Surinamese concrete specialist opts for Hendriks preconNew pile driver prepares company for the future

To govern is to look ahead. This applies not only to politics but also to business. Timely investment in new equipment means anticipating expected developments. This was also the case with VABI in Paramaribo, which recently invested in a new pile driver from Hendriks Precon.

N.V. VABI – concrete specialist

N.V. Van Alen’s Beton Industrie, or VABI for short, has specialized in the manufacture of concrete products of the highest quality for more than 60 years. In addition to the wide range of concrete products, this also includes prestressed concrete piles. Steel moulds are used for the production of these. Armand van Alen tells about the use of these moulds: “Until now we only produced piles in the dimensions of 400 x 400 mm. For this we use a steel mould that we purchased earlier from Hendriks precon, as well as a culvert mould. We got to know the company through a business contact. He pointed out to us that Hendriks precon is the largest producer of moulds in Europe. We truly liked the first mould we ordered from them and so the choice for a supplier of a new mould was quickly made.”

Ready for the future

The use of piles in Suriname is mainly used for the construction of large buildings, bridges and other major works. Piles measuring 400 x 400 mm are usually sufficient for this purpose. However, the new mould is necessary because VABI wants to be ready for the future.

“We expect a lot of work in the offshore and gas and oil business in the coming years,” said Armand van Alen. “This will require a larger size prestressed pile. Because of the previous positive experiences, we have therefore turned to Hendriks precon again for a mould for piles of 450 x 450 mm. The new mould enables us to respond to the expected future demand. Because the mould is equipped with inserts, it also allows us to produce 400 x 400 mm piles. Like the earlier pile jig, this one also consists of five buckets with a total length of 50 meters, allowing us to produce prestressed piles. Thus, we can produce two piles of 25 m length at the same time. This ensures optimal utilization.”

Everything is one hand

The concrete for the piles is supplied by Subema which, together with VABI, belongs to the VABAM Holding. This allows everything to be delivered from a single source. “For the production of the piles, the desired concrete quality is poured into the molds,” explains Armand van Alen. “The piles are prestressed and the stripping process is fully automated.” When we ask about the collaboration with Hendriks precon, he answers enthusiastically, “The cooperation is very pleasant. And what is important: the service from beginning to end is excellent and any questions we might have, are being answered very quickly and professionally”