A New Pipe in the Old One
Interview with Ton van Geest, Director of Technical Services at Insituform Rioolrenovatietechnieken BV
Sewer pipe systems in Germany, the Netherlands, and large parts of Europe are nearing the end of their lifespan. The Dutch company Insituform, now part of the azuria group owned by the US investment company Blue Mountain, provided a relatively simple solution decades ago with the invention of a cured-in-place pipe system that prepares pipe networks for the future. Director of Technical Services Ton van Geest spoke with Wirtschaftsforum about old and new innovations.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. van Geest, with the invention of the CIPP tube lining system by Eric Wood, Insituform has set standards more than 50 years ago.
Ton van Geest: The central consideration was to be able to carry out pipe renovations with as little disruptive excavation work as possible by laying a corresponding plastic tube in the existing pipe systems, which then cures there and serves as a new conduit within the old one. After various corporate spin-offs and consolidations over the last five decades, Insituform focuses today on the development, manufacture, and distribution of tube lining systems, except in the American market, where we continue to carry out corresponding installation work ourselves. We either perform the necessary impregnations ourselves or they are done alternatively at the customer's site – because for certain systems, only a few days may elapse between impregnation and installation, as otherwise the material hardens too early.
Wirtschaftsforum: Most public canal systems in Germany and the Netherlands were installed in the 1960s and 1970s and are thus approaching the end of their lifespan – how much work does this entail for Insituform in the coming years?
Ton van Geest: In many cases, the technical lifespan has indeed already been exceeded and the quality of the pipeline networks is not as good as it should be. In the Netherlands, this can be particularly dangerous because large parts of the country lie below sea level – and thus our pipe systems are also below the groundwater level. When a leak occurs, groundwater enters the pipeline network, along with sand and other contaminants. The change in soil composition can then cause entire sections of roads to subside. Moreover, many Dutch buildings are constructed on wooden pile structures – if these are exposed to alternating water and air, rapid rotting processes can set in, endangering the integrity of the building. Not to mention the environmental hazards that pipeline leaks can pose through contamination of the groundwater.
Wirtschaftsforum: A problem that has sufficiently reached the agenda of those responsible?
Ton van Geest: In Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, people are very aware of the environmental risks, and in countries like Spain, France, and Poland, this issue is now receiving much more attention than it did some time ago. We therefore fully expect a significantly increasing demand for our products in the coming years, simply because they form the basis for relatively simple remediation concepts. There is the will to implement corresponding projects.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is then lacking?
Ton van Geest: Most probably the people we need to actually implement them. Road and sewer construction work is not considered particularly sexy by workers – however, these are technically complex and demanding tasks which require both high-tech and skilled craftsmanship.
Wirtschaftsforum: You have been in the industry for decades and will be celebrating your 40th anniversary with Insituform next year. What still excites you about this company today?
Ton van Geest: I started as a project manager and have consistently developed further over time. In my current role, I manage our Dutch sites and provide technical support across Europe and sometimes worldwide. Long-standing experience is a prerequisite for this — the same applies to all our employees. For such complex technical issues, one really needs to understand the matter consistently to be able to competently support clients in day-to-day business.
Wirtschaftsforum: What innovations are currently at the center of your attention at Insituform?
Ton van Geest: We have been working with our products since the 1970s and can therefore convince the market with particularly comprehensive expertise. Of course, we are constantly evolving: In addition to solutions for sewerage systems, we now also offer products for drinking water supply, which we have already had extensively certified. We also now have systems ready for laying electrical and ventilation ducts.