September 2008 No. 176 • 33rd Year

A RopeCon installation carries gold ore from the interior to the coast on Simberi Island in Papua New Guinea. p.20

The Sölden experience 2008 sees the start-up of 15-passenger Jakob Falkner and Bergbahnen Sölden have big ideas. p.4 gondola lifts in three Algerian cities as Continuous modernization in Andorra part of the urban transport network. One 6-CLD goes into operation on the Pic del Cubil. Another is to follow. p.8 Other cities are to follow. p.6 Poland‘s first 8-MGD Doppelmayr erects the first Polish 8-MGD in the Giant Mountains. p.12 New resort in Northwestern Siberia Doppelmayr delivers a combined 4/8 lift. p.14 Major contract in the Caucasus Five Doppelmayr lifts are operating in Gudauri, Georgia. p.15 Key competence in hot-dip galvanizing Doppelmayr sets the international benchmark. p.22

Magazine for Customers and Employees 2 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

A new boost for Rangger Köpfl

Bergbahnen Oberperfuß The new 8-MGD Peter Anich – named Summer operation for the first time has vastly improved the after the famous cartographer (1723 – thanks to the 1766) from Oberperfuß – provides ac- ski and hiking area on cess to the charming of Rang- The 8-seater gondola lift went into ser- Rangger Köpfl with the ger Köpfl. It lies between altitudes of vice in mid December 2007. It largely construction of the new 1,000 and 2,000 m, has four surface follows the same route as the old double 8-seater gondola lift. lifts, 17 kilometers of ski trails (including . The top station of the previous two kilometers which are illuminated) lift was pulled down and the bottom sta- plus a toboggan run, and attracts day- tion rebuilt. This houses the cash desk, trippers from Innsbruck as well as tourists offices, toilets, service rooms and – as from Holland (60 percent) and Germany its crowning glory on the top floor – a (30 percent). The village of Oberperfuß circular ski bar with an awesome view of itself offers 500 beds and has a signifi- the far-reaching Inn Valley. The gondolas cant catchment area. The resort’s gentle are parked in the stations. slopes make it particularly popular with families. And the lift prices are also very Gondola lift provides the ideal family-friendly, as Managing Director solution Alois Loidl is quick to point out. He was responsible for planning and building the For Oberperfuß, a gondola lift proved new lift which is owned by the municipal- to be the ideal solution: first because it’s ity. The prime movers behind its construc- a convenient way to travel for parents tion were the Mayor, Ewald Spiegel, with children, and second because it can and Peter Paul Schmid, Chairman of the also carry toboggans. The toboggan local council’s Lift Committee. run, a ten-kilometer forest track which is

No. 176 • September 2008 3 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Our everyday task

illuminated most of the way, leads down- During February/March 2008, a well- hill from the restaurant at the top station. known market research organization When the snow conditions are right, conducted 180 interviews in 18 coun- there are as many tobogganists as skiers, tries as part of our large-scale customer around 1,000 a day. In addition, the il- satisfaction survey. Owners, CEOs and luminated track enables people to head senior managers from 173 ropeway for the mountain after a day’s work. operating companies readily agreed to take part. Companies with no Dop- Designed for further expansion pelmayr/Garaventa lifts were also in- cluded. The fact that 90 percent of the The lift was built within a short time frame: people approached were willing to the initial planning permission hearing participate in an interview is sensational was on October 4, the approval hear- and proves the close relationship we ing on December 18. Doppelmayr was enjoy with our customers. Our sincere responsible for the mechanical and elec- thanks go to everyone involved in this trical equipment, while the lift operating project. company took charge of the building The survey revealed very good satisfac- construction and tower foundations. De- tion scores and confirms our clear pole signed for the addition of a second sec- position as technology, innovation and tion at a later date which would go up to As Managing Director, Alois Loidl quality leader in the international rope- the top of Rangger Köpfl, the lift provides was responsible for the installation of way market. a sound basis for the future. the new lift. The gondola lift has since But that’s no reason to rest on our laurels. proved very popular with winter and On the contrary, it should inspire us to summer guests alike. do even better. We take all suggestions and criticism very seriously, and are al- 8-MGD Peter Anich ready looking at ways to improve. Transport capacity 1,515 PPH Trip time 5.2 min Speed 6.0 m/s Cabins 22 Interval 19.0 s Inclined length 1,535 m Michael Doppelmayr Vertical rise 512 m Towers 11 Drive Top Tension Bottom

The bottom station of the 8-MGD Peter Anich lies just outside the village at an altitude of 851 m, the top station is at 1,363 m. 2008 is the first year that a summer service has been available in Oberperfuß, much to the delight of families and day-trippers.

No. 176 • September 2008 4 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Jakob Falkner: The Sölden experience

For many years, Jakob (“Jack”) Falkner can’t remember Managing Director of how long he’s been Managing Director of Bergbahnen Sölden. “It feels like for- Bergbahnen Sölden ever,” he grins. Jakob Falkner has held He certainly didn’t start out at the top, steadfastly to his belief: but at the cash desk in the Giggijoch “The vacation must be Restaurant and at the ski pass cash desk in Hochsölden. Then he worked his way an experience for our up. But being so well-known on the ski guests!” – And, for a scene is no big deal: “I’m the front man resort like Sölden, which because I’m the managing director. However, Bergbahnen Sölden belongs specializes in snow to several families from the region. We A staunch Doppelmayr fan: Jakob vacations, ropeways have around 50 shareholders.” – Seil- Falkner, Managing Director of play a key role. bahnen Sölden operates exclusively with Bergbahnen Sölden domestic capital.

Identifying – and creating – High quality standards – therefore customer needs Doppelmayr lifts

For Jakob Falkner, it is particularly impor- He also demands high quality standards tant to respond to and create customer when it comes to lift installations. Sölden needs. As he likes to point out, a lot of ski has 32, with a total hourly capacity of resorts have high mountains. Not so many over 65,000 passengers. But that alone have glaciers. Even fewer have glaciers is not the decisive factor. What is impor- and snow-making in a high-altitude area. tant is making sure that the lifts match the And having three “three-thousanders” capacity of the ski trails and restaurants, with three large ropeways and the ulti- that they meet the very latest standards mate viewing platforms in the ski resort as and offer maximum comfort. Sölden does is something which is quite Jack Falkner sees no need to underline unique and has to be communicated. the fact that Doppelmayr lifts satisfy these criteria. He has only ever bought lifts from Putting natural resources Doppelmayr. to optimal use The “soft factors” are also important Whether in print or online, these attributes form the key marketing message: “As Aus- Last but not least, Jack Falkner sees mo- tria’s number one ski destination, Sölden dernity and a focus on the “soft factors” has three 3000ers to offer, also known as the key to success. In other words, all as the BIG3, which can be accessed by the peripheral amenities. You have to pro- ultra-modern ski lifts.” vide the guests with everything they want But where would the BIG3 be without the 24/7: restaurants offering every level of right infrastructure and the friendly staff culinary experience, music events, ski rac- working in hospitality or on the lifts? Berg- es, “choreographed” ski demonstrations bahnen Sölden employs 500 people and by up to 100 ski instructors on illuminated they all have to meet the quality expecta- slopes, etc. These are the things that keep tions of the guests. Self-evident perhaps, Sölden on the success path. but for Jack Falkner a crucial area where Being successful in the winter tourism busi- there can be no compromises. ness in no easy task: “At one time, you

No. 176 • September 2008 Sölden makes every effort to maintain and raise the ski resort’s very high standards. Photo: the Gaislachkogelbahn.

invested to attract more guests. Nowa- ments. Not an easy matter. to the lift company. If this project does days, you have to invest a lot of money to But Jack Falkner remains undeterred. not get off the ground this year, Jack maintain your capacity utilization levels.” The new 8-seater chairlift with orange Falkner will be focusing on the modern- bubbles on the Giggijoch will be com- ization of the Gaislachkogelbahn, a 24- New: 8-CLD Giggijoch with orange pleted for the start of the winter season DLM dating from 1988. This would then bubbles 2008/09. It will replace a fixed-grip tri- be replaced by an 8-MGD in the winter ple chairlift built in 1982 and, as well as season 2009/10. Sölden sets a high standard in every re- being an eye-catcher, the lift will greatly spect. Keeping that standard and raising improve traffic flows and consequently Indoor ski center for the Hamburg it here and there call for major invest- the attractiveness of the ski slopes in this region part of the terrain. In addition, the restaurant is to be refur- In the meantime, investments are not lim- 8-CLD-B Giggijoch bished and the ski trails extended. The ited to the Tyrolean resort of Sölden. The Transport capacity 3,700 PPH chairs will be parked in an underground Snow Dome indoor ski center in Bispin- Trip time 4.6 min facility in the completely new bottom sta- gen, on the A7 between Hamburg and Speed 5.0 m/s tion. Hanover, was also built by Bergbahnen Chairs 70 Sölden. This facility features a 100 m Major expansion plans wide, 300 m long ski slope, a detach- Interval 7.8 s able 6-seater chairlift and a platter lift Inclined length 1,232 m The expansion plans continue. The lift (both from Doppelmayr) as well as five Vertical rise 316 m company intends to build a completely restaurants. – The Snow Dome is not just Towers 12 new ropeway, the 8-MGD Center Lift. an independent profit center. It is also Its bottom station will be right in the cen- aimed at whetting the appetites of poten- Drive Bottom ter of town, within reach of the 160-bed tial north German skiers for vacationing Tension Bottom 5-star Central Hotel, which also belongs in Sölden …

No. 176 • September 2008 Urban ropeways in Algeria: huge crowds

This year will see gondola Following the opening of the lift in Con- provides access to a local recreation lifts going into service in stantine at the beginning of June, the area. installations in Skikda and Tlemcen are In Constantine, the lift became extremely three Algerian cities1 – scheduled to go into operation in the late popular within a short time after comple- Constantine, Skikda and fall. All three lifts are similar in terms of tion. Despite the fact that it has initially Tlemcen – as part of the their construction and role. They differ on- only been operating from 9 am to 7 pm, network. ly marginally in technical design, such as 24,000 passengers have been carried in the angle of the lift line. Their purpose on a daily basis. The goal is to operate is to act as a feeder, bringing passengers a regular service between 6 am and 11 from residential areas to the city center pm. (This is roughly four times the aver- (mid station) and commercial areas, the age operating hours of a winter sports in- exception being Tlemcen, where the lift stallation). The operational organization

No. 176 • September 2008 7 Skikda Tlemcen Constantine

The gondola lift is the answer to commuter transport needs.

organized all the civil engineering works including line structures as well as the infrastructure such as cash desk and ac- cess system.

Perfect planning

The planning was perfect. The extreme climatic conditions – which include large temperature variations between day and night as well as flying sand which acts like emery paper – are under control. The only thing that had to be retrofitted was an upgrade of the PA system as the delighted passengers wanted continuous background music. The original equip- In the Atlas Mountains, gondola lifts provide the ideal transport solution for urban ment was not designed for this purpose. centers with steep as well as narrow streets. Photo: Constantine. To assist the solar panels, the gondolas were fitted with batteries which are re- charged overnight in the stations2. is being successively expanded for this ropeway provides a much simpler trans- In the meantime, Garaventa is already purpose. The lift company first has to train port solution than road vehicles which working on the next urban gondola lift personnel and also wants to gather ex- have to wend their way through the nar- project: The 15-MGD Qued Koriche is perience before progressing to the next row, winding streets of city centers. scheduled to go into service in Algiers stage. The urban transport company which runs during the course of 2009. the local buses, Entreprise de Transport Ideal for built-up areas Constantine (ETC), is responsible for op- erating the lift in Constantine. They are The rapid and wide acceptance of the assisted by a four-man team from Gara- 1 WIR Magazine No. 175, September 2007 2 A comparable power supply system has lift installations is largely explained by venta consisting of three mechanics and proved highly successful on the rotating the explosion in traffic volumes and con- an electrician. Garaventa also acted as gondola lift Sattel-Hochstuckli, completed sequent traffic jams. Moreover, an aerial general contractor for this project and in the Swiss canton of Schwyz in 2005.

No. 176 • September 2008 8 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Continuous modernization France

in Vallnord Spain

In the winter season To date, Doppelmayr has installed a to- was created in 2004 through the merger 2007/08, a detachable tal of 16 lifts in Andorra. The first was a of the Pal-Arinsal and Ordino-Arcalis re- fixed-grip triple chairlift in 1982. The big- sorts. Thanks to the gondola lift, the area 6-seater chairlift went gest are the at Encamp (1999), has also succeeded in making a name into operation on the Pic the reversible Pal-Arinsal for itself across Europe as an all-terrain del Cubil in Andorra. (2000) and the over two and a half kilo- paradise for mountain bikers in the sum- Another lift is to follow meter long 16-passenger gondola lift La mer. Massana. for 2008/09. The ski resort of Vallnord1, which local Great customer satisfaction tourism organizations proudly advertise as “Le Mountain Park des Pyrénées”, Last winter saw the opening of the new 6-CLD from Doppelmayr on the Pic del 1 1,100 ha ski trails with a total length of 92 km Cubil (2,358 m). It is used essentially to

No. 176 • September 2008 9 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

serve the adjacent slopes but is also an have become a thing of the past”. In ad- France. Russians (currently three percent) important link connecting the ski trails in dition, lift users appreciate the enhanced also account for a growing number of Pal with the other sections of the Pyre- comfort and convenience when loading winter tourists. nean Mountain Park. And it represents and unloading. Doppelmayr France designed the wood- another important step towards the future en cladding of the UNI-G stations. Dop- development of the region: “The new lift Comfort and high capacity are key pelmayr Andorra took charge of install- plays a major role in achieving customer success factors ing the ropeway equipment including the satisfaction,” emphasizes José Maria Ge- stations (completed in five months). The labert, Technical Director of Pal-Arinsal. Comfort is an important aspect of the re- building construction and work on the He goes on to explain that it is “thanks gion’s tourist amenities which are primar- line was the responsibility of the client, to the high transport capacity of the new ily aimed at families, while there is always EMAP – Estació de Muntanya de Pal, 6-CLD that the long waiting times on the “something for everybody”, as José Ma- Comu de La Massana. old fixed-grip quad chairlift it replaces ria Gelabert is keen to point out. – Arcalis offers undisturbed natural landscapes to Another Doppelmayr 6-CLD under delight the freerider; Arinsal has every- construction thing the downhill skier’s heart can desire; and Pal is perfect for children and skiers The region is expanding its lift infrastruc- who like a bit more tranquility. ture. In view of the excellent experience Vallnord successfully caters for the wishes with Doppelmayr, another 6-seater chair- of skiers from many different nations. Half lift was ordered. This ropeway will be go- of the guests come from Spain, 15 per- ing into operation at Christmas 2009. cent from the UK and ten percent from

Unanimous agreement (from the left): Miguel Medina, General Director of Pal- Arinsal (Vallnord); José Maria Gelabert, Technical Director of the Pal-Arinsal sector; Marti Rafel, General Director of a Vallnord; Josep M Camp, Mayor of 6-CLD Cubil La Massana. “The Doppelmayr lifts fully Transport capacity 3,000 PPH live up to our expectations.” Vallnord is already working on the next 6-CLD Trip time 4.0 min project with Doppelmayr because the Speed 5 m/s resort “works constantly to improve the Chairs 83 attractiveness and the amenities of the Interval 7.2 s ski region”. Inclined length 1,376 m Vertical rise 461 m Towers 14 The 6-CLD Cubil. The bottom station lies Drive Bottom at an altitude of 1,890 m, the top station Tension Bottom

Photo Cecilia Bellomo, Vallnord at 2,346 m.

No. 176 • September 2008 10 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

First 6-seater chairlift in the Jungfrau region

Jungfraubahn Holding The area covered by the Jungfrau lift regions, where the building season is of- AG erected a detachable network is Switzerland’s biggest summer ten short in the summer, this provides an tourism region; it also ranks amongst the appreciable economic boost. 6-seater chairlift with country’s top five winter tourism destina- The top station was equipped with a bubbles to replace the tions1. Roughly 60 percent of sales rev- standard station enclosure including un- Honegg . The new enues are generated during the summer dercover and automatic weather protec- lift went into service on season. tion doors which shield the mechanical equipment against drifting snow. December 8, 2007. It is Access to super ski slopes Garaventa was responsible for the electri- the first 6-seater chairlift cal and mechanical side of the ropeway in the Jungfrau region. Grindelwald lies at 1,000 m, at the foot equipment; the Jungfrau lift company co- of the 3,970 m Eiger. The new lift, which ordinated all the construction work. will be used exclusively for winter tour- The logistics called for considerable fine ism, provides access to the sunny slopes tuning as a number of projects were han- of Honegg. It replaces a 40-year-old sur- dled simultaneously: the chairlift, the ski face lift and frees up the terrain for wider bridge and the complete snow-making and more attractive ski trails. installations. As a consequence, storage The chairs are fitted with bubbles. Com- space was very limited on the mountain pared to the , capacity has and equipment deliveries had to be been doubled but nonetheless carefully closely coordinated between the various designed to provide acceptable traffic suppliers involved. At the same time, con- levels on the slopes, which are now also sideration had to be given to the many equipped for snow-making. summer guests in the area. It took ten This all adds up to a positive experience months from the start of construction to for skiers, who also enjoy the full benefit approval of the lift. of the landscape straight from the lift. The bottom station (1,838 m) lies immediately New hub beneath the world-famous climbing route in the Jungfrau region on the north face of the Eiger. From the top station (2,300 m) – lift users also The popular Honegg at the foot of the have a direct view onto the north face. Eiger’s north face has significantly in- creased its attractiveness thanks to the Special wooden cladding for the new high-capacity lift. Once the 6-seater bottom station – additional benefit chairlift between Arvengarten and the for the local timber industry 6-CLD-B Arvengarten-Honegg Garaventa’s wooden cladding for the Transport capacity 2,000 PPH stations is seen as a specialty of Berner Oberland (Bernese Highlands) and has Trip time 6.3 min been used for various structures in Adel- Speed 5 m/s boden over the past few years. This de- Chairs 68 sign enables the stations to blend in with Interval 10.8 s their natural surroundings and harmonize particularly well with the alpine huts Inclined length 1,736 m which dot the landscape. Vertical rise 464 m As well as lending the ski resort a spe- Towers 14 cial flair, the use of this material also Drive Top means that local timber companies can be involved in the projects. For mountain Tension Bottom

No. 176 • September 2008 Top station of the 6-CLD-B Arventgarten-Honegg (above): The lift blends in well with its natural surroundings. As summer tourism generates more revenue than winter tourism in the Jungfrau region, particular importance is attached to minimizing the visual impact on the landscape. Below: Wooden-cladded bottom station from Garaventa.

Eiger Glacier is completed in 2009 Glacier and Arvengarten-Honegg; all Christoph Egger, a member of senior (Garaventa was awarded the contract in three installations are from the Doppel- management at the Jungfrau lift March 2008), a new hub will have been mayr/Garaventa Group. company: “The new 6-seater chairlift created in the Jungfrau ski trail network. from Garaventa exactly meets our

Three high-performance lifts will then 1 The Jungfrau lift company operates roughly requirements in terms of performance meet at this intersection: Arvengarten- two-thirds of the 44 mountain ropeways in the and comfort. It also fits in well with our Kleine Scheidegg, Arvengarten-Eiger region. overall concept for winter operations.”

No. 176 • September 2008 12 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Świeradów-Zdrój Poland’s first 8-MGD Szczyrk

Doppelmayr built Nestled between the borders of Germa- Poland’s first 8-MGD in ny, Poland and the Czech Republic, the Lower Silesian spa town of Świeradów- the Giant Mountains, Zdrój (also known as Bad Flinsberg), re- not far from the city of mains a popular health resort to this day. Świeradów-Zdrój. In addition to health cures and hiking, has long been an established pas- time in the area. Construction of the new 8-seater gondola lift to the nearby Stóg Izerski, the 1,107 m “Heufuder”, will not only increase the appeal of the popular hiking region but also open up a new ski- ing area.

Top comfort

Sobiesław Zasada, the investor and owner of the conglomerate Sobiesław Zasada AG1, had set itself the goal of making sure its ski resort offers optimal comfort and state-of-the-art equipment. Features include level boarding of the cabins, the wide range of amenities housed in the bottom station and the gon- dola parking facility next to the bottom station. Snow-making is also available for the new ski trail.

8-MGD Stóg Izerski Transport capacity 2,400 PPH Trip time 7.2 min Speed 6.0 m/s Cabins 71 Interval 14.4 s Inclined length 2,171 m Vertical rise 443 m Towers 14 Drive Top Tension Bottom

1 Automobiles are the core business. Zasada is Poland’s biggest Mercedes dealer, has author- ized repair centers for VW and Audi, manufac- tures buses and special trucks, etc. The group also encompasses other production and service operations, including hotels and leisure centers. Summer and winter tourism in Świeradów-Zdrój.

No. 176 • September 2008 13 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Ski jump lift

In the Polish winter sports resort of Szczyrk, Doppelmayr installed a double chairlift for the new ski jump facility.

The 2-CLF Skalite has a mid station and underground vault drive. The ski jump towers and the shorter ski jumps are accessed from the mid station. Three jumps were erected in total.

Well-known region

Szczyrk is a small town in Upper Sile- sia. The area has mountains ranging in height between 1,000 m and 1,300 m, and a large number of surface lifts.

New attraction at the elite sports center

The state-owned elite sports center was established in Szczyrk some time ago and is now particularly attractive for ski jumpers thanks to the new facilities. Doppelmayr built the lift in collabora- tion with long-time partner Mostostal as general contractor. The lift was handed over to the customer in mid July.

2-CLF Skalite Transport capacity 409 PPH Trip time 2.8 min Speed 1.5 m/s Chairs 20 Interval 17.6 s Inclined length 254 m Vertical rise 96 m Towers 5 Drive Bottom The majority of guests are from Poland and Germany. Dresden is just two hours’ drive away, Berlin three. Tension Top

No. 176 • September 2008 14 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

New ski resort in Northwestern Siberia

A new alpine ski center Khanty-Mansijsk is well-known in interna- top of the mountain ridge and beyond – has been created on tional winter sports. It hosted the across the ski slope – to the foot of the World Championship in 2003 and the mountain on the other side. The mid sta- the edge of Khanty- Biathlon Mixed Relay World Champion- tion, which is used for repeat trips, is lo- Mansijsk, a city of ship in 2005; the Biathlon World Cham- cated at the summit. 60,000 inhabitants, not pionship will again be staged there in The lift also operates in the summer, serv- far from the confluence 2011. In addition, it provides the venue ing the popular local recreation area. for Biathlon World Cup and Summer Bi- of the mighty Irtysch and athlon Competitions. Ob rivers. Doppelmayr 4/8-CGD Khanty-Mansijsk Mid station for repeat trips delivered a 4/8 combined Transport capacity 2,000 PPH lift for the resort. Construction of the Doppelmayr 4/8- Trip time 5.1 min CGD in Khanty-Mansijsk took from Speed 5.0 m/s September 2007 to the end of January Carriers 56 2008. This lift serves a highly impressive Interval 5.1 s ski region where an imposing chain of hills rises up from the plain. On the hillside Inclined length 960 m facing the city, an attractive ski slope has Vertical rise 83 m been constructed with the aid of earth- Towers 8 works. Drive Bottom The combined lift traces a route from the Tension Bottom hotels at the outskirts of the city, passing over rugged terrain to the

Khanty-Mansijsk: Alpine skiing since 2008 at the Mecca for biathletes

No. 176 • September 2008 15 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Major contract in the Caucasus

Doppelmayr realized The village of Gudauri nestles at an alti- located at the end of the mountain val- an ambitious project in tude of 2,196 m against the 3000 m high ley of the same name, and the Devdoraki Kudebi Mountain. Once upon a time, the Glacier. Gudauri, in the Georgian post coaches would change their horses part of the Greater here en route to Vladikavkas. New 4-CLF Caucasus Mountain The beginnings of winter tourism go back Range, during the period to the 1970s. The first four Doppelmayr Doppelmayr installed the new 4-CLF were erected in 1986; Austrian Sadzele, named after the 3,056 m high from the fall of 2007 and Swedish investors built a four-star Sadzele Pass. The construction of this to January 2008: Four hotel in 1988. Since then, several hotels ropeway began in September 2007 21-year-old chairlifts were and apartment blocks have been con- and was completed at the end of Janu- structed. Tourists come primarily from the ary 2008. completely overhauled neighboring CIS states but also from the The handover was delayed slightly fol- and a new fixed-grip quad USA, Germany, Israel and Turkey. lowing heavy snowfall: Overnight the chairlift was installed. chairs were covered in a meter of snow and FIS-approved trails for and first had to be precisely located be- skiing into May fore they could be dug out and attached to the rope. But the owners remained un- There are 19 kilometers of ski trails cover- fazed by the situation. In the Caucasus ing every level of difficulty and offering the skiing season starts after New Year’s top quality: FIS has approved them for all Eve and in ‘08 the good snow conditions alpine disciplines. The resort has become allowed activities to continue into May. world-famous thanks to its opportunities for heliskiing. New from old There is also plenty of summer tourism in and around Gudauri. Popular tourist des- When it came to modernizing the lifts dat- tinations are the Chada hut at 2,670 m, ing from 1986, the fitters had better luck with the weather, despite often having to clear the snow from the construction sites. One detachable quad chairlift and two fixed-grip triple chairlifts went into service on December 22, 2007; the third fixed- grip triple chairlift opened for skiers on December 30.

4-CLF Sadzele Transport capacity 1,344 PPH Trip time 9.6 min Speed 2.6 m/s Chairs 109 Interval 10.7 s Gudauri: Skiing against the impressive Inclined length 1,504 m backdrop of four and five-thousanders. Vertical rise 483 m The trails lie at altitudes ranging from Towers 13 1,900 m to 3,000 m. There are now five Doppelmayr chairlifts operating in Drive Bottom Gudauri. Tension Bottom

No. 176 • September 2008 16 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Mt Buller: Keep winter cool

In Mt Buller, one of the The Mt Buller ski resort, just over three detachable quad chairlift built by Dop- most well-known ski hours’ drive to the north of Melbourne, pelmayr in 1984. The first section of the prides itself on being Australia’s number Blue Bullet lift was retained as a separate resorts in the Australian one destination for skiers. The resort of- installation. Alps, Doppelmayr has fers “more runs, more lifts, more adrena- installed Australia’s first line”, thanks to 243 ha of skiable terrain Chairlift station converted into detachable six-seater catering for all levels of skill and a net- parking facility work of 24 lifts as well as snow-making chairlift, the 6-CLD Holden facilities covering a large proportion of The top station of the Blue Bullet 2 has Express chairlift/Abom1. the trails. been converted into a parking facility The new 6-seater chairlift replaces a for the chairs of the Holden Express; the fixed-grip triple chairlift (which Dop- bottom station of the new lift is located pelmayr built in 1986) along with the on the edge of the village, not far from second section of the Blue Bullet lift, a the . (Blue Bullet 1 is accessed

No. 176 • September 2008 17 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

from the village center). the environment in mind. It will therefore Mt Buller is a year-round destination The new high-speed lift not only signifi- come as no surprise to hear that Buller which also offers conference and semi- cantly improves traffic on the busy adja- Ski Lifts was the first Australian ski com- nar facilities. Mountain biking is a rapidly cent slopes but also makes other parts pany to achieve certification to the inter- growing sport in Australia, and Mt Buller of the terrain more readily accessible. national standard for environmental man- offers lifted access to a range of down- Greater comfort and convenience as agement systems, ISO 14001. hill and cross-country tracks with the Dop- well as the increased skiing amenities for Doppelmayr was responsible for the pelmayr 4-CLF Horse Hill. The majority beginners enhance the user’s experience ropeway equipment including line struc- of guests come from Melbourne and the of the resort. tures, Buller Ski Lifts for the station build- surrounding areas. In addition, a large ings. number of visitors are drawn from other ISO 14001 for the ski resort Buller Ski Lifts is part of the family-owned parts of Australia as well as a growing Grollo Group, which includes operations percentage from Asia and the Middle The infrastructure and power supply at dedicated to tourism, education and East. the ski resort have been designed with sport.

Prominent guests at the opening of the Holden Express: (left to right) Andrea Doppelmayr; Gavin Jennings, Victoria’s Minister for the Environment; Monica Grollo; Nick Whitby, CEO Buller Ski Lifts; Laurie Blampied, General Manager Buller Ski Lifts; and Philip Brook, Holden’s National Marketing Director (chair sponsor).

6-CLD Holden Express Transport capacity 3,200 PPH Trip time 3.7 min Speed 5.0 m/s Chairs 65 Interval 6.8 s Inclined length 127 m Vertical rise 997 m Towers 9 Drive Top Tension Bottom

1 The car manufacturer Holden, a subsidiary of General Motors, saw the ropeway as a highly effective means of advertising; the lift is to carry the name of Holden for five years.

No. 176 • September 2008 18 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

8-seater gondola lift for the pearl of the Carpathians

Christmas 2007 saw the Sinaia is prized as the “Pearl of the well-known tourist centers in Romania, at- opening of an 8-seater Carpathians”. The first king of Romania, tracting day-trippers and weekly guests Carol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen from home and abroad. gondola lift in Sinaia, (1866-1914), had a sumptuous summer one of Romania’s most residence built on a mountain meadow Additional feeder capacity traditional and up- not far from Sinaia Monastery (named market holiday resorts. after Mount Sinai); the castle was sub- An entrepreneur in the ski resort was al- sequently extended several times. Thanks ready operating a surface lift, a fixed-grip to the good access provided by the double chairlift, a detachable quad chair- railroad line from Bucharest, the town of lift and two reversible aerial tramways. Sinaia developed into one of the most One of these tramways was used exclu- 19 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

sively as a feeder as there was no ski trail was constructed at a short distance from position detection system. Both the top down to the valley up until last winter. the town center on a site where a new and bottom stations have Doppelmayr However, this tramway was unable to parking lot could also be built. The mu- full roof enclosures. A manually operated handle passenger volumes, leading to nicipal council is also in the process of dead-end parking facility is housed in the hour-long waiting times and dissatisfied constructing a ski trail down to the bottom bottom station. guests. At the same time, parking spaces station. were scarce at the bottom terminal which Flying colors lies in the town center. First RPD in Romania To address these shortcomings, the mu- The lift has passed the test with flying col- nicipal council decided to invest in an The new gondola lift is the first in Roma- ors, opening up new opportunities for net- 8-seater-gondola lift. The new ropeway nia to be equipped with an RPD rope working urban and recreational tourism.

Mayor Vlad Oprea was proved right: The new gondola lift has made a significant contribution towards revitalizing both summer and winter tourism in Sinaia.

8-MGD Sinaia Transport capacity 1,700 PPH Trip time 4.9 min Speed 6.0 m/s Cabins 34 Interval 16.9 s Inclined length 1,384 m Vertical rise 410 m Towers 8 Drive Bottom Tension Bottom Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

RopeCon for a gold mine

On the Pacific island of The 80 km2 Simberi Island belongs to the Simberi in Papua New Tabar group, 250 kilometers south of the equator and far off from shipping routes Guinea, Doppelmayr and large ports. The climate is hot and Transport Technology humid, the rugged terrain covered by im- erected a RopeCon penetrable tropical rain forest. Building installation for and maintaining a road in such an envi- ronment would only be possible at great transporting gold ore from time and expense. For this reason, Allied the mine in the interior to Gold Limited1 decided on the construc- the processing plant on tion of a material transport system with a limited number of tower structures. the coast. RopeCon is a

bulk material handling Ideal transport for ore system which combines proven ropeway and The RopeCon proved ideal for this pur- pose: It crosses the terrain without a hitch, conveyor technology. guarantees a constant transport capacity and therefore continuous loading of the ore processing installations, has low op- erating costs and is easy to maintain. Allied Gold had the complete Simberi Oxide Gold Project up and running in just three years. The processing facility and the open-pit mine as well as the line struc- Papua New ture foundations for the RopeCon were Fully automatic operation, Guinea built by Allied Gold. low maintenance requirements The RopeCon was designed by Dop- pelmayr Transport Technology, manufac- The installation produces 200 kWh of tured in Wolfurt and constructed by an electrical power2, which is consumed installation team from Garaventa with by the refinery. Operation is fully auto- Australia electrical fitters from Doppelmayr under matic and synchronized with the load- the technical management of Doppel- ing belt from the mine. For maintenance mayr Transport Technology. purposes, a self-propelled service trolley is provided, which uses the two upper Major logistical challenge ropes as a track. It is pulled by means of a separate rope with fixed anchoring. The remoteness of the island posed the The customer is extremely satisfied with first major challenge: While Allied Gold the installation. Allied Gold’s Chairman took charge of transport from the port of Mark Caruso praises the RopeCon as Hamburg, the marine transport took two “an excellent piece of Austrian technol- months. The tropical climate also takes its ogy”, adding that “Doppelmayr can be toll on human resources and equipment. very proud of the installation”. This is where the solid workmanship and hot-dip galvanizing of components stood 1 the test. The installation has only three This Australian company prospects for gold, silver and non-ferrous heavy met- towers; the largest rope span is 850 me- als in Oceania, Australia and Mexico. ters in length. 2 This would be enough to supply well over 400 households in the EU.

No. 176 • September 2008 The RopeCon on Simberi Island transports gold ore across the jungle to the processing plant on the coast. There the gold is separated from the rock and poured in bars. Doppelmayr Transport Technology took on the contract in September 2006. The installation work was completed in seven months. The RopeCon went into operation at the beginning of May 2008.

RopeCon Simberi Transport capacity 450 t/h Max. lump size 80 mm Belt speed 3.3 m/s Belt width 650 mm Side wall height 120 mm Motor output -221 kW Horizontal length 2,700 m Vertical rise -237 m Average gradient -8.9 % Drive Mine side Tension Plant side Towers 3

Sledges were made to transport the almost 60-ton rope drums. They were then Track ropes 2x62 mm pulled from the quay to the installation site by a 60-ton bulldozer as no mobile 2x52 mm crane was available. 2x42 mm

No. 176 • September 2008 22 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Doppelmayr: Key competence in hot-dip galvanizing

At Doppelmayr, hot- Hot-dip galvanizing is a reliable and a process specification within the Dop- 1 dip galvanizing is the long-lasting form of corrosion protec- pelmayr/Garaventa Group . This speci- tion. This method of surface treatment fication encompasses the entire product number one method of has a kind of self-healing effect. Minor creation chain, from the material selec- corrosion protection. damage – such as scratches – “grows” tion through design and manufacturing to Almost three-quarters together again within a relatively short hot-dip galvanizing. of all steel components space of time. Nonetheless, extensive The problems encountered at the stadium specialist know-how is required on the in Kaiserslautern prompted the Austrian such as towers, yokes, one hand to prevent crack formation in Structural Steel Fabricators Association etc. are currently hot- the base material and on the other to and the Galvanizers Association to take dip galvanized; in the ensure the required corrosion protection action. At a crisis meeting at the end of – not least the cavity protection – while 2006, Doppelmayr agreed to disclose future, that proportion maintaining an attractive outer appear- its specification, know-how and experi- is set to increase. ance. ence. This then provided the basis for a harmonized Austrian process directive for Doppelmayr took the initiative the hot-dip galvanizing of steel parts and contract hot-dip galvanizers. Doppelmayr became aware of this problem in the year 2000 on tower Doppelmayr internationally yokes stored in the warehouse. It was recognized as technology leader found that hairline cracks – invisible to the naked eye – can form beneath the Today, that Doppelmayr know-how is not zinc layer. Doppelmayr immediately only applied by the Austrian galvanizers launched a program of magnetic par- but also by large galvanizing operations ticle testing on some 100 ropeway in- in other countries. stallations around the globe. – As it was soon discovered, compa- 1 Process specification VF0001 for rable crack formations were known else- Doppelmayr components which came into where, but the steel fabricators and gal- effect in 2001. Since the merger in 2002, this applies throughout the entire Doppel- vanizers involved had dismissed them as mayr/Garaventa Group. Doppelmayr only unrepresentative one-off cases. uses hot-dip galvanizers who are certified Doppelmayr, on the contrary, took the in accordance with this specification. matter very seriously and set out to inves- tigate the cause of these sporadic crack Dipl.-Ing. Markus formations through systematic research Winkler, Doppelmayr with EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories Quality Manage- for Materials Testing & Research) as sci- ment, was instrumen- entific partner. It was not until the foot- tal in developing the ball stadium in Kaiserslautern had to be process specifica- closed shortly before the World Cup in tions for reliable hot- 2006 due to cracks in the galvanized dip galvanizing. support structure that this problem be- gan to be taken seriously as a possible source of risk among a wide section of Security against hidden crack formation steel fabricators and galvanizers. and attractive appearance – these are By then, Doppelmayr’s investigations the requirements which Doppelmayr into ways of avoiding cracks during expects hot-dip galvanized components hot-dip galvanizing had long been com- to meet. (Photo: tower in a zinc bath). pleted and implemented in the form of

No. 176 • September 2008

24 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Versatile Snow Shuttle

Doppelmayr has developed a multifunc- tional means of transport known as the Snow Shuttle. It is proving highly success- ful as an exclusive carrier – thanks to the 6-passenger bubble offering magnificent panoramic views – for conveying VIPs, for press visits and race services as well as for carrying the injured. The stretcher can always be included on board; it is ready for use in next to no time and is compatible with all common rescue vehi- cles. The telescopic mechanism incorpo- rated on the vehicle enables gentle han- dling of an injured person on the stretcher without great effort. The Snow Shuttle has been awarded the CE mark. It is simply docked onto the blade of the snow groomer and is ready for use. The Snow Shuttle can also be deployed in difficult terrain: Under fairly normal snow conditions, the Shuttle can be used on gradients of up to 40° re- spectively 80% (longitudinal and trans- verse). When using the stretcher, terrain gradients can be readily compensated with the aid of an electric motor. The Snow Shuttle is marketed by Input, a company belonging to the Doppelmayr/ Garaventa Group.

Satisfaction analysis: Customers give Doppelmayr an excellent report

Doppelmayr commissioned a renowned which address specific target groups. well as the great innovation capabilities consulting firm to conduct a large-scale Precisely 55 percent of respondents of Doppelmayr/Garaventa are rated customer satisfaction analysis in 2008. were loyal Doppelmayr customers, a highly. Key areas of concern for custom- This involved evaluating the results of quarter were “switchers” and the remain- ers were shown to be cost pressure re- a comprehensive, worldwide survey ing 20 percent were ski resorts who use sulting from raw material prices, recruiting among ropeway operation managers. competitor products. qualified personnel and increasing the For Doppelmayr, the analysis is part of the From an external perspective it was con- attractiveness of ski resorts for summer ongoing dialog with market participants. firmed that Doppelmayr/Garaventa is tourism.

It helps to pinpoint areas of achievement quality, innovation and technology lead- Proprietor, editor and publisher: Doppelmayr as well as possible deficits. At the same er, and possesses outstanding brand val- Seilbahnen GmbH, A 6961 Wolfurt • Editing, graphics and layout: WIR Public Relations time, customer needs can be identified ues. In particular, the technical and social Wolfgang M. Wagenleitner, Weißacherg. 19, and translated into products and services competencies of personal contacts as A 6850 Dornbirn• www.wirpr.at

No. 176 • September 2008