BUVA: 'Smart Building Together' remains the credo

With Niels Marijnissen, sales manager construction and industry at Barendrecht-based BUVA, we look back on 2024 as well as look ahead to 2025. What stands out is the optimism about the market; of course there are challenges for the sector as a whole, but at BUVA there is a feeling that more focus is being placed on the right aspects. "We have already succeeded in taking more direction and we will continue that in the coming year."

In 2024, it was mainly the construction specialist's new proposition that landed well in the market. 'Together Smart Building'. "With that, we can better tell that our focus is on the carpentry industry and frame manufacturers in particular. Think of sales of hardware, profiles, lower sills, ventilation grilles and hard glass. A strategic plan that we have thought through carefully is the basis. The goal is clear: we want to create more innovative power in the market - and certainly also together with our customers."

As far as Niels is concerned, that power of innovation is not only to be found in pioneering products, but also in the improvement of so-called services and concepts. "This is all about the convenience that our customers need to experience in their daily work and processes. Service has to do with customer and solution orientation. Although - in my opinion - we have always done well, I think we need to get even closer to the customers.

2025

The first major presentation at which BUVA will be featured is De Bouwbeurs in Utrecht in January. "We are going to surprise customers there with new novelties and a product innovation focused on sustainability. We have a stand of 100 square meters that we are manning together with our sister company Holonite.

"Furthermore, in 2025, 'hard glass' will remain an important product of ours. For example, in small tilt-up windows, we are flexible in sizing. I further see that the renovation market continues to grow. That is obviously also an important focus for us."

When Niels is asked how he sees the market overall, he is positive. "Many signals in construction were on red, I think we are now seeing a bit more green. The signals are good, partly perhaps also because of the cabinet's intended policy. But even if we could build in the Netherlands again in abundance, there is still a bottleneck and that has to do with the labor market. There is a huge shortage. Of course, that won't be solved overnight, but it does trigger something else: everyone is looking for even more professionalization and automation. Artificial Intelligence, and the smarter design of certain processes will obviously also play a big role in that.

"The basis for us anyway remains the five-year plan, which we have drawn up. We also have the ambition to export. And we continue to invest. This year, for example, we have already purchased a sill machine that will allow us to produce fiberglass-reinforced lower sills. Real estate developers, contractors, housing corporations and the carpentry industry - in short, all our target groups - can rest assured that for us as well as for them there is only one credo: precisely yes, 'Building Smartly Together'."