Asset management specialist Oxand and consultancy and engineering firm Witteveen+Bos signed a strategic agreement on September 23rd to collaborate on infrastructure asset management and the renewal and renovation (V&R) challenge in the Netherlands. Their shared ambition is to contribute to keeping the Netherlands safely accessible, primarily by sustainably maintaining infrastructure assets such as bridges, tunnels, and viaducts, and – in the future – energy infrastructure. Through this collaboration, Oxand and Witteveen+Bos aim to support their clients at both the operational and strategic levels with valuable, efficient, and visually useful advice.

In the coming years, the Netherlands will be faced with the renewal, renovation, and sustainability of tens of thousands of structures (such as bridges, tunnels, locks, viaducts, etc.). Many of these structures were built in the 1950s and 1960s and are in urgent need of renovation. This means the Netherlands is facing the largest infrastructure challenge since World War II. A huge undertaking where collaboration is more important than ever.

Extensive Challenge

The infrastructure challenge is extensive and spans many domains. It involves a huge diversity of structures in dry and wet infrastructure, ranging from bridges, road foundations, and noise barriers to lock complexes and tunnels. Naturally, these challenges involve the convergence of numerous disciplines and activities. These include inspections, data processing, materials expertise, sustainable renovation options, ensuring structural safety, insight into availability (network functioning), and cost management (OPEX/CAPEX).

Collaboration is essential

To ensure the accessibility, reliability, and safety of our infrastructure, all parties in the supply chain must work together in a structured, prioritized, and integrated manner. The combination of expertise, services, and networks by Oxand and Witteveen+Bos creates a strong strategic advantage for helping clients with issues related to the renewal, renovation, and sustainable asset management of structures, both in dry and wet infrastructure.

Unique knowledge and expertise

Both parties contribute unique knowledge and expertise to the collaboration. Oxand is a European leader in sustainable and data-driven asset management in infrastructure and the built environment. Witteveen+Bos enriches these qualities with specific material knowledge and expertise in large-scale infrastructure projects.

Close collaboration

“Our complementary profiles enable us to serve the entire chain and stimulate collaboration between project and asset management organizations at the process and shop floor levels. In this way, we bridge the gap between these two worlds”, says Leonie Koops, Sector Director of Infrastructure and Mobility at Witteveen+Bos.

“By integrating asset (aging) data, maintenance concepts, and scenario thinking into smart solutions, we support clients in making the right choices for prioritizing and scheduling their projects and maintenance. Right from our first meeting in 2017, there has been a strong connection and symbiosis between our teams. This proved to be the start of a unique, long-term collaboration between our teams, expertise, and management. We have now formalized this collaboration with our partnership agreement.”