Transport & Logistics
Thanks to its location, the Netherlands is a logistical hub with amongst other things the port of Rotterdam, Amsterdam Schiphol airport and intensive connections by rail, road and waterways to the European hinterland and the rest of the world.
Transport and logistics activities are an important source of revenue for the Netherlands and for many companies form the basis of their existence. The Netherlands’ location and its modern facilities have made it a global player in this sector.
Technological developments, sustainability and the use of our limited amount of space offer constant challenges and opportunities.
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With controlled development, where risks are identified in time and made manageable, the continuity of companies and services is guaranteed and the Netherlands remains a major player.
SOCOTEC is often involved, both at home and abroad, in designing the foundations of logistics centres and above all optimising the design of their floors. Due to the size of logistics centres, even a relatively small optimisation can lead to substantial cost savings.
Transport & Logistics in the Netherlands
With its central location vis-à-vis the hinterland, its excellent infrastructure and the commercial spirit of the Dutch, the Netherlands has developed into a logistical hub with amongst other things the port of Rotterdam, Amsterdam Schiphol airport and intensive connections by rail, road and waterways to the European hinterland and the rest of the world.
SOCOTEC’s services are called upon by government bodies for the development and construction of buildings and infrastructure in this sector, as well as during the operational phase.
Thus our experts are called in by the Department of Public Works that acts as the road authority after an accident on a Dutch motorway involving lorries or heavy equipment to free the road up again for intensive traffic as quickly as possible. Whilst doing so, we focus on the importance of saving the hull, the load and the environment. Thanks to our specific expertise in these areas, we have developed a unique and successful cooperation with all the parties involved.
Our mechanical experts are deployed for (damage) claims relating to heavy machinery, goods transport, investigation into causes, technical warranty issues and in legal proceedings (court experts).
Geotechnical investigations and design
Logistics centres often have (very) large surface areas. An optimum design of the foundations will keep costs to a minimum. The biggest savings in the design and execution of the foundations can be achieved by opting for foundations on steel.
The predicted settlement and differential settlement are made transparent and the soil improvement / floor thickness required is optimised by means of carrying out specific investigations and accurate settlement calculations based on detailed floor load charts. If the floor still requires a foundation on piles, optimisation is achieved by choosing the right type of pile and determining the centre-to-centre distance between the piles in relation to the floor thickness.
Optimisation of the floor thickness and/or the number and length of the piles almost always leads to substantial savings since large numbers or large surface areas are involved.
Our teams of experts offer the following services:
