As an integrated construction group, Group Jansen focuses entirely on interior finishing and techniques. From HVAC and electricity to gyproc, paint and joinery. Today, among other things, they are ensuring that the Hotel Métropole in Brussels is restored to its former glory. “That involves masses of hand tools,” says Sarai Bervoets, CCO at Group Jansen.
Only benefits
“We started the transition to cordless work 15 years ago. Today, 80% of our tools work on battery power. Only a few heavy machines still have a cable attached. Whether that will ever become 100% I don’t know, but as soon as the opportunity arises, we will switch over for the exceptions that still require too much power. Battery-powered tools are simply more convenient to take to the construction sites. No more hassle with cables and also in terms of safety and tripping hazards it only has advantages.”
“Our craftsmen often operate in highly specialized environments such as clean rooms and hospitals. We work in the university hospitals of Brussels and Leuven, among others. They are used to working with precision and cleanliness. Working dust-free is therefore standard for us. Our machines are fully equipped with dust bags and filter systems to meet the high quality requirements. Working cleanly also immediately means working more ergonomically.”
Everything in-house
Group Jansen is an integrated construction group with several specialized entities. “We have chosen to keep our equipment management in-house to the maximum extent as well; to purchase rather than lease,” Bervoets said.
“It is digitally monitored via a software system that records which van leaves for which site with which material. Digitalization also allows us to map out the total cost of ownership. We are now investigating how we can go one step further. We would like to be able to track our material on site as well. This is important because we often operate on the large and long-running construction sites, where subcontractors also use our tools. Keeping an overview in these circumstances is complex. We hope to get started on that this year.”
BIM integration
“From our warehouse in Oudsbergen, all the tools leave for the various projects. For larger construction sites, we work with BIM, which gives us a clear view of planning, quantities and phasing as early as the design phase. That information helps our warehouse staff to prepare in a more targeted way and better estimate what materials and tools are needed when,” Sarai explains.
“This data-driven approach provides more structure and less improvisation on site. In the past, teams often left with as much material as possible in the van ‘just to be sure’. That led to overcrowded trucks, unnecessary transport and sometimes still missing tools. Today, we work in a much more focused way. That means less waste, more efficient inventory management and above all: time saved on site.”
Maintenance and repair
We maintain a strict routine for material returned from the yards. Each piece is systematically checked, tested and cleaned. For example, miter saws are always fully blown out. This approach ensures not only longer machine life, but also peace of mind. The teams that leave here know that their equipment has been checked and that they can get right to work. There is nothing more annoying than arriving at a job site and realizing that a piece of equipment is not working and hours are lost trying to fix the problem. Working hours are too expensive not to try to avoid such situations.”
“We also have our own repair service that repairs machines that are out of warranty. If a piece is really broken, we keep the parts that do work so we can use them as replacements later if necessary.”