Concrete group thrives with partners

ASCEM, Romein, Kemper, De Hamer, Lodewikus, De Meteoor, Steenhuis, Hercules and Vebo Beton & Staal are resounding names, part of the BTE Group. Each sister company has its own specialty, but under the skin they are all connected by the common network in which knowledge is shared and innovations are made. In practice, this does not happen without partner companies and suppliers who themselves have specific product-technical knowledge.

The various companies in the BTE Group make every concrete product imaginable for construction. "Not only residential and commercial construction, but also civil works, sewerage and paving," said Marco van Ekeren, buyer at BTE. "The great thing is that all companies strengthen each other by sharing knowledge and production facilities, where they are also supported by a laboratory in Rheden. All kinds of tests are done there and innovations can be put on the rack. We also produce part of our portfolio for the German market, which of course follows the strict standards of our eastern neighbors. That further raises our level of knowledge, which at the same time gives you a head start for new requests." 

Innovation is needed because the market increasingly demands specialized customization. "Concrete walls for residential construction, for example, contain residents' wishes," Van Ekeren continues. "Or if an architect wants an extremely thin canopy, that has to be calculated and engineered from the start. Then it regularly happens that we find: hey, we had a question about this eight years ago as well, how was it solved then? And who dealt with that? Then again the added value of a group of companies proves itself. Also in the field of circular solving, there is good cooperation and exchange of ideas."

This applies equally to the companies that supply products and services to BTE. Van Ekeren again cites the example of the extremely thin canopy: "With pre-tensioning, we were able to achieve that low thickness. But then the elements also have to be lifted into place. Then it is very nice when you can fall back on a supplier who actively thinks along with you. After all, even as a group, you can't think of everything on your own. Schroeder Ankers is such a company and we have been working with them for fifteen years. After all, they have product-technical knowledge that we desperately need. Suppliers like this enrich our knowledge and strengthen our platform."

That knowledge is needed because there is constant demand from the market for new solutions, often architecture-driven, Van Ekeren notes. "Then you need to hang heavy elements on a light facade, for example. It's up to us to make that possible. Schroeder Ankers is then an ideal partner, because it always gives home. It has a German laboratory that can help advise and test product combinations. She also usually errs on the safe side. If a 12-ton anchor is sufficient, she recommends 15 tons. You never know what will happen in the market, think for example of earthquake resistance requirements. She can also weld to the highest qualifications, even duplex steel." 

"When we come up with a question, the counter question always comes: what are you going to do with it and what forces are at play? That helps. On the other hand, we also think along logistically: for a long-term project where a lot of anchors are needed, these are put in stock in advance so that during the project delivery reliability is guaranteed. That makes buyers like me happy. But the essence of our cooperation is that we like working with partners who think along with us and where you get confirmation that it's good. Together you know more."