In 2019, the Evides water company expanded the storage capacity for drinking water production in the southern Netherlands. The expansion was deemed necessary for various reasons, including climate change and water fluctuations. Van Leeuwen Zwijndrecht supplied 297 huge pipes for this Evides Pipeline Project in the Biesbosch region. “This was quite a challenge, especially from a logistics perspective,” says Frits Veraa, Commercial Director Van Leeuwen Stainless.
The pipes we supplied have a cross-section of 2.14 meters (84 inches), a wall thickness of 22 and 25 mm, are 12 and 17 meters in length, and weigh 21 tons. The pipes were produced in Spain and transported to the Netherlands, where they were welded together. Next, they were transported on pontoons to the storage reservoirs in the Biesbosch nature conservation area to realize the pipeline here. Frits: “Due to our technical and logistics expertise and our storage sites adjacent to the water, Van Leeuwen was able to meet the customer’s specific requirements. In addition, the close working relationships with the customer, the contractor, the carrier and internal colleagues were key in bringing this project to a successful conclusion.”