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Participating in the largest maintenance shut-down in the Port of Rotterdam of 2023. Rotterdam’s Botlek Harbour is known for its petrochemical industry and tank storage facilities. Together with Europoort, Botlek makes up one of the largest petrochemical industrial areas in the world. It should come as no surprise then, that the Boels Industrial site located between the two ports served as a key partner in the major maintenance shut-down carried out by Lydondell Basell.
A turnaround recently took place in Botlek at Lydondell Basell, one of the largest plastic and chemical refining companies in the world. This involved a major maintenance shut-down where all of the components in the plant were checked, repaired and serviced where necessary.
Lydondell Basell’s 2023 turnaround was the largest of its kind throughout the entire Port of Rotterdam. Spanning seven weeks and involving a workforce of more than two thousand, the scale of this operation was unmistakable. Boels Industrial, the specialist in industrial rental solutions, was involved in the project from an early stage, explains Project Manager Raymond Overbeek.
“As Boels Industrial, we have been able to make a valuable and important contribution to this shut-down. Through our careful work planning process, we succeeded in installing everything on time. Two weeks before the start of the turnaround, our flexibility was put to the test when the client made the decision to decommission an additional sub-plant. To achieve this, we had to quickly shift gears to get the materials ready for hire on time. But we managed that too, keeping the customer right on schedule.”
Boels Industrial is no stranger to these kinds of projects, although this was a special one according to Raymon.
“Yes absolutely, the sheer size of this project means that it has certainly not been a run-of-the-mill affair and instead a crowning achievement for our team. That’s why, ahead of this turnaround, we spent a lot of time as an organisation on the work planning process, introducing the contracts, checking and approving the materials, the deliveries, and assigning the hired items. The materials were then transported to the site in phases. After that, the project team got to work. They ensured that the materials were installed according to plan. All of that required rigorous and precise planning.
Preparation is half the work. And the material availability and know-how at Boels Industrial took care of the rest. The massive demand for generators, compressors, lighting towers, distribution boxes, extension cables, tools and much more could be accommodated thanks to the power of Boels Industrial.” “Our ability to switch gears quickly, our drive to perform, range of equipment, level of service and team spirit all make us unique in the market. Despite the frequent downpours we had very few glitches and the customer has been satisfied with our performance so far. All things considered, it has been a major challenge that is still ongoing.”
