Innovation

Westerpark-West | Blend, Salt & Pepper, Amsterdam

NetherlandsContractors: Kwakman Groep

Westerpark-West - Blend, Salt & Pepper - Gypsum International Trophy 2025

Project description

Project Westerpark-West comprises of three buildings: Blend, Salt & Pepper, offering 302 rental apartments and commercial spaces with 40.000 m² in total. In order to meet with the challenges of limited storage space and the demand for a sustainable and efficient workflow, contractor Kwakman decided to apply Gyproc’s made-to-order packages, enhanced by the use of Kwakman’s newly developed stackable pallet. Through the use of this new, circular and mountable pallet, the building process could be substantially improved compared to the use of traditional wooden pallets in:

sustainability (re-useable, less transportation volume, reduced use of raw materials).
handling time (70% time reduction),
reduced transportation volume and weight,
improved working conditions (weight and height),

Main information

Building size

40.000 m²

Building purpose / type

Residential and commercial spaces

Building owner name

CBRE Investment Management

Architect name

MVRDV | Elephant

Contractors

Kwakman Groep

Company name: Kwakman Groep

Main Representative: Mr. Jaap Buys

Other Representative: Mr. Will Jonk

Number of collaborators: 60 – 250

Specialties: Drywall solutions, plastering, interior building, Innovations to improve and optimize the building process

Founded in: 1985

Biography: Kwakman is engineer and producer of efficient, sustainable and high-end total drywall solutions, plastering and interior building. We work for contractors and customers who aim, just like we do, to make building smarter and faster. This requires improved processes, partnerships and cooperation. Kwakman innovates and optimizes in every stage of the building process. We increasingly distinguish ourselves by strongly advanced BIM engineering, digitization, automation, standardization and pre-production.

Website: www.kwakmangroep.nl

Key Challenges

To meet with the challenges of limited storage space and the demand for a sustainable and efficient workflow, contractor Kwakman decided to apply Gyproc’s made-to-order packages, enhanced by the use of its newly developed stackable pallet.
To introduce the new pallet in the logistics and handling process from the Kallo-plant, through the logistics onto the unloading at the building site.
The pallet design and construction had to be tested on strength, stability and practical useability for the first time in a large-scale project.

Key Achievements

The Westerpark-West project has proven and strengthened the concept of Gyproc’s made-to-order packages, used in combination with the newly developed pallet.
This innovation, led by Kwakman, strengthens Gyproc’s made-to-order package proposal and expands Gyproc’s market lead.
The pallet-concept is still being finetuned and improved, in cooperation between Kwakman, Gyproc and the Kallo plant, and additional features are being investigated.
This innovative pallet concept generates a lot of interest from other contractors in the market, to stimulate the use of Gyproc’s made-to-order packages on a wider scale.

Sustainability in the project

Transportation benefits:
- Volume reduction: 300 vs 176 pallets in one truck.
- Weight reduction.
Re-usable pallets:
- Solid construction, little wear and tear.
- Long lifetime.
- Reduction of use of raw materials.
Better for people:
- Working conditions: eliminate the lifting of lower, heavy wooden pallets.