Complex installation assignment on the Baltic Sea coast

Two-tonne (4,409 lbs) façade panes from the Austrian company Egger Glas were installed on a new building in the Estonian capital of Tallinn. The assignment was accomplished using the Heavydrive VSG 2500 KMH suction system. The system has a load capacity of 2,500 kilos (5,512 lbs) and a span of five metres (16.4 feet) and was therefore perfectly suited for the glass panes with a length of 7 metres (23 feet) and a height of 2.9 metres (9.5 feet).

To ensure that the construction project ran smoothly, the customer used the special Heavydrive service. An installation engineer from Tallinn travelled specially to the Heavydrive headquarters in Tapfheim and received intensive training in the operation of the system.

Due to various delays, however, the project was not able to start as scheduled during the summer, and the team had to wait until the end of October 2022. At this time, there are often violent storms on the coast in Estonia, which usually make glazing with such heavy glass elements impossible. This meant the weather data had to be determined exactly ahead of the installation.

Another challenge was the logistics of the project. Due to the war situation, most freight connections to Estonia had come to a standstill. A forwarding company was hard to find, and prices were continuously rising. In addition, the glass panes were supplied from Austria, which required precise coordination of the delivery. Thanks to years of experience with international construction projects, the expertise of the team and the sophisticated logistics system, Heavydrive managed this logistical feat. The vacuum system and the façade elements both arrived safely at the site, and the installation went smoothly. After two days in operation, the vacuum suction system was on its way back to Germany and reached the main warehouse in Tapfheim within 48 hours.