GIKEN Signs Pilot Phase Contract for Project to Renovate Canal Quay Walls of Netherlands’ World Heritage Canals

Work starts in September, with press-in operations starting in November

2022.10.31 NEWS RELEASE

G-Kracht BV, which is a joint venture company established predominantly by GIKEN Europe B.V. (Head Office: Almere, The Netherlands; Managing Director: Atsushi Ohira; hereafter “GIKEN Europe”), a group company of GIKEN LTD. (Head Office: Kochi-shi, Kochi; President: Shinnosuke Moribe; hereafter “GIKEN”), has signed a contract with the City of Amsterdam to conduct pilot work for a new technology development project of the Netherlands*. This new project will renovate the quay walls of canals in the World Heritage-listed Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Work is planned to start in September, with press-in operations starting in November.

After successful completion of this pilot phase, the project will move to the commercial phase with an exclusive contract for press-in works over an 8-year period for a section of quay walls extending at least 3.3 km. As the next step, press-in technologies are expected to become the standard method for renovating another 200 km of quay walls. As a result, use of this method is projected to rapidly spread across the Netherlands.

The world is paying close attention to this capital city project. It offers an opportunity for press-in technologies to be recognized as an innovative solution to the problem of aging infrastructure across countries of Europe, which is creating a ripple effect that includes use of this method in other projects. The new machine used this time is an electrified press-in system developed for local use to enable zero CO2 emissions during the work. With Europe leading the world in climate change measures, there are increasing expectations for performance from the carbon neutrality perspective. By successfully completing the pilot phase, GIKEN will be able to dramatically accelerate take-up of this method and sales of these machines. This represents further steady progress toward achieving the goals of “100 billion yen in annual sales by the August 2031 fiscal year” and an “overseas sales ratio of 70%.”

* See previous news release: https://www.giken.com/en/release/22_may_2020/

Composite image of the pilot work

■Outline of Pilot Phase

Electrified GYRO PILER™ (GRV0611e) and GRB™ System

Pilot phase this time entails pressing in 273 tubular piles over a quay wall section of 208 m using a newly developed electrified GYRO PILER™ (GRV0611e*) and GRB™ System* employing the Gyropress Method™, a rotary cutting press-in method for tubular piles. This enables the machine to penetrate existing quay walls without having to remove them, so all machinery will operate over existing piles. Using “temporary work platform free construction” that eliminates the need for temporary works, and “vibration-free, noise-free construction” to avoid negative impacts of local residents and structures, the work will prove the superiority of these brand new technologies and methods that provide solutions to construction challenges while protecting this World Heritage-listed scenery.

* See previous news release: https://www.giken.com/en/release/22_may_2020/

ⒸOpenStreetMap contributors
[Source: https://www.openstreetmap.org, https://opendatacommons.org]

Location of pilot work section

Cross-section of work

■ Project Schedule

■Outline of Agreement and Pilot Project

Agreement NameSamenwerkingsovereenkomst voor de Onderzoek- en Ontwikkelfase van het Innovatiepartnerschap Kademuren (AI 2018-0423)
Partner NamesCity of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and G-Kracht BV
G-Kracht BV composition:
・ GIKEN Europe
・ Gebr. De Koning BV
・ Van Gelder BV
Project NameAI 2018-0423 Innovatiepartnerschap Kademuren Gemeente Amsterdam
LocationSingel 284, 1015BB Amsterdam
Project OwnerCity of Amsterdam
Prime ContractorG-Kracht BV
ContractorG-Kracht BV
EquipmentGYRO PILERTM (GRV0611e), CLAMP CRANETM
Specification of Pile Materials 273 tubular piles, planned (508 mm in diameter, 13.5–22.0 m in length)
DurationSeptember 2022 to July 2023, planned

■Profile of GIKEN Group
GIKEN developed the SILENT PILERTM, the world's first reaction-based hydraulic pile jacking machine, installing piles with no noise and vibration. GIKEN Group now actively promotes the Press-in Technology worldwide and contributes to the construction industry by proposing and implementing innovative solutions. The innovative technology of press-in provides a unique solution and the adoption of this technology has grown to more than 40 nations and regions.


Contact Information:
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