'Underground expertise' for the right foundation

There is virtually no training in foundation installation especially when it comes to heavier foundation techniques. Only through experience can you as a company build expertise in this. That is exactly what Jetmix Funderingstechniek is all about. "Our knowledge does not relate to what is in plain sight, but rather to what is under the ground," says Marinus de Heus, Head of the Business Office at Jetmix in Werkendam.

The company is an expert in the field of (heavy) foundation techniques and can call itself a specialist in the field of grout (injection) anchors and anchor piles and has been for more than 10 years. Like Hakkers BV, Jetmix is part of the Hakkers Group.

Jetmix installs anchor piles on the Tournooiveld project in The Hague.

In-house developed and manufactured self drilling anchor system
"We once started with projects for Hakkers itself, anchoring sheet pile structures and quay walls. Meanwhile, we have grown into a professional partner in ground, road and hydraulic engineering, concrete, utility, industrial and railroad construction," De Heus continued. "Our great strength is in the self-designed and manufactured self-drilling anchor system, which can be used to make both anchors and anchor piles."

Jetmix is installing grout injection anchors on the "Zeekade Rotterdam" project.

Self-drilling anchors have now become the main line of business for Jetmix. "We work specifically according to CUR 166 standards for sheet pile structures with anchors and according to CUR 236 for anchor piles, of course in addition to the general standards and regulations," explains De Heus. "Two years ago, we invested in a 100-ton foundation machine, the Woltman 90DR. This machine makes it possible to both drill piles and press sheet piles using a quattro-piler. Meanwhile, both in the business office and on the shop floor, the necessary experience has been gained in the installation of soil displacement screw piles, tubular piles (with and without a closed tip) and the pressing of sheet piling. The increasing demand for drilled and vibration-free techniques makes this machine a welcome addition to our self-drilling techniques."

De Woltman in action during the installation of soil displacement screw piles in Zwolle.

Lots of work and good prospects
Prospects for the deployment of the Woltman 90DR are good. De Heus: "We have the installation of the pile foundation for the largest intake pumping station in the Netherlands (along the Bergsche Maas) on the program, as well as the pressing of sheet pile walls for a quay wall along the Maaskade in Rotterdam." Jetmix currently has some 35 employees, with a turnover of 15 million euros. Its machinery has grown from 8 to 11 machines.

Jetmix's anchors are finding their way widely across the country. For clients in concrete and utility construction, Jetmix installed anchor piles for the Tournooiveld parking garages in The Hague and the Garenmarkt in Leiden. The AFAS Experience Centre in Leusden received more than 1,000 anchor piles. The anchor piles are also used for underpasses, such as recently four underpasses in the N34 from Hardenberg to Coevorden and railroad underpasses in Harderwijk, Deventer, Doetinchem, Veenwouden, Hurdegaryp and Oosterwolde, among others. One of the major challenges, according to De Heus, involved a project in the Rotterdam port area: "There, open tubular piles had to be installed with a diameter of 914 mm, a length of 30.5 meters and a weight of about 9 tons. These tubular piles were installed by drilling with grout injection. They were carried out from the water on the Hakkers flagship 'Noordzee'. All piles were installed within the tolerance limit of 150 mm."