C.A. de Groot
Far ahead in construction
"C.A. de Groot is way ahead in construction" is the motto of the Alkmaar family business. And that is exactly how it is. Prior to construction, C.A. de Groot carries out demolition and dismantling work, among other things. But the motto also shows the innovative nature of the family. The C.A. de Groot Group has been building since 1954. Since then, the family business has expanded its activities and is now in the hands of the third De Groot generation. Normec Certification talked to Kees de Groot (Managing Director) and Pieter Kesselaar (KAM/HR manager).
From asbestos remediation to waste collection
The C.A. de Groot Group started from demolition in 1954. In the 1990s, the family business added asbestos remediation to its operations. Pieter Kesselaar: "We also started soil remediation about ten years ago, and we also collect waste. These activities complement each other nicely and fit into a circular economy."
Long-term relationship
C.A. de Groot works for a variety of companies in the construction sector, but also for government and insurance bodies, for example. Kesselaar: "We carry out the 'normal' scheduled demolition work, but are also deployable in the event of emergencies. Think of large industrial fires, where asbestos needs to be cleaned up quickly. Quality is always central to our work. So we actively think along with the customer and go through a project from A to Z. We want a customer to know in advance what he is getting into. And not that a project suddenly involves much more than expected. We therefore really aim for a long-term relationship."
Kees de GrootManaging Director ‘C.A. de Groot
It is nice to have all certificates within one party. It gives us room for open communication with the auditor. That way, saying one word is enough.
Stability
It is this focus on a long-term relationship that ensures stability at C.A. de Groot. Kesselaar: 'Even in more difficult economic times. Bringing in new customers may be more difficult, especially if a price-fighter market emerges. But existing customers know our quality and are not so quick to switch. Yet we also feel it when the construction industry is struggling. The simpler projects fall away then, for example, but the more complex assignments keep coming.' De Groot adds: 'At the moment, the market looks good for us. Now, one of our challenges is finding good staff. Fortunately, staff turnover is very low, so we don't feel so much of this scarcity.'
Reusing complete elements
Another challenge for C.A. de Groot is the reuse of elements from existing buildings. Kesselaar: ‘The vacancy rate in the Netherlands generates a huge material flow. Ordinary recycling causes energy loss and a heavy CO2 footprint. After all, raw materials have to be reprocessed. With this in mind, we participate in several initiatives on circular demolition. The aim is to reuse more complete elements in the new build process. So think of how glass is given a second life. This reuse is a nice idea, which we are happy to be part of.
All certificates with one party
Sustainability is a top priority for C.A. de Groot. Kesselaar explains: ‘This is one of the reasons why we chose to get certified for the CO₂ Performance Ladder. It allows us to demonstrate that the environment is important to us. Safety is another theme that has brought about a change in behaviour thanks to VCA certification; safety comes first for us, but also for our customers. We have lodged all our certificates with Normec Certification. These include ISO 9001, ISO 14001, CO2 performance ladder (level 3), VCA, SVMS 007 (demolition), SC 530 (asbestos remediation) and BRL SIKB 7000 (soil remediation). We chose Normec Certification when our former certification body stopped its demolition certification. We heard good stories about Normec Certification from the market. We were then able to make the switch easily. Normec Certification works with auditors who know our business extremely well. They listen well and switch quickly.’ De Groot adds: ‘It is nice to have all certificates running with one party. It gives us room for open communication with the auditor. That way, sometimes a single word is enough.’
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