Centraalstaal
Encyclopedia
Centraalstaal BV is a Dutch company, with headquarters in Groningen, Netherlands
.
The company was formed in 1972 as an initiative from the shipyard
s in the north of the Netherlands to start a joint prefabrication
plant for the cutting and forming of sheet metal
. The company is part of the Central Industry Group from the Netherlands.
Centraalstaal is currently internationally active in the shipbuilding
industry, the architecture
industry and the art
industry.
to the shipyards, thereby eliminating the necessity for each shipyard to invest in expensive prefabrication equipment. This resulted in the creation of a prefabrication factory and head office in the city of Groningen, which became known by the name of Centraalstaal BV. In 1977, Centraalstaal became part of the Central Industry Group, a holding company
which currently owns 10 companies that offer a wide range of services to the international shipbuilding industry including engineering
services, engineering software development
, ship's equipment and steel prefabrication.
On most projects, in both the shipbuilding and the architecture industry, Centraalstaal works together in close coordination with sister companies Numeriek Centrum Groningen and Vuyk Engineering for the engineering work that precedes the manufacturing
process. Both companies are part of the Central Industry Group.
Positive market conditions and a growing demand for Centraalstaal's services from outside the Netherlands resulted in the creation of two sister companies. In 1998, Ostseestaal GMBH was set up in Stralsund
, Germany
, in order to be able to cope with the demand coming from the German and East European markets. In 2008, Centraalstaal India Steel Pvt Ltd. was started in Hangarkatta, India, to cover the Asia
n market. The three Centraalstaal companies are independent from each other but are all part of the Central Industry Group and work together on joint projects under the banner of Centraalstaal International (CSI).
of a ship. Although the company's main customer base is in the Netherlands, Centraalstaal has delivered prefabricated steel to approximately 150 shipyards worldwide.
s and construction
companies for the construction of building façades and structures involving three dimensionally shaped metal plates. Since 2003, the company has worked on a wide range of different projects on both a national and an international level. For the production of the metal plates Centraalstaal uses production methods and construction methods that are directly adopted from the shipbuilding industry.
s that Centraalstaal has produced are the 'Hive' and the 'Memory' sculptures designed by London based artist Anish Kapoor
. The 'Memory' sculpture has been on display in the Guggenheim Museum
of Berlin and is currently on display in the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The 'Hive' sculpture has been on display in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Both sculptures were made out of Cor-Ten steel'.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
The company was formed in 1972 as an initiative from the shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s in the north of the Netherlands to start a joint prefabrication
Prefabrication
Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located...
plant for the cutting and forming of sheet metal
Sheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
. The company is part of the Central Industry Group from the Netherlands.
Centraalstaal is currently internationally active in the shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
industry, the architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
industry and the art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
industry.
History
Centraalstaal initially started as a pre-processing plant with the sole purpose to support the shipbuilding industry in the north of the Netherlands. In 1972, several shipyards in the north of the Netherlands decided cooperate with each other, rather than compete against each other, in order to cut costs and to obtain a stronger position in the international shipbuilding industry. A result of this cooperation was the decision to cut production costs by starting a company that would provide prefabricated (precut and preformed) steelSteel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
to the shipyards, thereby eliminating the necessity for each shipyard to invest in expensive prefabrication equipment. This resulted in the creation of a prefabrication factory and head office in the city of Groningen, which became known by the name of Centraalstaal BV. In 1977, Centraalstaal became part of the Central Industry Group, a holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
which currently owns 10 companies that offer a wide range of services to the international shipbuilding industry including engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
services, engineering software development
Software development
Software development is the development of a software product...
, ship's equipment and steel prefabrication.
On most projects, in both the shipbuilding and the architecture industry, Centraalstaal works together in close coordination with sister companies Numeriek Centrum Groningen and Vuyk Engineering for the engineering work that precedes the manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
process. Both companies are part of the Central Industry Group.
Positive market conditions and a growing demand for Centraalstaal's services from outside the Netherlands resulted in the creation of two sister companies. In 1998, Ostseestaal GMBH was set up in Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, in order to be able to cope with the demand coming from the German and East European markets. In 2008, Centraalstaal India Steel Pvt Ltd. was started in Hangarkatta, India, to cover the Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n market. The three Centraalstaal companies are independent from each other but are all part of the Central Industry Group and work together on joint projects under the banner of Centraalstaal International (CSI).
Shipbuilding industry
Since the start of the company in 1972, Centraalstaal provides prefabricated 'building kits' to the international shipbuilding industry. These building kits consist of an assortment of precut and preformed plates and profiles that are used by shipyards in order to assemble the hull and the superstructureSuperstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
of a ship. Although the company's main customer base is in the Netherlands, Centraalstaal has delivered prefabricated steel to approximately 150 shipyards worldwide.
Architecture industry
Centraalstaal is active in the architecture industry as a manufacturing and engineering partner to architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s and construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
companies for the construction of building façades and structures involving three dimensionally shaped metal plates. Since 2003, the company has worked on a wide range of different projects on both a national and an international level. For the production of the metal plates Centraalstaal uses production methods and construction methods that are directly adopted from the shipbuilding industry.
| Project | Place | Architect | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cricket Media Centre | London, United Kingdom | Future Systems London / Amanda Levete | 2003 |
| Millenium Square Mast | London, United Kingdom | Tuchschmid Switzerland | 2005 |
| BMW Ekris | Utrecht Utrecht (city) Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features... , Netherlands |
ONL Oosterhuis | 2006 |
| F-Zuid Amsterdam | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ONL Oosterhuis- Lénárd Rotterdam | 2007 |
| Ozeaneum Stralsund | Stralsund, Germany | Benisch Architects | 2008 |
| Sidra Trees | Doha, Qatar | RHWL Architects London | 2009 |
| Connection Bridge Marina Hotel | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Asymptote New York | 2009 |
| Münchner Freiheit Bussbahnhof | München, Germany | OX2 Architects | 2009 |
| CET Building | Budapest, Hungary | ONL Oosterhuis - Lénárd Rotterdam | 2010 |
| Naples metro Universita / Traiano | Naples, Italy | Anish Kapoor Anish Kapoor Anish Kapoor CBE RA is a British sculptor of Indian birth. Born in Mumbai , Kapoor has lived and worked in London since the early 1970s when he moved to study art, first at the Hornsey College of Art and later at the Chelsea School of Art and Design.He represented Britain in the XLIV Venice... / Future Systems London / Amanda Levete |
2010 |
Art industry
Centraalstaal has been active in the art industry as a manufacturer of works of art consisting of 3D shaped metal plates. The most notable artworkWork of art
A work of art, artwork, art piece, or art object is an aesthetic item or artistic creation.The term "a work of art" can apply to:*an example of fine art, such as a painting or sculpture*a fine work of architecture or landscape design...
s that Centraalstaal has produced are the 'Hive' and the 'Memory' sculptures designed by London based artist Anish Kapoor
Anish Kapoor
Anish Kapoor CBE RA is a British sculptor of Indian birth. Born in Mumbai , Kapoor has lived and worked in London since the early 1970s when he moved to study art, first at the Hornsey College of Art and later at the Chelsea School of Art and Design.He represented Britain in the XLIV Venice...
. The 'Memory' sculpture has been on display in the Guggenheim Museum
Deutsche Guggenheim
The Deutsche Guggenheim is an art museum, located in the ground floor of the Deutsche Bank building, a sandstone building constructed in 1920 on the Unter den Linden boulevard in Berlin, Germany....
of Berlin and is currently on display in the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The 'Hive' sculpture has been on display in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Both sculptures were made out of Cor-Ten steel'.