'C.A. de Groot is way ahead of construction' is the motto of the Alkmaar family business. And that's just the way 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 in business since 1954. Meanwhile, the family business has expanded its activities and is now in the hands of the third generation of De Groot. 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 in 1954 from demolition. In the 1990s, the family business added asbestos remediation to its activities. Pieter Kesselaar: "In addition, about ten years ago we started soil remediation and we also collect waste. These activities fit together nicely and fit into a circular economy.
Long-term relationship
C.A. de Groot works for a variety of companies in the construction industry, but also for government and insurance agencies, for example. Kesselaar: "We perform 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 go for a long-term relationship."
Stability
It is precisely 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 then, 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: "Currently the market looks good for us. Now one of our challenges is precisely finding good staff. Fortunately, staff turnover is very low, so we don't feel as much of this scarcity."
Reusing complete elements
Another challenge for C.A. de Groot is reusing elements from existing buildings. Kesselaar: "The vacancy rate in the Netherlands generates an enormous flow of materials. 'Ordinary' recycling causes energy loss and a heavy CO2 burden. After all, raw materials have to be reprocessed. With this in mind, we participate in various initiatives in the field of circular demolition. The goal is to reuse more complete elements in the new construction process. So think of glass getting a second life. This reuse is a great idea, which we are happy to be part of."
All certificates with one party
Sustainability is high on C.A. de Groot's agenda. Kesselaar: "This is one of the reasons why we have had ourselves certified for the CO2 performance ladder. This allows us to demonstrate that the environment is important to us. Safety is another theme that has brought about a change in behavior thanks to VCA certification; safety comes first for us, but also for our customers. We have placed 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 the BRL SIKB 7000 (soil remediation). We chose Normec Certification when our former certifying body discontinued the demolition certificate. From the market we heard good stories about Normec Certification. 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 with one party. It gives us room for open communication with the auditor. That way one word is enough for us."
"It's nice to have all certificates with one party. It gives us room for open communication with the auditor. That way one word is enough for us."
Kees de Groot, Managing Director 'C.A. de Groot