Collaboration between IIBO and Vandersanden leads to bio-based and circular prefabricated houses with fully finished facades
Heerenveen, 5 January 2021 - The Belgian brick company, Vandersanden, and the Dutch manufacturer of prefabricated panels, IIBO, are collaborating to take prefabricated construction to the next level. Both companies will work together to add ceramic finished facades to IIBO's automated production line with the factory now extended for the installation of a new, fully automatic system for applying brick slips, Vandersanden's RoboBrick system. Both companies have partnered with a shared mission: to deliver innovative and sustainable building solutions.
In Heerenveen, they have worked hard on the expansion of IIBO’s production facility which, until recently, was 250 metres long. Here, prefabricated houses and facade elements are made on timber frames. After the expansion of the factory floor, by an additional 65 metres, the RoboBrick automated system from Vandersanden has been installed.
The RoboBrick system glues brick slips in a fully automated manner and in an air-conditioned room, to IIBO's prefabricated timber frames. Vandersanden had already installed the system for concrete panels, but is now taking a first step towards adding ceramic finished facades to timber panels. The collaboration between the two companies is an example of an extremely sustainable building solution with limited energy emissions and without depleting the earth’s valuable resources.
RoboBrick was custom made for IIBO and seamlessly connects to the existing production line. The smart software-controlled system can lay any kind of brick, even those with different thicknesses and different substrates. The software ensures that the right strip is always glued in the right place in a fully automated manner. As a result, 1500 brick slips can be glued per hour, which is 15 times faster than manually gluing the facades. Thanks to the addition of the RoboBrick system, IIBO can now manufacture 500 houses per year.
After the installation of RoboBrick, a thorough test phase follows in which all possible applications are tested and optimised. During this process, Vandersanden also measures and checks all critical production and measurement data via numerous sensors and a control PC (also called Warranty Hub). In each prefabricated element, a tag is built in which allows the production of the panel to be tracked all the way to construction. In this way, IIBO and Vandersanden can offer a 20 year warranty to customers.
More variety in the streetscape
The RoboBrick system is an innovation in the construction world. In combination with the bio-based and circular raw materials that are used, the Heerenveen factory is unique.
"When architects and project developers know what is possible within our production capacity, a world opens up for them, if all goes well. Making special connections and decorative masonry has become a real craft, and craftsmen for this are very hard to find. Thanks to the RoboBrick system, more creativity can be added to the designs.”
Vandersanden: "Together we build greatness"
For Vandersanden, the collaboration brings to life their slogan, "together we build greatness". IIBO and Vandersanden have entered into a long-term partnership.
"Vandersanden and IIBO have a shared mission: to provide innovative and sustainable building solutions without exhausting the earth."
Vandersanden is at the forefront of creating beautiful facades and streets which respect the environment. The company is a market-leader in sustainable, CO2-neutral brick solutions. IIBO leads in innovation in bio-based prefab houses. IIBO's efforts have recently been recognised with a nomination for the Cobouw innovation award for their prefabricated development.
When the situation allows, IIBO’s completed factory will be officially opened at the beginning of next year.
Press contact
FINN Anneleen Verhaegen anneleen.verhaegen@finn.agency +32 470 87 47 97
Vandersanden Nathali Donatz n.donatz@vandersanden.com +31 6 23 36 73 45
IBBO Judy Tuinstra judy@mooieplek.nl +31 6 24 56 56 31
Want to know more?
Victor Albers
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+31 6 833 615 55 v.albers@vandersanden.com Ask your question