A fixture on the shelves

They are a household name, Meuwissen Gerritsen’s “blue” and “red” construction membranes. Produced in the Netherlands and a fixture on the shelves of Bouwmaat. With these films, you have a high-quality material for lasting protection against moisture and condensation and for the thermal insulation of roofs and facades on hand.

Wouter Grundel of Grundel Bouw also knows that. Since starting his own business in 2018, he has invariably chosen Meuwissen Gerritsen. We visit Wouter on a nice job in Haarlem where he applies the foils. Taco Stekelenburg, sales manager at Meuwissen Gerritsen and Raymond Hartevelt, sales and branch manager at Bouwmaat Hoofddorp are also there. Among other things, the men discuss the pleasant cooperation.

The project in Haarlem is in full swing when we meet. A roof structure provides the property with “a huge tub of space. On the upper floor, a large bedroom, a somewhat smaller bedroom and a bathroom will be created. Wouter: “It is one of the seven beautiful projects we have going on at the moment. At the back there will be a very large facade of 3.45 meters high by almost 3.5 meters wide with French balcony doors. We are also going to install a skylight and large skylight from VELUX. During the project it was also decided to bring the electrics and insulation present all the way up to current requirements. It is this kind of renovation project that we are good at. We went through the entire permitting project for the customer and assist in obtaining subsidies where possible. This really makes my heart beat faster.”

Linking up with projects
Both Raymond and Taco can regularly be found on a job. Raymond: “A big part of my job is visiting the projects like this one of Wouter. We like to think along in terms of material requirements: what exactly are you going to build, what do you need? Based on the drawings, for example, you then sometimes arrive at very specific issues. Here we often work together with Meuwissen Gerritsen and enlist their help. Does a situation unexpectedly call for a product that we do not have on the shelves? Even then we can switch quickly together and make sure that the right products are on the job on time. I always say: we have 12,000 items in stock and 100,000 orderable. That’s really our strength. Moreover, we stay involved throughout the project.” So at the end of a job, Raymond always likes to come by and take a picture. “That one is invariably shared with the team: look at this, we all managed to pull this off nicely together!”

Piercing for ultimate advice
Meuwissen Gerritsen and Bouwmaat regularly complement each other. Taco elaborates on this, “If there is an issue where our help is needed, we will look at the job.

I always like to ask then: where are you going to use the film and what does your system look like? Do you have a flat roof situation, such as an addition, with a roof of bitumen or EPDM and insulation from the bottom with mineral wool? The structure cannot release its moisture through the top. You should then go for a self-regulating film like our Miofol® Active.”

Taco also tries to look ahead with the professional. “For example, if there will be solar panels on the roof later, then you choose a film that is appropriate for the higher temperatures that can occur with them. Polytex® Pro is a water-resistant and extremely Breathable membrane that matches this. But in addition, I am increasingly giving advice on actually properly taping the overlaps or connections of the foils, as it becomes even more important to actually achieve the insulation values that manufacturers specify.

A solution for every situation
With a large arsenal of options and the brands Miofol®, Alkreflex®, Polytex®, Tyvek® and VAST-R® for fastening and Airtight tapes, Meuwissen Gerritsen and Bouwmaat have a solution available for every situation. A recognizable, and also known to many craftsmen, mnemonic device is that Construction membranes printed in red come on the warm side of your insulation package and blue is for the cold side. On the Haarlem project, the temporary glazing solution immediately stands out, keeping the project watertight until the facade is delivered. As the final solution, the Polytex® Pro was chosen on the outside and the Miofol® 125S was used inside. Wouter: “I always choose Meuwissen Gerritsen. We know the products, we know how to apply them, and they are a perfect fit for meeting increasingly stringent building requirements. Just about the entire roof structure is now in blue Polytex® Pro. Which is vapor-open but waterproof on the outside. The foil also ensures that we can quickly continue building watertight during bad weather, very nice of course. Later, when the plumber and electrician are finished, we will install the red Miofol® 125S, a reinforced vapor control membrane.”

Triangle for a perfect project
The triangle between Grundel Bouw, Bouwmaat and Meuwissen Gerritsen ensures that projects run even better. Raymond: “We are always available, even for the simplest things. Does the customer come with a roll of Insulation membrane shortage? We take care of it. The lines are short, which is ideal.” Taco: “Bouwmaat strives to let craftsmen do their work as well and simply as possible. It’s great that we can support where necessary, that interaction is really very pleasant.” Wouter emphasizes the support of the men. “Raymond and I have each other’s number. Sometimes I app a question in the evening, then I always get a quick answer. It’s nice to have back up from time to time and to know that your suppliers are actually partners. I know I can always turn to Bouwmaat and Meuwissen Gerritsen for advice. That way I don’t have to reinvent the wheel all by myself every time.”

Construction membrane specialist
Meuwissen Gerritsen is a specialist in the development and production of technical construction membranes. For decades, the company has supplied a wide range of products for residential, renovation and commercial construction through building material dealers in the Benelux. In addition to its own product lines Miofol®, Alkreflex®, Polytex®, VAST-R® and TAFTEX®, the company is DuPont’s exclusive distributor for AirGuard® and Tyvek® products.