Tricky headroom job in stadium renovation

The GMK5250XL-1 lifting on long radius. Gräser-Eschbach took delivery of its Grove GMK5250XL-1 in 2023. In the same year it also received a GMK5120L, also from KranAgentur Werner. Photo: Manitowoc Grove

Lifting beneath an overhanging roof was a key part of a job for Gräser-Eschbach and its Grove GMK5250XL-1 all terrain crane on a stadium renovation project in Germany.

The lifting services specialist used its 250 tonner on a €130 million project to renovate the MHP Arena football stadium in Stuttgart. It is home to the Bundesliga team VfB Stuttgart and remained open through the renovation work which started in 2018.

Using a crane with a telescopic boom was the only way to lift heavy components into place below the overhanging stadium roof, according to the crane’s manufacturer.

For this part of the project structural components had to be lifted into place beneath a 30 metre high roof. The company said it made good use of the crane’s 78.5 metre, eight section, telescopic boom.

Lifting a long way in beneath a stadium roof meant a shallow boom angle. Photo: Manitowoc Grove

Making the most of it

Space restrictions on site meant the crane could carry a maximum of 50 tonnes of counterweight and remain at its normal width. On a long radius of 54 metres the 3.5 tonne concrete pieces were delivered to the top of the stadium. Other work included 17 tonne concrete stair sections lifted into place at a radius of 26 metres.

Commenting on the setup Jens Seim, crane operator, said, “We had to avoid any risk of damaging the pitch, so we could only extend the outriggers on one side to three-quarters of their full length. However, because of Maxbase, Grove’s variable outrigger positioning system, we were able to maintain maximum capacity even with an asymmetric outrigger positioning. We also used Maxbase to enhance operational security while telescoping those 3.5 tonne sections. It made the whole task really simple.”

Gräser-Eschbach used the Maxbase variable outrigger extension system to prevent damage to the pitch. Photo: Manitowoc Grove