Bolidt News

Once again, no aesthetic and technical limits

Esthec — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 08:30:06 +0000

Truly pure, original and unique, indefinable and impossible to pigeonhole. If these terms are an accurate description, then we must be talking about something exceptional. Take, for instance, the Music Quarter building in Enschede. With its curved copper construction it is a highlight in the heart of the city. Ector Hoogstad Architects has designed it and lighting specialists from the Lichtatelier developed the lighting concepts together with architect Stijn Rademakers. Both architecturally and technically, the design and implementation of the project posed a great challenge.

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Theatre buildings are among the most complex projects when it comes to design and implementation, because they are expected to offer a high degree of flexibility. The Music Quarter is not just a building, but also represents a collaboration between six professional music institutions. The total of 18,000 musical m² required a considerable amount of floor finish and part of this was entrusted to Bolidt’s skills. The work included installing the Bolidtop^® 525 and Bolidtop^® 700 in corridors, on steps and in a kitchen respectively. The Bolidtop^® 700 is highly suitable for the last application and the Bolidtop^® 525 is an extremely versatile system. A particular part of the assignment concerned the flooring in the two foyer spaces and the café area of pop venue Atak, one of the six music institutions. These spaces have a strong aesthetic quality, which needed the right atmosphere to serve as a binding element. A flooring system that never fails to create just the right ambience is the Bolidtop^® FiftyFifty. A subtle mix of two colours with a powerful visual effect playfully runs through the area. A striking feature here is that Atak’s logo has been integrated into the flooring in several places, an important effect to emphasize a sense of belonging: this is ours. Atak uses purple accents in its interior and the Bolidtop^® flooring creatively joins in. Purple lighting creates a unique effect by blending in the two-toned colour of the Bolidtop^® FiftyFifty like a harmonious duet. Another project that shows all those who see it that Bolidt really has no aesthetic or technical limits!

www.bolidt.com

Traiteur Ronny

Esthec — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 06:58:30 +0000

Eet smakelijk! Een dagelijkse uiting die in ieder land ter wereld wordt gekend. Een beleefde wens aan hen die op het punt staan aan te vallen op een maaltijd. Hoe zit dat als je zelf geen eten meer kunt bereiden, als je afhankelijk bent van een ander of als je genoodzaakt bent op je werk te blijven eten? Een smakelijk eten heb je dan niet zelf in de hand. In die gevallen kun je volledig vertrouwen op mensen die hun eigen brood op de plank krijgen met het dagelijks samenstellen en bereiden van warme en koude maaltijden. Er zijn heel wat ‘categorieën’ mensen die de maaltijden van Traiteur Ronny maar wat graag verorberen! Senioren, schoolgemeenschappen, gehandicaptenzorg, bedrijven, particulieren, rust- en verzorgingstehuizen. De reden hiervoor is dat het erg lekker èn betaalbaar is. Dit is het uitgangspunt en de traiteur heeft daar natuurlijk een strategie voor. Verse, kwalitatieve ingrediënten, goede koks met passie voor voeding en koken en goed keukengerei. Ook bezit Traiteur Ronny 35 eigen wagens met ovens, zodat alle warme maaltijden tijdens het bezorgen op een temperatuur tussen de 65 en 83 graden blijven. De keuken in de nieuwste vestiging van Traiteur Ronny, in Affligem, is haast gelijk aan een elektronicazaak. Het staat vol met zeer moderne keukenapparatuur. Dit alles maakt echter nog geen hoogwaardig voedsel. Er van uitgaande dat iedereen zou bedanken voor eten uit de beste oven ter wereld waar het echter blijkt te wemelen van kakkerlakken, vanwege wekenoude achtergebleven voedsel- en sausresten. Zeg dan maar eens ‘eet smakelijk’! Wat dus vooral niet mag ontbreken, is een schone, hygiënische werkomgeving.

Om dit in het gareel te houden bestaan er wettelijke eisen en normen rondom hygiëne, vastgelegd in de HACCP. De werkomgevingen van Traiteur Ronny voldoen aan de huidige HACCP en worden aangepast zodra nieuwe wetgeving dit vereist. Er worden temperatuurcontroles gehouden, gevarenanalyses uitgevoerd, er zijn aparte koelvriesinstallaties voor verschillende soorten vlees en vis en in het pand bevindt zich een eigen beenhouwerij. Hier worden vleesproducten afzonderlijk vakkundig voorbereid. Dit alles beslaat een groot oppervlak en een deel hiervan ligt bezaaid met de Bolidtop^® 700 van Bolidt. Deze voldoet aan de HACCP en is dus een grandioze aanwinst voor het interieur van Traiteur Ronny. Geen vloer die snel de schoonheidsprijs wint, maar wel de functionaliteitsprijs. De Bolidtop^® 700 is een sterk, slag- en stootvast vloersysteem dat een zeer hoge belasting aankan. Het is bestand tegen hoge en lage temperaturen en het heeft om veiligheidsredenen een stroeve afwerking. Het is een goed te reinigen vloer en er kunnen geen bacteriën op achterblijven. De Bolidtop^® 700 draagt bij aan de verplichte hygiëne. Er wordt nu op volle toeren gedraaid. Dankzij de extra capaciteit van deze vestiging in Affligem kan Traiteur Ronny nu meer dan 10.000 maaltijden per dag verzorgen!

www.bolidt.nl

Bolidt & Shell

Esthec — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:51:43 +0000

We deinzen er doorgaans niet voor terug, het gebruik van fossiele brandstoffen. Ons dagelijks leven zit er vol mee, maar er zit wel een schaduwkant aan. Het vervuilt, raakt op en dit maakt onze toekomstige wereld onzeker. Shell is één van de bekendste producenten en leveranciers van brandstoffen. Als vooraanstaand pionier op dit gebied is er gelukkig nog ‘een andere kant’ van Shell: zoveel mogelijk voordelen behalen op de nadelen. In het Shell Technology Centre Amsterdam (STCA) werken 1300 man in een 80.000 m2 hightech complex samen om bestaande processen rondom aardgas, aardolie en chemie te verbeteren en om nieuwe technologieën voor duurzame producten te ontwikkelen.

Fokkema Architecten gooide een balletje op bij Bolidt en dit balletje is door Shell zelf uiteindelijk door het hele technology centre gerold. Fokkema Architecten wilde een kunststof vloer van Bolidt voor het interieurgedeelte, waar kleur en structuur een grote rol spelen. Toen Shell hierdoor eenmaal in contact kwam met Bolidt, werden door Shell zèlf meer wensen open gelegd: kon Bolidt ook geen vloersystemen installeren in de laboratoriumruimten, het restaurant en de keuken? Een broodje pindakaas maken kost Bolidt haast nog meer moeite dan kwalitatieve vloersystemen installeren, dus het antwoord was duidelijk. Shell legde hierbij echter wel een pakket aan eisen neer waar je u tegen zegt, want dat is Shell ten voeten uit: veiligheid waarborgen. Shell en Bolidt konden het volledig eens worden. De Bolidtop® 910 CHR ligt in het grootste gedeelte van de labruimten en is speciaal voor Shell aangepast naar een fijnere structuur. De oorspronkelijk grove structuur van dit systeem past niet bij de gewenste uitstraling en ook niet bij de schoonmaakmethode die Shell hanteert. De Bolidtop® Stato 500, een statische elektriciteit geleidende vloer, ligt in enkele opslagruimten, waar ontploffingsgevaar op de loer ligt. Het restaurant is in zijn nopjes met de Bolidtop® 525 designvloer en in de keuken ligt de sterke Bolidtop® 700, die voldoet aan de HACCP normen. Net als je denkt dat je er helemaal bent, gaat er bij Shell nog een olielampje branden: de betonnen vloer in de parkeergarage veroorzaakte voor de vele werknemers die met de motor naar het werk komen veel problemen. De ondergrond was veel te glad en men ging daardoor regelmatig onderuit in bochten en op de hellingbaan. Het was geen onderdeel van het afgesproken werk, maar Bolidt werd alsnog gevraagd om een duurzame veiligheidsoplossing. Een laatste warm welkom aan het Boligrip® 1250 systeem…

www.bolidt.com

Scania and Bolidt in the Benelux

Esthec — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:07:27 +0000

It is the kind of king who has managed to produce many subjects. Born to stay. To stay on the road. In the year 2000, the one millionth truck was produced. Talk about many subjects! That is only part of the picture, because Scania has more of them. In over 100 countries, a total of about 35,000 employees contribute to bringing buses, trucks, coaches and engines into the world. These material and human ‘subjects’ need to be accommodated and of course Scania has organized this on a global scale. Workshops, offices, sales outlets, training centres. All of these facilities require a suitable interior. Scania manages this entire process internally and maintains a consistent style.

Scania came into contact with Bolidt through DAF some five years ago. Bolidt had installed flooring systems in several DAF offices and Scania became curious about the possibilities for its own operation. It was love at first sight and Bolidt’s floor finishes have been part of the standard interior design format for every new Scania construction project in the Benelux ever since. The floors themselves, however, are anything but standard. From the very beginning, the flooring systems were customized, well thought-out and executed to perfection. Due to the large, heavy vehicles, order and safety, specific issues are of distinct importance, including the finish quality and marking. Even certain colours were custom-made. Meanwhile, a start has been made on refreshing and repairing floor finishes in existing Scania premises as well. These will now last for many years to come and at the same time it is an upgrade in line with the current interior design format.

Bolidt is glad to have immediately gained so much trust from Scania. A pleasant Scania ‘trait’: once satisfied with suppliers, it will almost certainly not just switch away from them. In the near future, Bolidt will follow Scania across the border. One of its locations in Belgium is next in line. Bolidt is already looking forward to set to work on Scania’s other international branches.

www.bolidt.com

Erasmus Bridge

Esthec — Mon, 03 May 2010 09:54:21 +0000

3,000 m² of new wearing course on Erasmus Bridge in 4 hours

Last weekend, Bolidt applied a new wearing course on the entire eastern section of the prestigious Erasmus Bridge, a very important junction in the centre of the city of Rotterdam. At the beginning of this year, the Rotterdam authorities commissioned Bolidt again after more than a decade to undertake this project. In the early nineties, Bolidt had already applied its Bridgedeck Up System. This time, however, the work was carried using a machine purposely developed by Bolidt. With this machine it took just 4 hours to lay more than 3,000 m² of wearing course over the weekend.

The wearing course from the nineties was still intact, but the decision to replace it was taken within the framework of a maintenance operation. On Saturday, the entire eastern section of the bridge, more than 3,000 m², was resurfaced with a new wearing course within the space of about 4 hours. Even though Bolidt had until Monday, the lining was finished by Sunday. This means that the work has been carried out very quickly, in less than 36 hours. Without a mechanized approach, a project like this would have taken at least a week. A crucial aspect for this important junction in the city of Rotterdam, where prolonged traffic disruption is practically unacceptable.

The Bolimix machine developed by Bolidt was originally intended for the application of wearing courses on concrete bases and has already been used for this purpose on many vital bridges. The Erasmus Bridge, however, has a steel base, which requires a different type of wearing course. That is why Bolidt has adapted the machine especially for the work on the Erasmus Bridge to ensure that the machine can quickly switch from one system to the other. Exchangeable tanks, enabling a very short conversion time, were made to achieve this. Not only the speed of the machine is a major advantage, but the execution phase is also far less dependent on weather conditions. Where in the past it was necessary to have several days of dry weather, this has now been reduced to approximately 1.5 days. After the wearing course has been applied, rain no longer forms a hindrance.

This year’s Tour de France will start with a prologue in Rotterdam on 3 July. The eastern section of the Erasmus Bridge will be part of the track. On 4 July, the first stage will run from Rotterdam to Brussels. The starting shot for this stage will be fired on the middle of the Erasmus Bridge. A special occasion, on which the brand-new wearing course will suit the riders down to the ground.

www.bolidt.com

Porsche Centre

Esthec — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:06:08 +0000

Every day, at least 200,000 cars race along the A2 near Amsterdam at a high speed. Beside it, on the other hand, a splendid building has sprung up showing off cars that are stationary, for passers-by to desire: Porsche Centre Amsterdam. Pure passion, pride and quality are diverting the attention to the models on display in front of the building. Porsche has grown into a little and big boy’s dream, a remarkable premium brand with a high level of exclusivity. As it happened, the Netherlands saw this potential and became the first country to import Porsche cars. Some lucky officers of the Algemene Verkeersdienst (General Traffic Service), as it was called at the time, drove an official ‘police Porsche’ for the first time in 1961. The cooperation lasted for more than thirty years, even long after Porsche had developed into a leading sports car brand. Nowadays, Porsche particularly represents success. Reaching the top and showing it in style.

Reaching the top is a personal experience and so is the way one chooses to share this with others. The Porsche designs that have been developed therefore leave ample room for personalization. Every customer receives expert advice on the models and the possibilities, so that the final result can be custom made based on all desired details. A philosophy well understood and put into practice by Bolidt. For each customer, in every project, different needs have to be met. Bolidt has been looking beyond just the flooring situation for decades already. The sales and application teams also contribute ideas, aimed at providing comprehensive solutions. Making sure that the flooring complements the style of the building, helps to achieve the desired result and that all additional wishes are fulfilled. For Porsche this was an absolute must. Everything in the building needed to reflect and communicate what Porsche stands for. Class, performance, design, independence and due pride. The love for the brand is strong and this had to be perceptible as soon as one would enter a space. With that must in mind, the roof car park, the ramp, the show room and the warehouse have been fitted with Boligrip®, Bolicoat® and Bolidtop® systems, so that everything at Porsche is as it should be. One premium brand reinforcing the other.

www.bolidt.com

EcoCommercial Building Programme

Esthec — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:12:43 +0000

The international EcoCommercial Building Programme, in which Bolidt Synthetic Products & Systems has joined Bayer MaterialScience to play an active role, has entered into an agreement with Masdar of Abu Dhabi. The aim is to stimulate the development of energy efficient buildings with low life cycle costs in a subtropical climate. The extensive knowledge and experience of Bolidt Synthetic Products & Systems with respect to flooring insulation values will be combined with Masdar’s specific knowledge in the field of low-CO2 sources of energy.

Masdar, fully owned by the Mubadala Development Company, is dedicated to developing sustainable energy solutions. The agreement focuses on the development, in close collaboration with Bolidt and other partners in the EcoCommercial Building Programme, of a revolutionary building concept, for which a prototype will be realized in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

The Masdar City prototype will be a model for energy efficient and economic construction, incorporating state-of-the art designs and techniques for a subtropical climate. The building will serve as headquarters for the EcoCommercial Building Programme in the Middle East and as a permanent exhibition and training platform for a wide range of parties involved in eco-commercial construction.

Masdar City is known as a development centre for clean technology. Its entire energy supply is based on renewable energy sources, such as solar, hydro and wind. Masdar City is increasingly seen as the global centre for innovation, research, product development and renewable energy generation. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will also set up its headquarters in this city in Abu Dhabi.

At Bayer MaterialScience’s request, Bolidt already joined their EcoCommercial Building Programme in the autumn of 2009 as a partner to contribute to its practical implementation. Leading parties within the worldwide construction industry are working together in this programme to develop sustainable materials, systems and technologies that can be used to design cost-efficient buildings with minimal impact on the environment.

“Buildings are responsible for more than 40% of the world’s energy consumption and cause 20% of global CO2 emissions”, explains engineer R.W. Bol, Managing Director of Bolidt. “The strategic cooperation within the EcoCommercial Building Programme will lead to new, innovative solutions that will help Masdar City achieve its ambitious sustainability objectives. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, is pleased about the cooperation as well, saying: “The collaboration with partners like Bayer marks a significant step forward in our joint ambition to develop construction solutions that stimulate both economic efficiency and environmental sustainability.”

www.bolidt.com

Bolidt has all hands on deck again

Esthec — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:03:23 +0000

This message should really be empty. The largest cruise ship in the world, for the third time in a row owned by Royal Caribbean International, goes beyond words. The ‘Oasis of the Seas’ makes everyone think they stepped out of reality. However, all passengers on board can be sure of experiencing something so real, that they all need to come to their senses. ‘Oasis of the Seas’ represents the whole world in just one ship. There is a copy of New York’s Central Park in the size of one soccer field (no big deal though since there is enough space to cover three soccer fields). The so-called Boardwalk is a recreation zone especially developed for spending some family time with among other things restaurants, a shopping street, an authentic carousel and the very first bar that slowly ascends and descends three decks. With the Zip Line, thril seekers can soar through the sky from the ninth deck. At the stern one can find the biggest floating freshwater pool that in
the evening, for the first time in cruise history, transforms in an Aqua theatre during the evenings. That is definitely not the end of it all, but no description will do the forms, designs, colours, ideas, mechanisms and techniques justice.

Since Royal International Caribbean decided to have its new build and even some existing ships installed with Bolideck systems, it is obvious that Bolidt had to manage quite some work at this miraculous ship. No less than 13 of the 16 decks have been installed with Bolideck. It is reliability that makes Bolidt main supplier of Royal Caribbean. The systems are installed quickly and efficientlty, but with quality as well. In addition Bolidt is able to immediately cross the world to carry out work on Royal Caribbean’s ships. On top of that the Bolideck Future Teak and Bolideck Select systems fit in with the aesthetical wishes of the cruise giant. There is still much cooperation ahead of the two companies. ‘Oasis of the Seas’ is just the first of the so-called Genesis Project. ‘Sister’ ship Allure of the Seas is scheduled to be taken into service at the end of 2010 and perhaps Royal Caribbean has acquired such a taste for it that more ships of exceptional sizes will follow. One thing is for sure: Bolidt will be on board, all hands on deck! With all the work completed at ‘Oasis of the Seas’. Bolidt exclusively knows how to literally implement this saying.

www.bolidt.com

The Hague University of Applied Sciences

Esthec — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:15:53 +0000

Most sustainable building in the Netherlands prepared for the future with Bolidt

The slogan ‘Smart girls are prepared for the future’ was once launched as part of government campaign to encourae more women into technical education. By achieving a national first with the most sustainable school building in the Netherlands, the Hague University of Applied Sciences in Delft shows that this motto may even be more true for smart entrepreneurs. At a time when global changes in climate, ecology and the environment are everyday fare, sustainability plays a pivotal role in the challenge to leave a livable world to the present and future generations without depleting natural resources.

The new wonder, conceived by Royal Haskoning Architects, is characterized by ultramodern and sophisticated sustainable technology. As a result, the builiding is prepared for an energy-neutral future. Its power system is based on fuel cell technology, which uses a chemical process to convert hydrogen to energy. In addition, cold and heat are tapped and stored, a wind turbine has been installed on the roof, the building has a specifically designed system of open spaces and walking routes and thanks to the atrium and the courtyard garden nearly every space in the building benefits from an abundance of natural light.

On the basis of close cooperation with architect Jorge Maura, Bolidt had the honour of providing the floor finish fore more than 10,000 of the total of 19,000 m2 of floor area in this exciting futuristic building. The pre-eminent reason for choosing synthetic flooring was that the faculty will work with movable partitions. This means that in the future, the walls can be adjusted to the required size of the space concerned. The synthetic Bolidtop flooring systems from Bolidt are durable and offer the same flexibilty. If a change is desired, the flooring does not need to be removed, but it is simply sanded down and provided with a new top layer of either the same or another desired colour. With the Bolidtop systems from Bolidt, the Hague University of Applied Sciences is clearly prepared for the future! The Bolidtop 525 system has been applied in all public spaces, including hallways, staircases, classrooms and toilet areas. A number of technical classrooms feature the functionally stronger Bolidtop 700.

www.bolidt.com

Rhine Bridge near Oosterbeek

Esthec — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:51:13 +0000

Track repairs are well under way!

A national monument, built in 1952, double track and spanning the Rhine with a lenght of 130 metres. We are talking about the Rhine Bridge near Oosterbeek. After many years of honourable service, the bridge had lost its track, its life span had expired. No cuase for concern, as Prorail commissioned Dura Vermeer to completely renew both tracks. Dura Vermeer decided to work with Bolidt, a partner that Prorail had already cooperated with on previous occasions, on this challenging project.

Challenging, because of the introduction of new construction requirements designed to reduce rail noise. Synthetic resin in the form of Bolidt’s Embedded Rail System offered the solution. With this system, the tracks will last much longer and noise levels are greatly reduced in line with the requirements. In addition, Bolidt’s laboratory played a very important role with regard to quality control and was heavily involved before and while the work was being carried out, as well as afterwards. A wide range of tests, including adhesion and hardness, were carried out and reported on to ensure quality in every aspect. The work is well under way. One third of the work has now been completed and the remainder will be done in 2010.

Dura Vermeer and Prorail are impressed with Bolidt’s quality and assurance, efficiency, professionalism and expertise. Full speed ahead towards next year!

www.bolidt.com