Forty years of edibo means forty years of the most diverse range of projects in the most diverse range of sectors. A sector that can definitely be called one of our flagship sectors is the automobile industry. We are currently in full construction mode in Sint-Niklaas, working on the expansion of a showroom and workshop. Project Manager Wouter van Asbroeck is more than happy to give a guided tour of the site – incidentally, his very first construction site as project manager.
The challenge
“Before we set to work on the project, the site comprised a showroom and a small, adjacent workshop. Our job was – due to the launch of two new car brands – to build two brand-new showrooms and a large workshop as extensions to the existing structures. In the meantime, the activities in the existing buildings had to continue uninterrupted.”
“In structural terms, the project itself is relatively standard, with an emphasis on steel, concrete plinths, sandwich panels and concrete firewalls between the workshop and showrooms. When it comes to finishing treatments, the automobile sector is continuously evolving. For example, brand-specific guidelines for floor and wall finishes, ceiling lighting, sanitary facilities, and so on, can change within a relatively short period of time. It also happens that these kinds of guidelines are suddenly updated. Our strength here is our flexibility, as we can quickly and easily adapt to changing requirements and desires.”
Glass facades as absolute eye-catchers
“Personally, I think this type of project is the most enjoyable kind due to the variety of project tasks. We’re not stopping after the earthworks, foundation and wind and waterproofing tasks, but also making sure that the finish is in tip top order, with an emphasis on a clean and high-end look and feel. The enormous glass windows with dark grey aluminium joinery in the two new showrooms are a perfect example of this.”
“After buying the aluminium profiles for the glass facades, we began working on the detailed 3D models of the project. In theory, we draw absolutely everything, from the first steel column to the last nut. Only two weeks after receiving the construction plans, we were able to give the client and architect a detailed 3D tour of the future buildings.”
Pure edibo
This project is scheduled for completion in November 2021, a mere eight months after its start. “We are involved in everything from the earthworks to the final clean-up. The only activities we are not carrying out are the technical ones, though we are responsible for the complete coordination of the project. Since this is my very first site as project manager, I’m watching like a hawk to make sure that the end result is delivered as planned (laughs).”
“Since we can work continuously on this project with two shifts, we’ve achieved a very high efficiency level so far. “We immediately prepared for the newest guidelines for the car brands in question and were easily able to switch gears when the client wanted to make changes during the project. This was possible thanks to effective communication between the brands, client and us.”
“Apart from that, we simply want the best possible result for our customers. This requires not only focusing on good fundamentals, but also on the smallest of details. For instance, we needed to make a large opening in the wall of one of the existing buildings in order to more easily pour the floor in two adjacent rooms in one shot. This meant that the building had to be wide open overnight. So, we brought in a night guard. That may be only a minor detail, but it clearly shows that we leave absolutely nothing to chance.”
