< Back to press releases
DSM, Fibercore Europe and Heijmans join forces for making stronger and more sustainable bridges
Schaffhausen, CH, 15 Nov 2012 12:00 CET
Bridge manufacturer FiberCore Europe, infrastructure company Heijmans, and DSM have started working together in further introducing composite light weight bridges in new road construction projects. The companies installed a new 140 m heavy traffic bridge over one of the busiest roads in the Netherlands. Interference with ongoing traffic was minimal during this very smooth installation, which was directly linked to the low bridge weight. Bridges made from composite materials have inherently a lower weight than their counterparts in steel and concrete. Moreover these materials require little maintenance and therefore can help to minimize bridge operating cost.
Jurre van der Ven, innovator from Heijmans explains: "The hybrid lightweight bridge project over the A27 was genuinely groundbreaking, and confirmed that if all parties are willing to work together in a spirit of true collaboration, remarkable things are possible."
"At Heijmans, we are constantly looking for the next advances in terms of materials and transport infrastructure. With DSM's innovative portfolio and know how in resins and FiberCore's expertise in fiber-reinforced structures it was clear to us at a very early stage that collaborating with them would open up exciting opportunities."
"The bridge over the A27 highway is only one of many composite bridges that have been constructed by FiberCore Europe while using DSM's resins", adds Simon de Jong, director of FiberCore Europe. "In total, around 100 bridges have been placed in areas such as Western Europe, US and China. This numbers includes many different types, including a bridge that floats on water and a movable heavy traffic bridge, and shows that composite bridges are able to serve many different customer needs."
"The development of composite solutions for improved end-use performance is at the heart of our innovation", says Robert Puyenbroek, Chief Technical Officer of DSM Composite Resins. "Combining new resin technologies with a thorough understanding of end-customer needs, helps us to create new markets and bring direct benefits to the customer and the environment".
DSM Composite Resins
Thomas Wegman
thomas.wegman@dsm.com >