NTK & Van den Berk Nurseries working together
Van den Berk Nurseries is a third generation family business specialising in growing medium size to mature trees. One of the largest nurseries in Europe with over 500ha of production and a vast range of species and varieties to jointly complete the most successful and award winning greenery projects.
Van den Berk Nurseries and Killingley often work together on all types of projects. In the UK the request for big trees is increasing every year.
Handling large mature trees is a real specialism and requires a total understanding of the best practices of handling the trees safely and without any risk or damage both to the trees but also the surroundings and the personnel off-loading and handling the trees.
Due to Killingleys increasing requirements to supply and install large trees, they approached Van den Berk again after having trained a team 4 years ago, to request further training for additional Foremen and Site Managers to ensure the trees get the best possible start on site. The personnel from Killingley stayed for two days at the nursery in Holland and were trained by production manager Cees van Casteren of Van den Berk Nurseries who explained all the dos and don’ts.
Killingley have used the knowledge for several projects. One of these is the Northhampton University, where approximately 150 trees with girths of 40cm up to 120cm were supplied and planted including 20no 120cm+girth pollard willow which fronts the arrival square.
Anthony Robert, Operations Manager at N T Killingley commented that: “Van den Berk were more than helpful in facilitating the required training, which is essential for not only Health and Safety but for a complete understanding of different trees and their requirements when they arrive on site. A totally practical approach from Van den Berk taught our staff very quickly and efficiently how to manage lifting and placing trees safely and without damage, whilst also providing an insight into how large nurseries operate and the huge scale of Van den Berks operation and nursery.”