On 19 April, the 56th pile for the new Lely Innovations building in the Zuidbuurt in Maassluis was ‘named’ after Nico van Paassen, who has been in service as an employee of Lely for a full 56 years. The ceremony marks an important new step for future innovations at the company. Thirty years ago, Lely Innovations was a pioneer of the automated milking system, a development that appeared to be ground-breaking for both Lely and many dairy farmers all over the world. The Innovations team will continue to work on discoveries that contribute to ‘future-proof dairy farming’ in the new premises.
Ziegler | Branderhorst designed the new complex. The carefully designed buildings have the character of a farmyard, with wooden façades and traditional roof tiles, so it fits in with the surrounding area with its historic ribbon development of farmhouses.
Respect for environment and nature
Innovation is the backbone of the company. Founders Cornelis and Arij van der Lely began developing concepts aimed at reducing the burden of labour on dairy farmers at a very young age. Since its establishment in 1948, Lely has introduced a string of ground-breaking products to the market. These products have changed the face of the agricultural sector. Lely is expanding substantially. In addition to the current complex adjacent to the A20 motorway, the 'Lely Campus’ is taking shape. This process involves building business premises and a production hall. The extension of the premises is on the site where the former production halls, dating back to the 1960s, once stood. The surface area covered is 33,000 square metres in total. 8,000 square metres of this will be devoted to office space. The office buildings will be over 15 metres high, while the production hall will be almost 10 metres high.
The new Lely Innovations building is right at the centre of the Zuidbuurt, with its historic farmhouses and uninterrupted views. The vegetation planted in the immediate vicinity softens the contours of the building and makes its own contribution to biodiversity in the area. In this way, it is possible to create new buildings with respect for the surrounding area and to make room for the natural environment. Lely hopes to be able to boost biodiversity in this area, paying special attention to the habitat of the little owl, which is particularly important in that respect.
