Since the foundation stone was laid in October 2016, an impressive structure has been built on the last vacant lot of the exhibition grounds. An exhibition area of 33,600 m² is spread over two levels, providing space for 11,800 visitors.
The new trade fair at Frankfurt's Europaviertel has an interior area equivalent to five football fields. The gigantic structure is being constructed in just 22 months. Due to the massive structural design of the building, with a floor load capacity of 33.3 kN/m², even heavy trucks can drive on the upper level.
The trade fair is investing around 250 million euros in Hall 12, and since 40% of the investment volume is accounted for technology, the scale of the building technology component quickly becomes clear. At the end of 2016, Sikla was awarded the overall contract to supply the mounting system. The branches of the company ENGIE located in Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich and Dresden were responsible for the technical building equipment.
Predictable construction progress through prefabrication and final assembly
In the intermediate levels of the entire ring structure and in the basement of the exhibition hall the building services energy centers are located. For all the centers located in the basement, with a total area of 1,400 m², the complete secondary steel construction for the building services trades was carried out with siFramo. Approximately 250 siFramo modules were installed within the 600-meter-long service corridors. The modules (H: 3.00 m x W: 2.20 m) had a weight of 125 kg each.
A clear advantage over conventional assembly was the modular planning, the definition of structured assembly processes, and the considerable time savings through prefabrication service. The resulting reduction in construction time while maintaining consistent quality, without offcuts or leftover material, convinced our client.
service corridor of the exhibition hall
Maintenance and inspection walkways – siFramo Catwalks
If the exhibition visitors looks up towards the ceiling, they will notice an impressive walkway structure on all hall levels. These modules were manufactured at the Sikla facility using siFramo, light grating panels, and a high-quality railing system. In addition to complying with relevant standards and execution requirements (e.g., DIN ISO 14122-3:2016), certifiable structural calculations were provided by Sikla, reviewed and approved by the investor's authorized structural engineer. Necessary custom parts were designed, calculated, and produced in record time.
The core idea of our planning, which aimed at an uniform and low-variation execution, was perfectly implemented. For the basic catwalks, there were only two module types, plus an additional element for potential tolerance compensation. To complete the modules with the RLT induction units provided on site, loads of up to 1.4 tons had to be moved during installation. To facilitate the assembly, Sikla designed auxiliary structures and mounting tables and used suitable lifting devices. Walking all 22 catwalks would cover a distance of 1.8 kilometers.
Assembly of the siFramo catwalks and view of the finished construction
Special modules for an artwork
With the Sikla mounting systems, numerous standard and customized solutions were realized. Notably, the siFramo construction for suspending an artwork in the northern foyer of the hall is also worth mentioning. A complex structure was installed for the cable winch system, which can meet both functional and aesthetic requirements. Inspired by the siFramo catwalk modules, a maintenance platform was created at a height of 22 meters for inspection work
Model planning of the maintenance platform for the artwork
For the project, over 20 kilometers of siFramo beam profiles were manufactured, and approximately 300 tons of Sikla fastening materials were supplied and installed.
The Sikla project management coordinated over 40 points of contact with the client and subcontractors. Between 300 and 400 installers worked daily on the building services trades. To ensure high-quality support, project-leading Sikla technicians were on site weekly. In addition to support and planning services, we also conducted installer training, provided goods depots, storage containers, and floor container.
We look forward to supporting you with your project as well!
Written by Sikla International
Sikla is one of the leading European manufacturers and suppliers of support systems for Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) services and plant construction. Our products are being used in over 40 countries all around the world. We are represented in most European countries through Sikla sister companies or selected distributors. Sikla was founded in 1967 by Sighart Klauß. Today the internationally operative group of companies employs a staff of around 600 and is operated as an independent family-owned company by Dieter and Reiner Klauß.
comments