Total Fabricator Editor George Lewis recently embarked on a trip to Belgium to see the Reynaers headquarters in Duffel. He reports back on what made the trip so memorable, and how the company is planning for the future…
Every now and then in this industry, you just have to step back and say – I haven’t seen that before. It might not happen very often; yes new products and innovations come along, but recently I was lucky enough to see and use something for the very first time in my life.
This happened on my trip to Duffel in Belgium, for a visit to the group headquarters of aluminium window and door systems manufacturer Reynaers.
A team from the Reynaers UK base in Birmingham organised a trip to the huge 283,000m2 facility near Antwerp, and gave us a closer look at the Reynaers manufacturing facility and operations, including a look back at key moments in the company’s history, interesting projects Reynaers has been involved with all over the world, and plans for the business moving forward in what is a rapidly developing and changing market.
And speaking of the future, there was one thing I saw that will stick with me for a long time, and that was Avalon.
A virtual future
Avalon is Reynaers’ virtual reality software that can be used to design a building from scratch, as high, wide and technically challenging as required, all from the comfort of a small room.
It’s clear this piece of software will be a dream for architects and building developers, who can make sure any safety aspects are ironed out before construction commences, and also see how the building will look and perform when different products and systems are used.
Of course, using this software from Reynaers does come at a cost, but the team point out it can potentially save developers money elsewhere if things were to go wrong or a cheaper product is then used.
The way Avalon works is the Reynaers team would guide a building’s project team, preferably on-site in Duffel but also virtually via Teams/ Zoom. Those involved would put on VR glasses and set foot into the Avalon ‘cave’. They would then be able to virtually see the building from every angle, including a bird’s eye view that not many would normally be able to see and make decisions from there.
It was surprising to hear that this technology has been used by Reynaers since 2017, with the initial idea formed in 2014, way before VR was the norm. With innovative technologies such as VR and AI all hogging headlines at the moment,
it was incredible to hear that this tech has been ongoing for many years.
But whilst VR may not be on everyone’s minds, there was lots on the trip that was still of interest. This included the ever-increasing topic of sustainability and energy efficiency within construction, and the importance of operating as a more sustainable business.
You may have read in our last issue of 2022 about the Reynaers Act, the company’s ambitious sustainability plan to coincide with its 60th anniversary in 2025.
At the time, Reynaers said that the objective of the Act is for Reynaers Group to “outperform internationally set sustainability goals by aligning itself to the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to hold the rise in global average temperatures to 2°C above pre-industrial levels”.
Reynaers also mentioned a Sustainability Board, assisted by a cross-departmental project team, who would lead sustainability projects across four key areas of Sustainable Buildings, Circular Products, Sustainable Operations and People and Society.
Whilst on the trip, we were told that this remains the number one priority for the Group, and the Act will be used in all parts of the Group’s operations going forward.
Antwerp building tour
On the various press trips I have been on throughout the years, whilst we wee the products being manufactured, we rarely see them installed on projects. But on this trip, interestingly, we were taken on a walking tour of nearby Antwerp, and instead of seeing the landmarks of the city, we saw buildings that Reynaers had helped create, of which there were many.
From tower blocks to student accommodation, Reynaers has played a part in building the city up to what it is now.
Special projects
The last part of the trip involved a fascinating talk by Façade Specialist Project Engineer Teodor Caragioiu, who took us on a whirlwind tour and showcased images of some of the unique projects that Reynaers has been part of across the world.
Projects such as Ferrari World Abu Dhabi have Reynaers’ input, both in products and design, with complex construction meaning more expert solutions were required to help build these impressive styles of buildings.
And this is where Reynaers says it comes into its own; it has specialist engineers across the world to help design unique elements of a building and ensure they perform as they should.
Staying with Formula 1, it was interesting to hear from Teodor, who explained that working in the special projects team is just like working on an F1 car, as they need to have the ability to take an already fantastic project and make it even better.
But Teodor suggested that, like in F1 where the technology is refined and slowly filters down to everyday cars, this is the same with the construction projects that he is involved with.
Teodor and his team filter and utilise the best parts of the projects they work on in order to make ‘standard’ projects even better.
Worth a visit
Press trips are always a great way to see a lot in a short space of time, and the trip to Reynaers HQ was no different.
It was great to hear what is going on at such a big organisation, and a company that is looking to a more sustainable future, whilst using knowledge from the past to help shape projects and cities moving forward.
And if you get the opportunity to visit Antwerp, I’d very much recommend you go and enjoy the beautiful city and fine hospitality on offer!