Firewater at every location

It is hard to fathom how much movement there is in our country. Fortunately, passenger and freight transportation in the Netherlands is well regulated. And that's important. For commuters, for production, for transportation and logistics. However, the chance of accidents is always present. And the chance that a fire will occur in the process is never out of the question. That's why firefighting is a hot topic. Especially for a company like QUALM, which specializes in the construction of underground piping for extinguishing water.

Speaking is Eric Mulders, owner of QUALM. "For over 85 years we have been active in piping and groundwork and perform GWW work under our own management under specific conditions. Think of the (re)laying of a gas or drinking water pipeline. But our specialty is the construction, testing and maintenance of underground piping for fire extinguishing water. Extinguishing systems can be found in every conceivable location. From industrial plants to hospitals, from port grounds to highways, and from windmills to train stations. It is very important to have a reliable extinguishing water supply in all these places." 

Fire safety at specific (node) points
Among other things, QUALM lays fire water lines along highways, with strategically placed valves and hydrants. In some places it is extra important to be well prepared for a fire. Not because the risk is higher, but because the places are more difficult to reach. For example, at (rail) tunnels and parking garages. Because of some terrible tunnel fires in the Alps, strict safety requirements have been laid down in European tunnel directives. In the Netherlands, we even have national tunnel legislation that is even stricter than the European directives. This has greatly improved the safety of many tunnels. "It is great that we as QUALM also make a positive contribution to this," says Mulders. "With our work, we help the fire department act appropriately and effectively in emergency situations."

Increasing GRE: GRE pipeline in Schiphol Gate Tunnel.

Diversity of work
Mulders mentions a few projects that demonstrate the diversity of QUALM's work: "The Schiphol Gate Tunnel, in which we had to work very quickly during an out-of-service period. Because we have not only very experienced people, but also many, we can easily scale up in such projects. In twelve hours with sixteen men replacing a few hundred meters of piping? No problem!" Another project, large due to its size, is a tank storage company in Amsterdam for which no less than seven kilometers of piping (including valves and hydrants) were installed for fire protection. At the HSL, QUALM did the flow measurement and, finally, Mulders mentions the Betuwe line, where in one of the tunnels extinguishing water discharge pipes were installed by QUALM. "Because here you are dealing with a freight tunnel in which potentially hazardous materials are being transported, the approach is very different again." You can also turn to QUALM for GRE piping. "Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy, insensitive to corrosion and widely used in industry and at tunnels. The practicalities of this (assembly, connections) are quite specialized. Whatever the project looks like, we are strong at executing it!" That QUALM also rents out mobile sprinkler pump rooms and temporary tanks, Mulders is also keen to mention. "And that we have a 24-hour breakdown service for troubleshooting breakdowns and leaks. Not entirely unimportant!"

Installation of new valves Schiphol Gate Tunnel.

Certified supplier
"We work for many different clients, but they all count on the reliability of the piping we install. To guarantee that quality, we are CIBV certified supplier and maintenance company of ground pipes with fittings for VBB systems. We also always consider the set requirements when choosing materials and can also meet NFPA, FM and/or NEN standards."