Wolffs brighten Frankfurt skyline

7 September 2012

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Ed. Züblin AG, a contractor from Germany, used Wolffkran luffers to build the 170m skyscraper TaunusTurm in Frankfurt, Germany.

Works began in April 2011. Zu¨blin rented two Wolff 355 B luffing cranes and two 180 B cranes.

The location in the center of Frankfurt's banking district presented site restriction challenges, said Florian Rehklau, project manager at Wolffkran:

"The cranes have an extremely limited working radius due to the adjacent high-rises and, in particular, the busy Neue Mainzer Strasse, over which the cranes are not permitted to swing."

Wolff said that the small, 7m rear tail swing radius of the cranes allowed them to work in such restricted conditions.

The Wolffs lifted loads of up to 14USt up to a height of 170m, anchored to the building from a height of 5m upwards, with four ties to the building at the maximum height.

With an external diameter of 2.30m the HT 23 is as strong and sturdy as a tower system with 2.90m outside dimensions, but much slimmer and thus ideal for the constricted site.

During the set up adjoining main road could only be temporarily closed at night and on Sundays for the delivery of crane parts and set-up work.

Recently the façade construction company Ruppert App also rented a WOLFF 180 B for its work on the construction site. Five red Wolff will therefore be a distinctive feature of the Frankfurt financial district until September 2013.

The 40-story TaunusTurm is due for completion by mid-2014 and will accommodate offices, apartments and restaurants.