Making work with work

With a wide variety of machines, de Waard Grondverzet Combinatie Waddenkwartier is supporting the dike reinforcement Lauwersmeerdijk-Vierhuizergat. Besides the earthwork, de Waard is also supplying large quantities of sand and dike clay from other works where it is active. A win-win. 

Basically, de Waard takes on and executes projects itself. "In this case, we are working as a subcontractor for Combinatie Waddenkwartier, consisting of Heijmans and GMB," begins Marcel Meppelink, foreman at de Waard Grondverzet. "It is a familiar client to us, because for both parties, albeit in a different combination, we have done a lot of work on the wind farm in Zeewolde and the new exit towards Lelystad Airport. And in Groningen we are continuing that cooperation."

Extensive machinery

Since 2023, de Waard Grondverzet has been active in the dike reinforcement Lauwersmeerdijk-Vierhuizergat. "We rent a number of manned machines to the combination, including bulldozers, excavators, crawler cranes and dumpers for internal transport," Marcel explains. "In addition, we have a water truck stationed on the project, which prevents dust nuisance and ensures proper compaction of the applied sand. Basically, it is a converted and self-propelled agricultural injector, which also copes well in difficult terrain, such as here. The attachments are specially tailored to this project. Through our operating company de Waard Transport & Overslag, we also brought in large quantities of dike clay and sand. The sand came from our work for combination Herepoort in Groningen (Aanpak Ring Zuid, ed.) and the dike clay from a project in Elburg."

Marcel praises the cooperation with Combination Waddenkwartier. "We have a good relationship and the contact between us is just very nice. Everything is running nicely according to schedule to date." With its two operating companies, de Waard is active on large road construction projects, municipal and construction works, as well as nature and water board works, such as quay improvements and dike reinforcements. "We handle all the transport ourselves, with our own tippers and flatbed trailers." All in all, then, an extremely versatile company with 95 of its own employees and the same number of permanent hired workers.