For over a hundred years, Royal FloraHolland has been connecting horticultural growers and buyers. Every weekday, approximately ten million flowers and plants are traded at the auctions in Naaldwijk, Aalsmeer, Rijnsburg, and Eelde. A crucial factor in the business process is the cooling system. Major maintenance was required at the Naaldwijk location. Friso Sijbertsma, head of the Asset Management department at Royal FloraHolland, and asset manager Suzan van der Spek explain how KH Engineering took the lead in this critical operation.
‘During the annual inspection, it was determined that major maintenance was needed for the cooling system at our Naaldwijk location,’ says Friso Sijbertsma, head of the Asset Management department. ‘Initially, we sought advice on how to best approach this. Bear in mind, we have 30,000 m² of cooling cells connected by pipes with a total length of 1.6 kilometres. Through these pipes, about 11,000 kilograms of refrigerant flows. The top priority was to carry out the major maintenance safely. Additionally, trading had to continue during the project.’
Contact with KH Engineering
‘In the search for the right partner, a colleague mentioned KH Engineering,’ adds asset manager Suzan van der Spek. ‘We quickly arranged an online introductory meeting, which felt promising. Moreover, during that meeting, KH Engineering mentioned they had recently completed a similar project at Schiphol, which also involved the transport of refrigerants.’
Communication
‘In close consultation, various scenarios were discussed, and an action plan was made. KH Engineering put together a special team for this,’ says Friso. To carry out the maintenance, the existing cooling system had to be shut down. Therefore, a construction site and temporary cooling facilities in containers had to be set up elsewhere on the premises. As a result, site and road closures and alternative routes were in effect. ‘This meant significant extra costs for us, but we trusted KH Engineering’s expertise,’ says Suzan. ‘During the works, temporary scaffolding and piping were installed, and walkways and new passageways were created. Wooden boards were placed on the scaffolds to inform employees about the works. KH Engineering, together with our communication department, ensured timely announcements and signage on-site. We regularly organised coordination meetings with the bigger parties involved and management and there was a fixed weekly start and daily on-site meetings. Good communication allowed the work to be carried out carefully and with minimal disruption.’
No Worries Needed
KH Engineering first tested the temporary cooling installation using glycol. Once that worked, the existing cooling system, including valves, shut-off valves, and other equipment, was cleaned and dismantled. KH Engineering had conducted HAZOP studies for each phase of the execution part in advance to identify risks, including those during the emptying of the existing system and the installation of the temporary one. The many connections, valves, and other equipment were blown out with air. Then, an extra check with nitrogen followed to ensure everything was clean. ‘Until that moment, the project consumed me,’ admits Suzan. ‘Ah, piece of cake,’ adds Friso with a significant sense of understatement. Suzan: ‘When the refrigerant was safely removed from the system, I could let go a little; the risks were managed. But it cost us both some sleepless nights. Worries that turned out to be unnecessary in hindsight.’
Safety
Friso: ‘I am impressed with how KH Engineering handled this multidisciplinary project. They took their responsibility as project manager and engineer seriously, prioritising the safety of employees, site users, and local residents without compromise.’ Suzan adds: ‘We learned a lot about safety from KH Engineering. Look, we are hands-on. If there’s a malfunction, we solve it pragmatically. During this project, that was a ‘no go.’ Every phase was re-examined for safety.’ On KH Engineering’s advice, additional connections were made in the cooling pipeline system. Friso: ‘This created different sections that can be maintained and shut down separately. We now have a certified, optimised, easy-to-maintain, and future-proof cooling system.’
For more information about Royal FloraHolland: https://www.royalfloraholland.com/en
Royal FloraHolland is the leading international cooperative and marketplace for horticulture. They bring together approximately 3,000 members and 2,400 buyers from home and abroad, resulting in around 100,000 transactions per day.