Wolffkran has signed the contract to provide the turn-key tower crane package for one of Saudi Arabia’s most prestigious construction projects: the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya. The official announcement of the contract took place on the evening of May 28 at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh, in the presence of senior representatives from Wolffkran and Qiddiya Investment Company.
The Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium will be part of the Qiddiya giga-project and will serve as a venue for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. As a national landmark in the making, it combines ambitious architecture with extreme engineering challenges – and Wolffkran will play a central role in its realization.
In total, 21 WOLFF tower cranes will be deployed to the construction site, including eight WOLFF 1250B, nine WOLFF 630B, three WOLFF 7534 Clear and one WOLFF 8038 Clear. The fleet may be expanded as the project develops. All cranes are rented and will be assembled, maintained and operated by Wolffkran teams on site. One of the WOLFF 1250 B cranes and two of the WOLFF 630 B will reach a freestanding height of over 100 meters, making them the tallest freestanding tower cranes in Saudi Arabia.
“Wolffkran’s willingness to go the extra mile”
To meet the extraordinary height and wind resistance requirements on site – operating in D50 wind conditions – Wolffkran developed a new tower element: the WOLFF XT 33. With a width of 3.3 meters and a height of 6.0 meters, it features a robust design enabling safe freestanding operation even under extreme wind conditions. “This engineering achievement underscores Wolffkran’s ability and willingness to go the extra mile: developing new components when standard solutions are not enough”, says Dr. Peter Schiefer, owner and member of the Board of Directors of Wolffkran Holding AG. “It reflects our focus on solving technical challenges through practical and innovative engineering solutions, as also demonstrated in other complex high-altitude projects such as the Grimsel project in the Swiss Alps”.
Wolffkran’s presence on site: people, planning, performance
The construction site itself poses significant logistical challenges. Perched on a cliff outside Riyadh, it is difficult to access and requires a bespoke crane and transport concept. Wolffkran will not only supply the equipment, but also be responsible for planning, transport, on-site logistics, assembly and disassembly, and crane operation throughout the construction phase. Around 180 Wolffkran specialist personnel will work on site during the peak phase of the project. All cranes will be equipped with operator hoists to ensure greater safety and comfort for operators, as well as WOLFF Link technology, which allows for real-time monitoring, diagnostics and proactive maintenance planning. These features are key to minimizing downtime and ensuring maximum efficiency on site.
Contributing to Saudi Vision 2030
The stadium project forms part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – a national strategy to diversify the economy and drive large-scale transformation across key sectors. “We are proud to contribute to this ambitious initiative and to help shape the future of infrastructure in the Kingdom,” states Duncan Salt, CEO of Wolffkran Holding AG.
“Wolffkran’s extensive experience with complex large-scale projects, combined with in-house engineering expertise and an established turn-key approach, were key factors in winning the contract”, explains Tariq Al-Sawaie, Managing Director Wolffkran for Equipment, Saudi Arabia. “With the concept for the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium Wolffkran is not only lifting components but also setting new standards in large-scale construction projects.”
