building on innovation Heijmans:

How Heijmans is applying the values of a family business to today's challenges.

If there’s one sector that demands innovation and smart thinking more than ever, it’s construction. With a need for 100,000 new homes annually and a pressing call to reduce climate impact, Heijmans is stepping up. Hendrik-Jan Smaal, CIO at Heijmans, explains how innovation and collaboration are essential to their mission.

“The complexity we’re facing is calling for a new approach,” Hendrik-Jan begins. “Housing, infrastructure, climate adaptation: you need to see the full picture. That means not just building but also taking the lead.” Heijmans’ broad expertise in residential construction, utility buildings such as hospitals and laboratories, and infrastructure projects including roads, viaducts, tunnels, locks, and water treatment plants, make that puzzle solvable.

“Because we develop all aspects of living environments, we see the challenge from A to Z and can design and implement crossovers.” Integration is key in every sense. “Internally, we work with a single platform for design, construction, and management. We bring all disciplines together in an integrated project approach with logical workflows. Our ERP and HR systems make this possible.”

These workflows are tailored to the type of activity and the people involved. “That way, we do justice to the specific aspects of the output while safeguarding integration.” According to Hendrik-Jan, integration is the breeding ground for innovation. “It’s the foundation of our ‘Strategy 2030’, which focuses on building, while contributing more broadly. That means working smart, embracing technology, and increasing feasibility. What we leave behind must be better than what we found. This is possible thanks to our integrated approach.”

This, Hendrik-Jan says, is what connects Heijmans and Conclusion. “Conclusion takes a similarly integrated approach. Alongside a full knowledge base, we share the same mindset: the drive to deliver a great product, the ambition to aim for excellence, and the courage to take responsibility.”

“Our shared mentality means we understand each other quickly and collaborate smoothly. We don’t pass problems on; we solve them together. Commitment is more than a contract. It brings calm and enjoyment and acts as the glue in a team: people work together and share results and successes.”

Hendrik-Jan believes that the sense of equality in the relationship with Conclusion stems from Heijmans’ family business roots.. “The family ties and original character of our organisation are still tangible. Human contact is in our DNA. It works both ways: employees feel deeply connected to the company and are committed to it. That translates into our customer relationships. You need to know your customer and touch every part of a solution. It all starts with genuine, human contact.”

The people on site are the face of Heijmans. “What happens there is our foundation. Technology is valuable only when it meets the needs of those doing the building. In our hands-on industry, you must always keep that in mind.”

That’s why everyone regularly visits the construction site. “Behind the scenes, we have a large innovation platform and many technological solutions. You should especially visit the site often if you work on that side of the business. That’s how you find out what works and what doesn’t. Sometimes, for example, a hardcopy works better than an iPad. Those who know the people on-site understand the essence of our company.”

Conclusion understands this too, says Hendrik-Jan: “They know you need to understand the shop floor to innovate. At Conclusion, they’re not afraid to get their hands dirty.”

As a listed construction company, maintaining warm relationships with people, clients and partners, and knowing the construction site inside out, is what makes Heijmans different.

Hendrik-Jan offers another example: “Many companies see security and compliance as a burden, but we stand out by embracing it,” he explains. “If you set it up properly and stay up to date, you give clients the confidence that their data is safe. It’s something in which we invest heavily, and it pays off in full.”

For Hendrik-Jan, this underscores Heijmans’ character: “Whether it’s the construction site or our digital systems, you need to go the extra mile to create something truly valuable.”

Prefab homes are quick and efficient to build but often feel a bit anonymous. With Horizon, Heijmans shows it can be done differently. The concept combines the speed and feasibility of prefab with the warmth and sustainability of timber construction. In a new CO₂-neutral factory in Heerenveen, homes are produced modularly and assembled on-site.

Horizon contributes to the quality of the living environment. Residents can configure their homes in detail via a digital configurator. Thanks to timber frame construction, the homes are demountable and circular.

“This concept combines speed and scalability with sustainability and freedom of choice,” Hendrik-Jan explains. “That’s something you rarely see in other prefab concepts: they offer efficiency but lack the nuance of customisation and care for a healthy living environment.”

Innovation at Heijmans also means safety. Hendrik-Jan stresses its importance: “We aim for zero accidents, and smart equipment helps us get there. That’s why we’ve equipped construction machinery with emergency braking assistance. Using sensors and cameras, the system detects whether there are people are nearby. If there’s any sign of danger, the machine intervenes automatically.”

For Heijmans, this isn’t a luxury or an option, it’s a necessary standard. “In the automotive industry, this is already common, but on construction sites it’s rare. For Heijmans, safety isn’t a matter of chance, it’s a structural principle.”