Platform on concrete and steel in construction
From heavy foundation elements and cable ducts to diaphragm walls and custom solutions for the energy market: Van Dijk Beton is moving further and further toward large-scale prefabrication. With its investment in two ‘wall molds,’ the company is taking the next step. “This means we can now also produce large, double-sided smooth walls in an upright position,” explains an enthusiastic Managing Director Henk Schaap. It opens the door to new applications in the energy and industrial sectors, and even the world of wastewater treatment plants beckons…
The development of the new wall mold is not an isolated effort. In recent years, Van Dijk Beton has continued to expand its precast portfolio. While production was originally focused primarily on foundation elements and cable ducts, among other things, applications such as shear walls were added later. The new mold marks another step forward: the company can now produce large wall elements in an upright position with both sides completely smooth.
Schaap notes that energy projects are placing increasingly higher demands on the appearance of precast walls. “Architecture and aesthetics are playing a more prominent role in the design. This can be achieved, for example, by designing walls with fluting or slats, which give a building a more distinctive look. At the same time, there is growing demand for walls where both sides are finished with a sleek, smooth surface. That is why we have deliberately invested in new molds that make this double-sided smooth finish possible. The mold is 13 meters long and 3.5 meters high. Depending on the thickness and design, the elements weigh between 25 and 35 metric tons.” The investment also builds on the expansion that Van Dijk Beton completed back in 2025. “At that time, we invested in the production of thinner wall elements using two tilting tables. By now combining that capacity with the new vertical wall formwork, we’ve created a broader production spectrum. This also provides more capacity for the structural walls for the GIS buildings and the MS buildings at the power stations.”
These investments are part of a broader trend. Schaap: “Prefabrication is becoming increasingly attractive for complex infrastructure projects and hydraulic engineering projects. For example, we are currently involved in the preparation of prefabricated components for the construction and renovation of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).” Commissioned by Van Hattum and Blankevoort, we jointly developed the design from the preliminary design (DO) to the final design (UO). This includes, among other things, a new intake station and field wells, all of which will be prefabricated and assembled on-site. The weights range from 21-metric-ton components to assembled structures weighing up to 73 metric tons.”
In collaboration with Cella Kelderbouw, Van Dijk Beton also began producing precast walls for sunken basements in March. “A collaboration that, within two months, led to a new table mold with all the necessary components,” says Schaap. “We are now working on the tenth project. We equip the walls with rebar for the so-called ”wet joint,’ rebar bins, cutting blades, etc. And if desired, we also provide the walls with insulation right from the factory.”
Van Dijk Beton is thus demonstrating that prefabrication goes beyond individual components. “With projects in the energy sector, non-residential construction, and water treatment, we’re showing that we support our customers with increasingly larger, more complex, and integrated prefabricated solutions. At the same time, we haven’t lost sight of our ‘roots’ and remain the partner of choice for smaller prefab projects, such as street furniture, retaining walls for the landscaping sector, and (plinths and columns for) noise barriers. These products can also be finished with a smooth surface, fluting, or other specific textures.”
