Dutch vegetable processor expands

Construction was recently started at the Poortcamp in De Lier, along with a ceremonial opening a few days later attended by about forty guests. When all is finished, 1,900 sqm will be added. "A long-cherished wish," commercial director Marco Romein told us prior to pile driving. Twins Bouw is in charge of construction.

Theo van Vliet (Harvest House), Erik van Leent (Twins Building), Marco Romein and Mark van der Salm (Snijpunt)

"It has been almost nine years since we got started at the Poortcamp in De Lier," says Marco. "A lot has happened in the meantime (including the takeover by Harvest House). In the past, we thought that tripling the production area was optimistic. In fact, it turns out that it is not enough in 2019. Years of double-growth figures for bell peppers and our other products also made it so that we have to expand. Expansion offers opportunities for our joint ambitions."

Click here to enlarge.

The expansion provides Snijpunt with extra forwarding and office space along with two extra docks. "With this expansion, we can further automate and optimize the efficiency and routing of the production. In addition, it's also important to be able to keep improving the working conditions of our staff. After all, hiring can be tricky nowadays, so you have to hold onto the staff you have."

Focus on hygiene in building design and execution
Twins Bouw will construct the building. "The new building has to connect to the existing building," says Erik van Leent from Twins Bouw. "We have designed the construction in such a way that everything will fit together perfectly."

Office space will be located on the upper floor, where the vegetables are processed and cooled. This means that they have to pay extra attention to hygiene regulations. "Together with Arie Buijs of the architectural consultancy firm Butek, everything has been designed in such a way that the most stringent food safety requirements can be met."

Snijpunt will keep working during the construction so that the production won't be affected by the construction. "In order to keep dust and other undesirable substances away from the vegetables, the inner wall will remain in the existing building until everything is finished. Only then will this wall be removed and both parts can be connected to each other."

After the ceremonial driving of the first pile, led by Theo van Vliet, as chairman of the cooperative board of Harvest House, it was time for the champagne. The construction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2019. Until then, the neighbors and everyone who passes on the A20 motorway can follow the building process closely.

Waiting for the pile driving