Friday 11th September was a milestone in the history of Holmatro, which spans back over 40 years. On that day the official opening took place of the new business premises, alongside the A27 in Raamsdonksveer. The divisions Marine and Industrial Equipment as well as the Holding will be residing at the new premises. Due to enormous growth over the past years, the new location at the Lissenveld was added, thus freeing up additional space at the Zalmweg for the Rescue Equipment division to grow even further.
The move to the 30-meter high building closes the circle: from 1975 till 1990 Holmatro already resided at the Lissenveld-area in Raamsdonksveer. The new building is modern and innovative, designed by architects De Bont. The characteristic design compliments the philosophy of Holmatro. General Director Jaap Meijer, “This new building represents quality and innovation. Exactly the characteristics Holmatro stands for’.
From the outside, the premises have a high-tech appearance. The most eye-catching feature is the 30-metre high climate façade. In addition to excellent sound insulation, the façade repels heat in the summer and cold in the winter, making the design extremely energy efficient.
In order to minimise energy use, the new premises are heated using geo-thermal heat, in combination with heat exchangers. Heating and cooling takes place by using groundwater that, at a depth of 60 metres, has an almost constant temperature of 10 – 12 C. Heat is extracted from the water during the winter, and used to cool the building during the summer. All of the building’s floors have been laid with pipes through which the water flows. The total length of this piping system is 23 km! This is known as ‘concrete core activation’; it is not the air that is heated or cooled, but the building itself.
A ‘moat’ has been placed around the premises and, in addition to acting like a natural barrier, it also accentuates Holmatro’s relationship with water.