Lifting solutions for tent builder

The party tents at the Munich Oktoberfest could shelter the inhabitants of an entire city – they have room for at least 119,000 people. Quite an effort is required each year to erect these and many smaller stands on the festival grounds. Pletschacher, one of Germany’s largest tent builders, was in charge of this in 2018. Everything must go according to plan when storing and loading components, from heavy wooden beams to tarpaulins, planks, and wall elements to huge beer mugs.

The equipment from Konecranes is used in Pletschacher's new storage site in Dasing. All elements needed for the Oktoberfest tents and a lot more, are stored there in four halls with a total surface area of 16,500m2. About 1500 container loads fit inside the halls, and there is room for 500 additional containers outside.

Double-girder bridge crane

Pletschacher uses the four new halls to store material on Euro-pallets as well as in skeleton containers and up to 5m-long transport boxes. The loads, which weigh between 100kg and 5t, must be moved and loaded inside the hall with speed and precision. Walter Fischer, sales manager at Konecranes, says: “Any delay costs Pletschacher and its customers a lot of money. On days just before the Oktoberfest, the work pretty much never stops.” 

The new Pletschacher crane had to be able to lift quickly and continuously, be easy to operate, and able to load large wooden elements with precision. Konecranes designed a customised double-girder bridge crane and electric chain hoists. The crane has a span of 18.5m and transports loads of up to 10t inside the hall. In order to be able to move bulky components, there is a distance of 3m between its two hoists, and it is equipped with Synchro-Hoisting which ensures identical hoisting speeds even in the case of different loads.

Furthermore, the hoisting and travel speeds of the crane can be adjusted continuously. The system can be controlled remotely with precision via joystick. Walter Fischer continues: “We manage globally approximately 740,000 assets, always with the goal of improving the safety and productivity of our customers. On the basis of this comprehensive know-how, we have developed an individual service concept for Pletschacher, consisting of accident prevention checks, service, and maintenance.”

Heavy-duty forklift

Pletschacher stores large quantities of material also outside the new halls – and these must be moved securely. “As a rule, we stack up to three containers on top of each other and place them close to each other in order to save space,” explains Ulrich Pletschacher, managing director of the Pletschacher Group.

“When designing a heavy-duty forklift for these tasks, the focus is on maximum performance with a compact size,” underlines Uwe Höß, sales manager at Konecranes Lifttrucks. Konecranes has made a heavy-duty forklift especially for this demanding environment. The SMV 10-1200 C lifts up to 10t with a load centre of 1.2m. With its wheelbase of 3m, it is said to be about 25cm shorter than normal – for a smaller turn radius. This means the driver is also able to manoeuvre it in narrow aisles.

"The safety of the forklift is ensured by a height sensor that automatically warns via acoustic signal in the cabin if the load is lifted at a height that exceeds 2.8m. It is possible to lift loads at a height of up to 6.5m, but the Pletschacher hall entries are significantly lower. Thanks to the height sensor, the driver can be sure of always reaching the right height for the gate entry.”

An accumulator in the hydraulics systems also ensures a gentle ride. The air suspension dampens bumps. This protects the goods being transported and the lifting system of the heavy-duty forklift from damage and wear. The solid rubber tyres are also very durable.

An electronic weight indicator in the ergonomic, sound- and vibration-insulated Optima cabin allows safe transport and a precise loading process. The studless front window of the cabin provides the driver with a good view, while the heated seating and air conditioning create a pleasant environment for several hours of work.

Customised solutions

Ulrich Pletschacher is happy with the result of this project: “Thanks to the good connection between the Konecranes experts and our technicians, we now have solutions that are well-suited for our requirements.”

In addition to the equipment, service training and the handover of the SMV 10-1200 C in Sweden were included.