Press Release

Felbermayr Transport- und Hebetechnik transported two large components, each weighing 180 tonnes and 38 metres long, from its own port site in Linz to Borealis Agrolinz Melamine. Placing them on the foundations was an even greater challenge. The specialists had only a few millimetres of clearance in two places.

Two years ago, the Felbermayr team had begun to meticulously prepare this major project in close coordination with the client. "The cooperation with Borealis was perfect right from the start," says project manager Berat Ibraimi happily.
The two hydrolizers were unloaded from the cargo ship at the Danube port in Linz using the port crane and lifted onto the Felbermayr low-loader. The key point on the road was a railway underpass with a clearance of 4.66 metres. But with a special transport of around 60 metres in length, other rules apply when passing through spaces. "We had the entire bridge and road areas measured in 3D beforehand," he describes. "With this data and the dimensions of our low-loader, we were then able to simulate what maximum height we could reach in order to drive through there safely."

180 tonnes distributed across 23 axle lines

The maximum values determined during the simulation – such as a total height of 4.60 metres for the transport and a height of 3.60 metres for the hydrolizer – were then incorporated into the detailed design and production in an intensive exchange with Borealis. "We were thus able to rule out another variant, for example with a lift over the bridge, from the outset," says Ibraimi.

A Felbermayr low-loader with hydraulically adjustable platform height was used for the night transport. The 180 tonnes were distributed over 23 axle lines. The two trips went off without any problems. The "hurdle" of the underpass was cleared within about 20 minutes each thanks to the precise preparation.

Horizontal shifting as an additional challenge

At Felbermayr, however, the full service does not end with the transport, but extends to the setting of the foundations. Unloading the large components in the client's industrial area and placing them on foundations with a top edge of 5.70 metres each was the greater challenge in this job. The tight space conditions had made the use of two truck-mounted cranes impossible from the outset. "We have arrived at a very good and safe solution here in cooperation with our subsidiary Wimmer Maschinentransporte and our heavy lift handling department," says Ibraimi with satisfaction. The Felbermayr team planned a vertical lift from the low-loader onto the foundations using a hydraulic gantry system set up there.

But lifting the first hydrolizer was not enough, it still had to be moved sideways by five metres. The technicians managed this with a specially built shifting track on heavy girders. "The horizontal shifting with hydraulic cylinders was a tight affair, we only had 25 millimetres of clearance in the width," describes the project manager. But working to millimetre precision is standard even with such heavy loads, he notes. After dismantling the shifting track, the second hydrolizer was lifted onto the concrete foundations and fixed in place, about a week after the first.

Precise planning is the "be-all and end-all"

Even if the dozen or so people involved have mastered all the challenges: "This was by no means routine," Ibraimi emphasises. "Every project undertaken by our transport and lifting technology team has its own peculiarities and must be considered specifically and individually. It's important that it is planned very carefully from the beginning and that we can implement it as safely as possible."

Does a little nervousness sometimes come up when implementing such an unusual project? "Yeah, sure," he admits. "But if you go through the checklist after precise planning, and all the staff know exactly what to do and have been trained, then it works. We are of course delighted when, as with this order, everything has fallen into place and worked flawlessly. You can only be glad that we have such specialists in the team."

Felbermayr Holding GmbH with headquarters in Wels/Austria is represented with 77 sites in 18 European countries. Currently, the Felbermayr Group employs around 3,000 skilled workers, who achieved a consolidated net turnover of around 552 million euros in 2021. The company specialises in special and heavy transport, mobile crane and working platform rental, heavy lift handling as well as civil engineering and building construction activities.

For further information: Felbermayr Holding GmbH · Markus Lackner · E-Mail: m.lackner@felbermayr.cc
Tel.: +43 5 0695-10136 · Voralpenstraße 4 · A-4600 Wels · www.felbermayr.cc