Hendriks supplies moulds for grandstand elements Haitsma Beton

Scoring with prefabricated elements

Now that the World Cup is over, it is time to turn our attention to Dutch club football. Safe and comfortable stands are important in this regard. Haitsma Beton is using Hendriks stand moulds for the construction of the new Cambuur stadium.

In recent decades, many Dutch football clubs have acquired new stadiums, most of which have been constructed using 3-step grandstand elements. The starting point for the development of the unique moulds for these elements was the Willem II stadium in Tilburg. Together with Haitsma Beton, Hendriks developed a system that allows the complex shaped elements to be poured vertically to prevent air entrapment and demoulded horizontally.

Customer requirements are key

SC Cambuur is not the only club that will be using the prefabricated grandstand elements supplied by Haitsma Beton. We will also see the grandstand elements in the Johan Cruyff Arena and the stadiums of Willem II, Roda JC, FC Groningen, Vitesse, Borussia Dortmund and many others. The grandstands of numerous amateur clubs are also constructed from Haitsma Beton grandstand elements. What makes Haitsma's grandstands so interesting is the way in which they are constructed. Jasper Doornbos of Haitsma Beton explains: "From the initial consultation to the delivery of the grandstand, the customer's wishes are central. We want to deliver added value for our customers and therefore work hand in hand with them from the preliminary stage onwards. By thinking along with them and working efficiently, we are a reliable partner for many stadium builders."

Reliable delivery

This reliability is partly determined by the parties with whom Haitsma Beton works. "Hendriks has proven to have a great deal of knowledge and experience. What's more, with Hendriks we are assured of a partner who keeps its promises and delivers reliably and on time. And that's important because everything depends on the prefabricated elements being poured on time. With complex structures such as a mould, that's not always a given, but they deliver on their promise every time."

Ingenious solution

Anyone who sees the grandstand formwork will quickly realise that the construction is ingenious. The grandstand formwork for the SC Cambuur stadium is used to create an element with three steps in a single pour. "For larger stadiums, the three-step elements are often the most interesting, although we also supply single-step elements," says Jasper Doornbos. "For the Cambuur stadium, we worked with our client Van Wijnen to find the smartest and most efficient way to implement the architect's design. The design also took into account the entire substructure of the stands."

Working safely

The mould for grandstand elements is a smart construction that can be hydraulically tilted and opened. To allow for different lengths, the mould can be fitted with end plates. In addition, the mould can be used to produce both 2- and 3-step elements. "With the three moulds, we can produce 15 grandstand elements per week," says Jasper Doornbos. "Because the mould is tilted hydraulically for demoulding, a lot of attention has been paid to safety in the design. That is why the mould is equipped with a working platform from which work can be carried out safely and without risk of entrapment."