No. 6 - 2005 COVERSTORY · Coverstory No. 6 - 2005 Tesselaar is a ﬁ rm believer that there is...

COVERSTORY N o . 6 - 2 0 0 5

FIFA’s 100th anniversary Football meets Opera

QATAR AIRPORTLuggage handling

PANORAMA DOMEThe new showpiece

BORMIO 2005World Championship skiing

FROM TENTS TO

TEMPORARY BUILDINGS.

SINCE 1924.

ColophonCoverstory is a publication of De Boer and appears twice a year in controlled circulation

Edited by De BoerOnno KooleMark Leenaers

Production, text and editorial supportMedia Support, internal and external communicati-ons consultants, Alkmaar, the Netherlands

Layout and printing Dékavé, Alkmaar, the Netherlands

Photography De Boer

© De Boer 2005

www.deboer.com

De Boer addresses

The Netherlands De Boer Laanenderweg 11 1812 PW Alkmaar P.O. Box 446 1800 AK Alkmaar Phone +31 (0) 72 540 04 44 Fax +31 (0) 72 540 02 14 [email protected]

BelgiumDe Boer Industrieterrein Kanaal Noord 1303 P.O. Box 25 B-3960 Bree Phone +32 (0) 89 47 26 26 Fax +32 (0) 89 47 26 31 [email protected]

GermanyDe Boer Liebigstrasse 2 45663 Recklinghausen Phone +49 (0) 2361 30080 Fax +49 (0) 2361 300825 [email protected]

Austria De Boer Reichenhallerstrasse 10b A-5020 Salzburg Phone +43 (0) 662 848899 Fax +43 (0) 662 842581 [email protected]

United KingdomDe Boer Castle Park, Boundary Road,Buckingham Road Industrial Estate, Brackley, Northamptonshire NN13 7ESPhone +44 (0) 1280 846500 Fax +44 (0) 1280 846501 [email protected]

SpainDe Boer Paseo de Gracia 16, 8º 08007 BarcelonaPhone +34 (0) 93 3063417Fax +34 (0) 93 [email protected]

SwitzerlandDe BoerThurgauerstrasse 40P.O. Box 6463CH-8050 Zürich Phone +41 (0) 44 3073510 Fax +41 (0) 44 [email protected]

Other addresses / agents

ScandinaviaHalltec i Sverige AB Kaserngården 4791 40 FalunPhone +46 (0) 20 66 17 17Fax +46 (0) 23 661 53 [email protected]

SpainAMG Servicios de Marketing Promocional, S.L. C/ Terral, 5Pol. Ind. CadesaApdo. Correos 11841700 Dos Hermanas (Sevilla)Phone +34 (0) 955 664 536Fax +34 (0) 955 675 [email protected]

USAVinings Structures LLCtrading as De Boer Vinings2255 Cumberland Parkway NWBuilding 100 Suite BAtlanta GA 30339Phone +1 770 333 1886Fax +1 770 333 [email protected]

Coverstory No. 6 - 2005

23


Advertisement, spring 2005

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Thanks to the tailor-made quick to build semi-permanent structures we provide, your business space can grow or shrink when you need it to – without commitment to long-term rental contracts or investment in bricks and mortar.

For the maximum fl exibility for your business, visit www.deboer.com.

COMPANY NEWSCOMPANY NEWS

Being strong in the countries

where you are established and

building a network of business

partners in the surrounding

countries. This is De Boer’s

strategy for further international

growth within Europe. De Boer

has already come to several

agreements and opened new

offi ces in Europe.

De Boer ScandinaviaOver the past year De Boer has executed numerous projects in Sweden in close cooperation with the Swedish company Halltec i Sverige AB. Earlier this year De Boer signed an agreement with Halltec for the exclusive use of De Boer products in the Swedish event market.

Halltec specialises in the construction of semi-permanent accommodations, which can carry a considerable snow load. This new cooperation allows De Boer to further extend its operations in the Swedish event market, in addition to deploying Halltec’s semi-permanent products in the rest of Europe.

De Boer Spain and AMGSpring 2005 also saw the opening of a De Boer offi ce in Barcelona. This new branch will primarily focus on the Spanish semi-permanent market. These past few months De Boer Spain has already presented itself at two construction exhibitions, Construmat and SIL 2005, and since has secured its fi rst orders.

In addition to these activities De Boer works closely with AMG from Seville, with whom De Boer signed a three-year cooperation contract last year. De Boer and AMG already have a fi ve-year history of close cooperation. AMG focuses primarily on the Spanish event market.

Growing

within Europe


3

The power ofinnovation

2005 promises to be another exciting year for De Boer with the company involved in a series of major national and international events around the world. Among this year’s highlights are The British Royal Navy’s celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar - ‘Trafalgar 200’ - and the Silver Jubilee of Queen Beatrix’s reign in The Netherlands. There is also the spectacular SAIL Amsterdam, a vibrant exhibition of historic ships and nautical heritage and one of the biggest maritime events in the world. Wherever the major events are, De Boer will be there.

Our product range and portfolio of services is growing all the time. Thanks to innovation and improvements to existing applications, we offer a very wide range of products and services with which we can meet virtually any type of accommodation requirement. In other words, from events to semi-permanent uses such as temporary storage space or offi ce accommodation, De Boer covers all. In this edition of Coverstory we would like to tell you about the broad range of our services by highlighting a number of high-profi le assignments from the recent past.

We would also like to introduce our new CEO, Mr. Koos Tesselaar, who took over as chairman of the group board at the end of last year and who has already featured in several of our commercials shown on Dutch TV last autumn. These commercials provided a taste of what is to come in the new De Boer strategy: more in the foreground and a more pro-active attitude towards our clients and potential clients.

Finally, this issue of Coverstory focuses on the Panorama DomeTM, De Boer’s new showpiece structure. Innovation is one of our company’s most important principles, which is why we develop and market a new product each year. In the past, this has led to the introduction of the New GalaxyTM, the Millennium DomeTM and the Delta by De Boer®, and our new Panorama DomeTM is yet another fascinating product in every possible sense.

Once again Coverstory provides you with a unique look behind the scenes at De Boer. We sincerely hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

FOREWORDFOREWORD

The power ofThe power ofThe power ofThe power ofinnovation


The power ofThe power ofinnovation














The power of

4


Tesselaar is a fi rm believer that there is never a dull moment at De Boer, having experienced the positive turbulence from day one. “We need to move ever forward,’’ he explains. “We have fantastic products that are suitable for use in all types of situations and we have an excellent team of people. It is time the market became more aware of that. Our strategy is aimed at growth, particularly in the countries where De Boer already holds a strong market position. The new plans are ready and being implemented as we speak.’’

De Boer has spent much time and energy on expanding its horizons in recent years and has successfully introduced its products all over the world. However, its marketing

is to become much more focused. Tesselaar says: “Call it ‘back to basics’ if you like. We are concentrating our efforts on De Boer’s core countries, i.e. those in which we have local branches. The emphasis therefore lies on speaking our customer’s language, on making the most of our network and reputation, and particularly on paying attention to each market and gearing our products to that market’s demands.’’

Smaller playing fi eldDe Boer’s objective is to operate on a smal-ler playing fi eld but still to achieve growth. Tesselaar explains: “Our future growth lies in having a broader portfolio. We shall distinguish between three areas of business - structures for events, for semi-permanent

accommodation and for storage solutions. We already have a strong and consistent market share in the events sector, so our growth can therefore be generated mainly in the semi-permanent and storage segments. We see both extensive and realistic opportunities due to our ability to offer temporary accommodation of various sizes - from small to very large and with wide free spans. This offers great advantages over other temporary solutions such as units with a limited interior height or a restricted span.’’

Buy and buildDe Boer is very ambitious. Substantial growth must result in our turnover doubling in the next three years. But will a broader range of products be enough? According to

Koos Tesselaar, 46, became a board member

of De Boer in late 2004. Born and raised in

Alkmaar, he has proven himself a successful

entrepreneur and, in particular, an expert in

marketing. As chairman of the group’s board,

his goal is to steer De Boer towards even

greater success. He explains: “De Boer is

already a top-quality brand and it contains

even greater potential. It is time for us to make

the most of this.’’

Autonomous growth


5

Tesselaar: “It is a good start but not enough in itself. We will therefore need to create a clear profi le for ourselves through alliances, take-overs and autonomous growth. That is the scenario. In other words - buy and build.’’

Building work is also taking place within De Boer’s internal structure. The ‘sales & delivery’ department is being divided into two separate departments, each with its own director. Together with two others, these two directors form the four-headed group board. It provides a company structure in which each department has its own person responsible within the board. “This allows us to work more effi ciently; the process takes less time whilst allowing us to offer more quality,’’ says Tesselaar.

ReputationEven before joining De Boer, Tesselaar was no stranger to the business. Being Alkmaar-born, he was already well-acquainted with the company and therefore had an above-average interest in Europe’s largest and best-known temporary structure specialist. “When I saw the profi le of the ideal CEO for De Boer, I immediately thought ‘that’s me’. I had always considered De Boer to be a superb company with a cast-iron reputation and no end of possibilities. That is my type of company. When I joined I was immediately struck by the fact that the organisation is even more professional than I had expected. There is an enormous degree of ambition and talent which I can access by steering the company and by helping it

make choices. I am privileged to be able to continue the rich heritage and entre-preneurial spirit of three generations of ‘De Boer’ and to have the opportunity to help this wonderful company blossom even further.’’

6


‘Football meets Opera’ was the motto of the jubilee celebrations which were graced by the very best performances. José Cura, Malin Hartelius, Elena Mosuk and Thomas Hampson sang famous arias from ‘La Traviata’ and ‘Don Carlos’, raising goose bumps not only among the 1,380 guests in the auditorium but also among millions of TV viewers in over 130 countries.

The highlight of the evening was the crowning of the Brazilian player Ronaldinho of FC Barcelona and the German striker Birgit Prinz as world footballer and female world footballer of the year.

Millennium DomeTM

After the finale - a performance of Puccini’s ‘Nessun Dorma’ - the party really began.

The guests moved to De Boer’s Millennium DomeTM, located next to the Opera House. It had been constructed in only 14 days, together with WalkwayTM structures and facilities such as wardrobe areas, artists’ and media rooms, a kitchen and toilet facilities, all of which were commissioned by the prime contractor of the festivities, Freddy Burger Management.

Once inside, guests found themselves in a winter wonderland constructed by Habegger Media Performance and Andreas Messerli AG. The walls were decorated with projec-tions of festivities from around the world while members of the Chinese State Circus displayed their unparalleled talents on four stages. The special feature of the evening was a fantastic performance by Lionel Richie and, as if that wasn’t enough, guests were treated to a mouth-watering and delicious menu prepared by top chef Jacky Donatz (from Restaurant Sonnenberg in Zurich). It was to be an unforgettable and wonderful evening.

Football meets Opera Glamorous

gala marks

FIFA’s 100th

anniversary

The timing could not have been more perfect. As a layer of

snow gave the city centre of Zurich in Switzerland a Christmas

feel, the city’s Opera House provided the backdrop to the FIFA

Centennial World Player Gala 2004TM. Many celebrities from the

football world such as Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer, Sir

Bobby Charlton, Roger Weah and Lothar Matthäus, assembled

to celebrate FIFA’s 100th anniversary.


7

The televised fund-raiser has been held annually since 1987, and was broadcast and presented by the national ‘France 2’ television channel on December 3rd and 4th. It featured fi lms from locations that included Disneyland Paris, and assistance from well-known artists such as Patrick Bruel, David Hallyday, Sylvie Vartan and Yannick Noah. Alongside the television show, there were 22,000 fund-raising events throughout the country. French people at home and abroad could ring into call centres where 24,000

members of the Lions Club registered their donations. National radio stations also provided coverage of the special campaign and the various events throughout the country. Under the leadership of host Gérard Jugnot, donations totalling nearly 100 million euros were collected.

Height differencesThe creation of one of the largest-ever temporary television studios was applauded as an ingenious piece of work. Wouter Zick,

chief commercial offi cer of De Boer, says: “Technically speaking, it was certainly a challenge. The site where the accommoda-tion needed to be built is quite uneven, and we needed to resolve all the height differences. We did so using 1,000 tons of concrete blocks. We also needed to construct a very large free-span but we weren’t allowed to anchor the structures in the ground, which was a challenge. We were happy that we could make the effort, and in our own way contribute to this very good cause.’’

work at the foot of the Eiffel Tower

Think of France and you automatically think of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. What better location

could there be for a national, 30-hour fund-raising event, held for people suffering from muscular

diseases? On the steps of the Trocadero, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, De Boer erected

17 structures to accommodate a television studio and public grandstand. It became one of the

largest TV studios ever created inside a tent. The temporary studio was constructed using

transparent sides and roof, offering the people inside a stunning view of Paris’s great landmark,

the Eiffel Tower.

INGENIOUS

8


in the spotlight

Seville in Spain was the stage for two leading sports events

last autumn – the Davis Cup tennis tournament and the

World Cup of Golf. Both tournaments became a ‘Grand Slam’

for the Spanish, with home players dominating and fi nishing

high up in the rankings.

Seville

Spanish tennis player Carlos Moya beat American Andy Roddick in November during the fi nal of the Davis Cup. This was the second time in the tennis tournament’s history that the Cup had gone to Spain. Spanish players also did well in the World Cup of Golf in Seville. Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jiménez fi nished in second place in December, behind the British team of Luke Donald and Paul Casey.

Spanish winnersAside from their successes for Spanish competitors, the Davis Cup 2004 and the World Cup of Golf 2004 in Seville had something else in common. At both events, De Boer was responsible for providing tem-porary accommodation. Together with our Spanish partner and agent, AMG, De Boer provided a number of WalkwayTM structures for the Davis Cup, and was assigned by the European and US PGA to construct top-quality accommodation, restaurants and toilet facilities for the media, public, VIPs and players during the international golf tournament in Seville. Over the years, De Boer has established a good relationship with the PGA, having also erected structures for the organisation at international golfi ng events in such locations as Buenos Aires and Tokyo.

The 2004 Star Show proved to be such an enormous success that the organisers have decided to go back ‘on tour’ again in 2005. Organising the 2004 travelling circus was the responsibility of the Swedish live entertainment organisations EMA Telstar and Prosit Event Design. EMA represents the majority of Sweden’s pop artists and songwriters. De Boer was commissioned by Prosit to provide portable accommodation for the travelling ‘circus’.

FeelingIn keeping with the theme, De Boer’s accommodation was furnished in the style of an old-fashioned circus. According to Åse Persson of Prosit: “The Star Show is very special, thanks to the live performances and the atmosphere. We therefore needed ac-commodation to exude that same feeling.It needed to be clear cut and pure, without

too much decoration, to give people the feeling of ‘yesteryear’. We consciously chose a big top tent and didn’t want to use projec-tion screens, for example. From their seats the audiences needed to be able to see the performing artists. The De Boer Big TopTM was very suitable for this event, offering

room for 2,500 people yet still feeling snug and intimate, thanks to its shape. The tent was literally the centrepiece. After each show, the structure was easy to dismantle and was just as easily reconstructed at the new location by De Boer and its Swedish partner and agent Halltec.’’

The Star Show, a music and cabaret event featuring well-known national

artists, toured four large Swedish cities, including Gothenburg and

Stockholm, last summer. The audience was treated to a great, old-fashioned

live show in a De Boer Big TopTM tent by a select group of Swedish artists.

The stars and tent remained in each city for a number of evenings before

moving on to the next.


9

Travelling circus for Swedish stars

10


Qatar Airways is one of the world’s fastest

growing airline companies and this is resulting in

increased pressure on facilities at Qatar airport.

The current Doha International Airport was not

built to accommodate such growth and work is

therefore already underway on the construction of

a new and much larger airport off the coast of

Doha City. In the meantime, a De Boer structure

has provided an interim solution, enabling

authorities to continue using the present location

while the new airport is being constructed.

De Boer fl ies out to

Qatar

11

De Boer had already provided accommodation in Qatar, for the ninth gathering of the Islamic World Congress back in 2000.

De Boer sales manager Pascal Jorritsma explains: “Qatar Airways is enjoying enormous growth. The airline is extending its network tremendously and is increasingly fl ying to new destinations in the US and Europe. The management of Doha International Airport has formulated a master plan enabling it to cater for the growth of air traffi c now and in the future in order to adapt the airport to the most stringent safety requirements. It will all culminate in the opening of a new airport in 2008.’’

In the meantime, the facilities at the existing airport must be modifi ed and extended. Jorritsma adds: “It is very logical that they are looking for semi-permanent solutions. They prefer not to make any long-term investments such as the type required for permanent new constructions. We showed them the example of Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, where luggage handling has been temporarily housed in a De Boer Delta®, one of our high-tech structures which is very suitable for long-term use. That was exactly what they needed and we’ve since erected the same type of accommodation in Qatar.’’

More stringent safety requirementsIn addition to being able to quickly provide the temporary buildings for the luggage handling process, De Boer also addressed other matters that were important for the client.

“The safety measures were already very strict at Qatar airport,” Jorritsma explains. “That’s due to the fact that there are fl ights to

US and European destinations. They now want to improve security even further in order to be able to guarantee everything is safe. In other words, all luggage needs to be screened from top to bottom. These tightened security measures, which have also been defi ned in the master plan, must be implemented as soon as possible. This means our buildings must meet the most stringent security requirements and that there must be facilities for new scanning and X-ray equipment. The airport management also wanted the design of the temporary extensions to be in keeping with the architecture of the airport. That was another requirement which we were pleased to meet.’’

It would come as no surprise if other De Boer products will be nee-ded at Qatar airport alongside the temporary accommodation for the luggage handling facilities. Jorritsma explains: “The manage-ment is very keen on our so-called relocatable structures. After all, such structures could be useful again at the new airport.’’

Location : Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Structures : Delta by De Boer®

Surface area : 3,850 m2

Construction time : 2 weeks

Location : Doha International Airport

Structures : Delta by De Boer®


Construction time : 2 weeksQatar


12


The original idea for the Panorama DomeTM came from a Munich-based designer who was looking for a mobile exhibition venue for fashion shows and product launches in the automobile industry. De Boer has developed the original idea, which was for a circular design, to come up with an oval, transparent structure. Logistics and operational director Arnout de Hair explains: “In the fi nal design we paid attention to the product’s technical and commercial viability. We soon received

positive reactions from the market and upon receiving the fi rst order from the UK for this structure, we put the Panorama DomeTM into production.’’

Versatile buildingThe Panorama DomeTM combines the comfort of a permanent building with the fl exibility of a temporary modular structure. It measures 20 metres in diameter and can be extended using up to 4 modules of 5 by 20 metres each. The side height is 4 metres and the centre of the structure is 6 metres high. With a potential total fl oorspace of more than 700 m2, there is room for around 700 people at any one time. “The curved glass

panels are particularly unique,’’ says De Hair. “They are true curves - a technical tour de force. We deliberately chose glass instead of Plexiglas because glass does not scratch when cleaned.’’

Mical de Boer, business development manager at De Boer UK, was closely involved in the fi rst offi cial appearance of the Panorama DomeTM. “We advertised this structure in a trade fair magazine and were approached by Andrew Dowding, managing director of the Thames Gateway Forum. This trade fair revolved around a very ambitious and large-scale building development project in eastern London.

Towards the end of 2004,

De Boer presented its new

showpiece – the Panorama

DomeTM. This transparent,

oval-shaped tent is a unique

and innovative concept that

is perfect for exhibitions,

trade fairs and presentations.

The Panorama DomeTM was

successfully erected for the

fi rst time during the Thames

Gateway Forum in the United

Kingdom.

Panorama Dome™ is the new showpiece


13

The area is due for complete regeneration in the coming 20 years, with developments ranging from housing and business development to new infrastructure. The trade fair was very important and leading companies and renowned speakers were therefore very keen to attend. The venue for such a special occasion needed to be absolutely unique. The Panorama DomeTM provided the perfect solution to meet the quality requirements of the organisation.’’

After the event, Andrew Dowding was full of praise for the Panorama DomeTM: “As the Thames Gateway Forum is both a conference and exhibition we required an

impressive structure that would allow us to integrate both elements on the same fl oor.”

He added: “We needed something that was not only aesthetically pleasing but also offered a secure and professional environment for the conference. We were absolutely delighted with the result and extremely pleased that De Boer’s Panorama DomeTM made its UK debut at the Thames Gateway Forum. We will certainly use it again as it proved quite a key feature!’’

The Panorama DomeTM is due to be back in place again this year and there is so much interest in the trade fair that De Boer’s structure will be 50 percent larger than in 2004. The trade fair has also prompted a signifi cant number of enquiries about the Panorama DomeTM.

Panorama Dome™ is the new showpiece

14


The company was called on to provide a temporary conference venue for Iowa-based

event organiser Thomson Productions in the grounds of the historic gothic castle, which is

situated on a 560-acre estate in Ireland’s beautiful Liffey Valley.

Popular attractionThe castle, parts of which date back to the early 15th

century, has been a popular attraction for hundreds of years. Its visitors have included Britain’s Queen Victoria, Prince Rainier

and Princess Grace of Monaco, members of the Danish royal family and former US President Ronald Reagan.

Hundreds of new visitors discovered the location’s charms when Thomson Productions organised a conference for a US-based client. The main activities of the event were staged in a mighty OlympiaTM structure – whose construction was handled by a team based at De Boer’s offi ces in Bree, Belgium – while backstage facilities were housed in a range of Alu HallTM and other structures.

Knights’ R

ou

nd Table revisited

De Boer

followed in the

footsteps of royalty

and international

statesmen when it

headed for stunning

Luttrellstown Castle

on the western

outskirts of Dublin.

(Photos courtesy of Thomson Productions)

15

The company’s structures were erected at London’s busy Marble Arch, historic Hampton Court Palace – the one-time home of King Henry VIII – and the stunning Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, south-west London.

De Boer was also involved in ice rink projects taking place in Leeds’ Millennium Square, the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich and at The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland.

For a number of the locations – including those at Kew and Greenwich – public skating was being offered for the fi rst time.

Growing popularityDe Boer’s contracts refl ected the growing popularity of ice-skating in UK cities, which are following in the footsteps of New York in offering people the chance to take to the ice during the Christmas period. The assignments also helped to further raise De Boer’s profi le in the rapidly expanding sector.

A number of different styles of structure were used by De Boer’s clients, including Alu HallTM and ChaletTM structures, many created with glass sides to maximise the view of the skating areas. The versatility of

De Boer’s products meant structures were used for a variety of purposes, including changing areas, skate rooms and cafeterias.

Great futureDe Boer UK’s Managing Director Peter Spruce says: “There has been a tremendous growth in interest in ice skating among the British public. The temporary rinks created in London and other cities have given people a chance to enjoy a break from their Christmas shopping and to take to the ice instead. We see a great future for the idea and are delighted that De Boer’s structures have proved the perfect solution for organisers.”

Thousands of skaters took to

the ice last winter as De Boer

helped create a series of

temporary rinks at some of

the United Kingdom’s most

famous locations.


Skating the squares, parks and monuments

16


The 38th annual Jalsa Salana convention, which involved delegates from nearly 100 nations, was hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK at its countryside retreat near the town of Farnham in Surrey.

The three-day gathering featured a series of addresses by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V, head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, and also included a message of welcome and support read on behalf of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Meeting auditoriumsDe Boer supplied two Jumbo Hall® structures that formed the main meeting auditoriums for the convention – one exclu-sively for men and the other for women. The company also supplied a range of support structures as administration centres, accommodation and dining facilities.

Akram Ahmedi, a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK, says the organisation chose De Boer because of the company’s work at major international events around the world. He adds: “We were very impressed by the quality of De Boer’s structures but also one cannot fail to be impressed by the list of clients that the company has provided accommodation for.”

170 countriesFounded in 1889, The Ahmadiyya move-ment is the oldest Muslim faith in the UK and established its fi rst mosque, in London, in 1924. The organisation, which operates in more than 170 countries, switched its annual UK convention to its current home in 1985 and has seen the event grow dramatically each year as more supporters join.

Jalsa Salana Muslim Festival

Nearly 30,000 Muslims from

around the world headed for

rural England after De Boer

helped create a temporary

venue for a long-established

religious gathering.


17

The sports centre, which offers corporate hospitality facilities for groups of between 12 and 2,000 people, called on De Boer to provide additional space during its busy summer months.

But when the venue’s permanent pavilion required refurbishment it was decided to keep the temporary structure on site – and to trans-form it into a base for the centre’s day-to-day business. Since moving on site De Boer’s structure has been used for everything from conferences to weddings and themed events – right through to a players’ lounge during the qualifying stages of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.

State-of-the-art According to clients Marianna Karakousheva and Yinka Are: “Ultimately De Boer working in conjunction with Searcy’s and the Bank of England Sports Centre – and by liaising closely with us every step of the way – have set a very high standard of service and delivered a state-of-the-art hospitality space which has received positive accolades from our members and external guests.”

They add: “The marquee has been a great space. It has given great breadth to our operation and most certainly given us the fl exibility we needed.”

Sporting prowessSet in 42 acres of sporting fi elds in Roehampton, the Bank of England Sports Centre offers a stylish and elegant venue for functions. The wide range of facilities on site means that guests can also test their sporting prowess, whether they want to turn their hand to football, cricket, tennis, volleyball – or any number of other fun sports.

Sporting

extension

takes the leadA successful summer assignment led to a

year-round contract for De Boer after the

company supplied temporary accommodation

to the Bank of England Sports Centre in

south-west London.

18


Christmas spiritmade to order

The group has worked with two leading party organisers – Fortesqueue’s Specialist Event Management and Where’s The Party? – providing temporary venues at sites in London and rural Oxfordshire.

Building on an existing working relation-ship, Fortesqueue’s used De Boer’s structures for its “the room by the river” venue, which was created just yards from the River Thames at London’s South Bank. The award-winning concept provided users with a “blank canvas”, enabling the interior of De Boer’s structures to be modifi ed for each event, whether accommodating a seated dinner for 1,000 guests or a buffet for as many as 3,000. By using a temporary structure, Fortesqueue’s was able to rearrange colours, theming, furnishings and lighting to meet each client’s specifi c requirements.

Glowing comments Margaret Jennings, Fortesqueue’s Director of Special Events, says: “The fi nish was as good as ever. Fortesqueue’s and De Boer worked together on the venue’s design, which led to glowing comments from clients that it was the best they had ever seen. De Boer proved incredibly versatile and everything went according to plan.”

The Where’s The Party? events were staged on the outskirts of Oxford through a collaboration between three successful UK companies – interior design expert Leisure Interiors 2000 Ltd, event caterer Chilli Pepper Oxford Ltd and landscaping, theming and set-building specialist Expo Flora Ltd. Using De Boer’s structures, the partners successfully created a dazzling party venue, offering guests a festive mix of the very best food and entertainment. Each event, held in November and December, provided a dazzling evening for up to 1,000 guests.

Temporary structures are proving all the rage for the UK’s

Christmas party season – with De Boer playing a crucial role in

creating inspirational new venues for revellers.

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19

‘La bella Italia’ is still the number one holiday destination for

many Europeans in both summer and wintertime.

The organisers of the FIS Alpine World Skiing Championships

also chose Italy this year. The championships were held on

the snowy slopes of Bormio, a small mountain village in

a wonderful valley with only one access road. That made

the provision of structures for the fortnight’s world

championships a real challenge.

Once every two years, the world’s top skiers compete for the title of world champion in a range of categories. Bormio was not an obvious choice of location, yet the FIS opted for the slopes of this idyllic village and sou-ght an experienced company to provide the temporary accommodation needed. Sales manager Jochem Feldberg explains: “We’ve been responsible for the accom-modation at the Hahnenkammrennen in Kitzbühel for many years now and are, therefore, accustomed to working in snow and cold temperatures.’’

Flexible responseThe organisational challenge required a high degree of inventiveness and fl exibility from De Boer. “As a result of revised operational requirements of the local organisers, the layout of the platform on which a number of the structures were to be placed was changed at the last minute. This affected the size of the tents but we were luckily able to adjust the size of our

structures to meet the requirements,’’ Feldberg explains.

At the finish, on an eight-metre-high plat-form, De Boer constructed a VIP structure measuring 2,000 m2 for all the sponsors’ guests, offering fantastic views of the fi nal section of the run. The starting lines and warm-up areas for athletes were also built at an altitude of 2,000 and 3,000 metres, along with two restaurants. All 800 volunteers and the members of the television crews could warm up, eat and meet in these Alu HallsTM. This was a turnkey project. In addition, a Delta® by De Boer structure was decorated completely in the style of a starting location of a ski run for main sponsor Audi.

Location : Bormio, Italy

Structures : Alu HallsTM, Delta® by De Boer,

AcropolisTM, ChaletTM


Construction time : 7 days

Dismantling time : 5 days

World Championship skiing


20


Next Generation: offers endless opportunities‘Study and GoTM’ and ‘Sleep and GoTM’ are two very promising elements of the De Boer Next Generation programme. In colla-boration with Soeters Van Eldonk Ponec architects in Amsterdam, De Boer has developed a series of temporary solutions that can alleviate a large number of social needs. “In Amsterdam for example,’’ explains chief commercial director Wouter Zick, “there are no less than 6,000 students looking for rooms. ‘Study and GoTM’ is a form of temporary accommodation that enables 500 students to lodge with full facilities and in total comfort. It is the perfect solution. Studies have shown that there are plenty of locations in the city that could be made available for this purpose for a certain length of time. It is also easy to arrange in terms of zoning plans which makes it a very interesting option indeed.’’

And there are plenty of other possibilities. Wouter Zick also sees many tourists travelling to Holland on cheap air tickets but without a hotel reservation. “Every year Schiphol Airport processes 1 million

Using De Boer’s structures as a fi rst

house, student fl at or temporary housing

for young people may sound like a strange

idea – but all of these options will be

possible in De Boer’s Next Generation

programme. De Boer recently unveiled this

very progressive accommodation concept

and the reactions have been of amazement

and enthusiasm.

Sleep and Go™

Study and Go™

Start and Go™


21

Next Generation: offers endless opportunitiespassengers that have not booked a hotel beforehand,” he says. “These people are looking for a place to stay in the Amsterdam area and often end up disappointed. That is why there is a great demand for budget hotels at the moment, for places that are clean and tidy but not too expensive. The offi ces market in Amsterdam is stagna-ting and there are plenty of locations that have yet to be developed which would offer ideal sites for such hotels. The mainstream hotel chains have expressed great interest in our concept, which we have named ‘Sleep and GoTM’. It is a gap in the market into which everyone seems to be willing to leap.’’

Starter housesHe adds: “De Boer’s Next Generation programme doesn’t stop there. The concept provides for complete shopping centres and for business offi ces on business parks under development. The most striking project of all, however, concerns starter homes, also referred to as ‘kick-off houses’ or ‘Start and GoTM’. Under current Dutch

legislation, preparation of a building plan takes an average of between fi ve and ten years. The semi-permanent houses developed in the Next Generation programme can be installed within a few days. We are consulting with a number of local councils at the moment with the goal of setting up a pilot ’Start and GoTM’ project. This would offer complete houses in every way, except that they would be easy to dismantle again. Surely that’s what we all want?’’

De Boer sees a further advantage that temporary accommodation offers over permanent buildings. “Temporary accommodation can provide local councils with a perfect opportunity to test whether certain investments are viable, for example for a shopping centre or a facilities centre on a new business park,” Wouter Zick explains. “There can be a trial period in order to see if the new facilities meet up with expectations. There are plenty of benefi ts to be had and I therefore foresee a great future for the Next Generation programme. There really are endless opportunities.”

Start and Go™

Mansion

Villa

Farm

22

The event, held in Davos, Switzerland, addressed global issues such as poverty, climate change, terrorism, war and the world economy. De Boer built a special structure where international postal and logistics group TNT dined with special guests. Maison van den Boer was responsible for catering for the entire event and the interior was in the capable hands of Hypsos Event.

The conference’s theme ‘Taking responsi-bility for diffi cult choices’ was approached from many different angles at a series of debates, workshops and meetings. Alongside the offi cial programme, a number of companies took the opportunity to discuss other themes during their own meetings. For example, Peter Bakker, chairman of the board of TNT, invited a number of selected CEOs to a dinner in Davos. No chic restaurant for them but rather a tent that normally serves as a food store for the United Nations World Food Programme in Africa. While conditions in Africa can be extreme, Davos’s weather also proved to be

impressive. With temperatures dropping to -25ºC at night and with heavy snow, the structure needed to be especially adapted for such unique weather conditions. Chief commercial director Wouter Zick recalls: “Imagine keeping the water supply and toilet facilities working at such low tempera-tures. That was certainly a challenge.’’

Prominent guestsAround 30 prominent guests were invited to join Peter Bakker. These included Prince Willem-Friso and Princess Mabel Wisse-Smit, together with notable foreign CEOs, such as Maurice Tillman of the ING bank, Bart Brenninkmeijer of C&A and Anthony Ruys of Heineken.

The structure also played host to a meeting of the Forum for Young Global Leaders (Shaping the Future), which was held for the fi rst time this year. During the event, Peter Bakker presented a report on the vision of young managers on future threats.


World-famous celebrities,

captains of industry and top

politicians came together from

all corners of the world as

around 2,300 prominent

fi gures met at the end of

January during the World

Economic Forum.

Wintry challenge in the Swiss Alps


23


Advertisement, spring 2005

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL BUSINESS SPACE WITHOUT ANY OF THE LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS?

Thanks to the tailor-made quick to build semi-permanent structures we provide, your business space can grow or shrink when you need it to – without commitment to long-term rental contracts or investment in bricks and mortar.

For the maximum fl exibility for your business, visit www.deboer.com.

COMPANY NEWSCOMPANY NEWS

Being strong in the countries

where you are established and

building a network of business

partners in the surrounding

countries. This is De Boer’s

strategy for further international

growth within Europe. De Boer

has already come to several

agreements and opened new

offi ces in Europe.

De Boer ScandinaviaOver the past year De Boer has executed numerous projects in Sweden in close cooperation with the Swedish company Halltec i Sverige AB. Earlier this year De Boer signed an agreement with Halltec for the exclusive use of De Boer products in the Swedish event market.

Halltec specialises in the construction of semi-permanent accommodations, which can carry a considerable snow load. This new cooperation allows De Boer to further extend its operations in the Swedish event market, in addition to deploying Halltec’s semi-permanent products in the rest of Europe.

De Boer Spain and AMGSpring 2005 also saw the opening of a De Boer offi ce in Barcelona. This new branch will primarily focus on the Spanish semi-permanent market. These past few months De Boer Spain has already presented itself at two construction exhibitions, Construmat and SIL 2005, and since has secured its fi rst orders.

In addition to these activities De Boer works closely with AMG from Seville, with whom De Boer signed a three-year cooperation contract last year. De Boer and AMG already have a fi ve-year history of close cooperation. AMG focuses primarily on the Spanish event market.

Growing

within Europe

COVERSTORY N o . 6 - 2 0 0 5

FIFA’s 100th anniversary Football meets Opera

QATAR AIRPORTLuggage handling

PANORAMA DOMEThe new showpiece

BORMIO 2005World Championship skiing

FROM TENTS TO

TEMPORARY BUILDINGS.

SINCE 1924.

ColophonCoverstory is a publication of De Boer and appears twice a year in controlled circulation

Edited by De BoerOnno KooleMark Leenaers

Production, text and editorial supportMedia Support, internal and external communicati-ons consultants, Alkmaar, the Netherlands

Layout and printing Dékavé, Alkmaar, the Netherlands

Photography De Boer

© De Boer 2005

www.deboer.com

De Boer addresses

The Netherlands De Boer Laanenderweg 11 1812 PW Alkmaar P.O. Box 446 1800 AK Alkmaar Phone +31 (0) 72 540 04 44 Fax +31 (0) 72 540 02 14 [email protected]

BelgiumDe Boer Industrieterrein Kanaal Noord 1303 P.O. Box 25 B-3960 Bree Phone +32 (0) 89 47 26 26 Fax +32 (0) 89 47 26 31 [email protected]

GermanyDe Boer Liebigstrasse 2 45663 Recklinghausen Phone +49 (0) 2361 30080 Fax +49 (0) 2361 300825 [email protected]

Austria De Boer Reichenhallerstrasse 10b A-5020 Salzburg Phone +43 (0) 662 848899 Fax +43 (0) 662 842581 [email protected]

United KingdomDe Boer Castle Park, Boundary Road,Buckingham Road Industrial Estate, Brackley, Northamptonshire NN13 7ESPhone +44 (0) 1280 846500 Fax +44 (0) 1280 846501 [email protected]

SpainDe Boer Paseo de Gracia 16, 8º 08007 BarcelonaPhone +34 (0) 93 3063417Fax +34 (0) 93 [email protected]

SwitzerlandDe BoerThurgauerstrasse 40P.O. Box 6463CH-8050 Zürich Phone +41 (0) 44 3073510 Fax +41 (0) 44 [email protected]

Other addresses / agents

ScandinaviaHalltec i Sverige AB Kaserngården 4791 40 FalunPhone +46 (0) 20 66 17 17Fax +46 (0) 23 661 53 [email protected]

SpainAMG Servicios de Marketing Promocional, S.L. C/ Terral, 5Pol. Ind. CadesaApdo. Correos 11841700 Dos Hermanas (Sevilla)Phone +34 (0) 955 664 536Fax +34 (0) 955 675 [email protected]

USAVinings Structures LLCtrading as De Boer Vinings2255 Cumberland Parkway NWBuilding 100 Suite BAtlanta GA 30339Phone +1 770 333 1886Fax +1 770 333 [email protected]

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