Normally you’d see hundreds of ski enthusiasts enjoying their favourite sport on the Idalp’s 240 kilometres or so of pistes in Ischgl, Tyrol. But in April 2017, the Ischgl Tourism Board brought the season to a close with two spectacular concerts for more than 15,000 guests on an almost 200 m² mountain-top stage – one by Andreas Bourani and the other by Zucchero.
Organising concerts is an everyday activity for event specialists like Christian Ritter, Managing Director of Austrian company Ebner event logistics GmbH. But this one posed some special challenges because the Idalp can’t be accessed by heavy vehicles such as trucks or cranes. It meant that the stage, the technical equipment and the backstage equipment that had arrived in seven semi-trailer trucks had to be flown up to the 2,500 m high venue in 100 helicopter trips.
Making the impossible possible
Before the project could even begin the experts had to work out how to put up the roof structure without the help of a crane. The problem was that Ritter and his Project Manager Oliver Keim couldn’t use conventional heavy truss systems. “We developed an innovative roof structure made of light, fully modular Allround FW System that could be broken down into small components at a one-day workshop with our experienced partners from Layher and the scaffolding experts,” Ritter explained. Project Manager Oliver Keim added, “We can set it up anywhere, even without a mobile crane, and it allowed us to set up a stage at this very exposed location on the ski piste.” It only took 15 event specialists from Ebner event logistics 5 days to transport the materials to the venue and set up the stage. “It’s important for both practical and commercial reasons that the FW System is a perfect static and dimensional fit with our other Allround elements. It means we can use them very efficiently in any project,” emphasised the Managing Director.
Safety is non-negotiable
The stringent safety requirements for temporary structures leave no room for compromises during the planning process. That’s why the structure was designed so that, when completely set up, the stage could safely remain in operation at wind speeds of up to Beaufort force eight (20 m/s). The roof can withstand a snow load of 25 kg/m2. If the snow load exceeds that, the roof can be heated to melt it. The stage can hold 15 t of lighting and sound equipment in winter and 20 t in summer when there are no snow loads. The basic frame in Layher Allround Scaffolding also makes it possible to mount loudspeaker systems weighing up to 1 t on each side of the stage in the roof’s cantilever extension.
“We’re professionals who only work with other professionals”
Ebner event logistics was founded in 2010 by Manfred Ebner. After his tragic death in an accident in 2012 Christian Ritter took over as Managing Director. The Austrian company’s core areas of expertise are planning, implementation and logistics for temporary event infrastructures of all sizes. Its many customers include Formula 1, the Ironman Tour Europe and the Hahnenkamm Race. The Ebner portfolio includes both infrastructural services and all aspects of event technology such as power, lighting, sound and video. “Our customers assume that because we’re professionals we use the market leader Layher’s materials. It maximises our flexibility and performance, and the ISO certification of the materials – a mandatory Formula 1 requirement – is the standard at Layher,” said Christian Ritter, explaining why his company always uses Layher event materials. Ebner personnel regularly participate in Layher training courses to ensure they are always up to date on the latest standards and regulations. The company also asks Layher’s technical advice in complex projects such as the stage on Idalp mountain. “Without this solution it simply wouldn’t have been possible to implement the event project," summarised Project Manager Oliver Keim.
