Anyone speaking with Erwin Muijs about his company quickly realizes that it doesn't start with machines or projects, but with people. Construction company Elshout & De Bont from Waalwijk celebrates its 85th anniversary this year and is still characterized by long service and a strong family culture. At the same time, the company is situated at the heart of a rapidly changing sector, partly due to the rise of zero-emission equipment.
“We are a traditional contractor of today,” says Erwin Muijs. “With many of our own people, our own equipment, and our own workshop. When we work somewhere, we are truly there ourselves.” That combination of tradition and innovation forms the common thread in the company, which is active in Central and West Brabant with approximately 70 employees and primarily works for municipalities and other government bodies.
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The roots of Elshout & De Bont go back to long before the takeover by Muijs and his brother-in-law Frans de Bont in 2002. The name was deliberately retained. “I never thought about changing the name,” says Muijs. “That is part of the company.”
Following the sudden passing of Frans de Bont in 2021, responsibility fell entirely to Muijs, but according to him, his presence is still palpable within the company. What stands out is the loyalty of the employees. Service periods of forty to fifty years are not uncommon. At the same time, there is an active focus on rejuvenation. “We have many young people, interns, and apprentices. You have to work on the future as well,” says Muijs. This vision for the future is reflected not only in the staff but also in how the company positions itself towards clients and the wider community. Projects are evaluated with clients as standard practice and score an average of between 8.5 and 9. “Every completed project is an invitation for the next one,” says Muijs.
The move to electric equipment does not come as a surprise to Elshout & De Bont. The company started with the electrification of smaller earthmoving machines, such as mini excavators and articulated dumpers. By now, they also work with two electric mobile excavators, including a converted one and a new factory-electric one.
According to Muijs, the motivation is twofold. “You run a business based on market demand, but also on principles. Everyone sees that something needs to happen in the world. At the same time, you have to be able to recoup the investment.” That economic reality plays a significant role. Electric earthmoving machines require higher investments, while clients are not always willing to fully compensate for them. Nevertheless, Muijs observes that the business case is slowly improving, partly due to fictitious discounts in tenders and projects where work must be explicitly emission-free.
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The electric mobile excavator, a DX165W Electric from the company Staad, is now being deployed on various projects. This often involves work in inner-city areas or nature projects where emission requirements apply. “The first project was in a nature reserve where emission-free work was required. After that, it was in the center of
“We have been in Breda, and at several places where clients were willing to pay the extra costs for a more expensive zero-emission crane,” says Muijs.
Operator Joris Heesbeen now works with the DX165W Electric and experiences the differences compared to conventional equipment on a daily basis. Although it took some getting used to, particularly regarding charging and planning, the basic experience is positive. For Heesbeen, this meant a clear shift in his daily work. Not so much in operating the excavator itself, but primarily in everything surrounding it. “Operating itself isn't even the biggest difference,” he says. “But you have to constantly think ahead. You simply need a charging point. That dictates your day.”
That dependence on electricity makes the work less straightforward than with a diesel machine. Whereas you normally keep working without thinking, working electrically requires planning. “You can’t just think: I’ll work another hour. You have to know where you are going to charge and whether that will actually work. That is quite different.” According to Heesbeen, you get used to it quickly, but it requires discipline. “You do become more aware of it. You look at your workday differently. Because although we can easily run a full workday with a charged mobile crane, you do have to keep an eye on where and when you can charge.”
At the same time, he sees clear advantages. The absence of engine noise, in particular, changes the working environment. “It is simply much quieter. You hear what is happening around you better. That makes for a more pleasant working environment,” he says. The direct nature of the electric drive is also striking. “It picks up immediately. It just drives well.” On projects in inner-city areas or sensitive environments, that makes all the difference. Less noise and no emissions result in less nuisance, something that clients are also increasingly appreciating.
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The biggest challenge lies not in the earthmoving machines themselves, but in the power supply. On many projects, there is a lack of sufficient charging capacity. “Every time, you have to check where you can charge. Often that is at a farmer's or a nearby company. Sometimes that works well, sometimes it doesn't,” says Muijs.
Elshout & De Bont intends to continue the electrification in the coming years in close cooperation with the specialists from Staad. The goal is to have approximately one third of around 2027.
to have electric machinery.
The electrification does not stand alone. Investments are also being made in sustainability at the business location, such as insulation and greening of the grounds, with plans to eventually go off natural gas.
Nevertheless, the core of the company remains unchanged: delivering quality, responding quickly to clients, and investing in people. For Elshout & De Bont, the real pleasure lies in working together: working with a close-knit team on projects for which everyone feels responsible, today and with an eye on the future.
This article was published in the GWW-Bouwmat magazine, edition 2 2026. Click here.
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