrive at an appropriate solution.”

That speed is characteristic of Foundiz. Requests, price quotes and offers are usually taken up within a few hours, of course always with content. Something that is emphatically appreciated in practice.

Piling analysis

An important tool for this is the pile driving analysis. Based on soil data, the type of pile or sheet piling and the desired method of implementation, specialized software is used to determine which vibratory hammer or pile driver is most suitable. This prevents surprises during execution. “Especially with more complex projects or when purchasing equipment, customers want to know in advance where they stand,” says Van der Schaaf. “A good analysis contributes directly to safety, quality and efficiency.”

Rental as a flexible link

“In addition, we notice that the need for flexible foundation equipment is growing, without tying contractors to heavy investments.” Foundiz has recently invested heavily in new equipment, responding to the growing demand for flexibility. “Not every project justifies the purchase of a machine, while capacity and technology must be readily available.”

Wide rental fleet

The rental fleet consists of both specialized equipment and complete foundation machines. “We work with several dealerships in the Benelux and also offer a number of brands outside,” says Van der Schaaf. These include advanced Movax sidegrip vibratory drivers for installing and pulling sheet piles and profiles, and normal attachment vibratory drivers that can be easily coupled to excavators, creating an accessible solution for a variety of applications. In addition, Foundiz has complete drilling cranes, ranging from compact machines for hard-to-reach locations to heavy-duty drilling cranes for large-scale foundation projects. “Many of these machines are also part of our sales program. We see that rental is increasingly being used to gain experience,” says Van der Schaaf. “It is a way to test the technology in practice, without making large investments immediately. Customers can then proceed to purchase if they wish.”

Own developments

In addition to rental and sales, Foundiz is working on its own innovations. For example, the company has started developing a sheet pile pressing machine powered by a zero-emission powerpack. “Zero emission is an important theme for us,” says Van der Schaaf. “We deliberately chose a sheet pile pressing machine because this type of machine is built by only a few foreign companies and existing solutions leave room for improvement.” The development is currently in the engineering, construction and testing phase and is being carried out under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management's Clean and Emission-free Construction Equipment Subsidy Scheme (SSEB).

Thus, leasing, sales and in-house development come together in solutions that connect directly to the practice of foundation projects.