When the Westfriedhof cemetery on the western edge of Nuremberg first opened in 1880 it was the first municipal cemetery of a prospering city, which is today the second-largest city in Bavaria. In 1913 the Nuremberg Crematorium was built directly next to the cemetery. Designed by Friedrich Küfner, it was the first cremation establishment in Bavaria. Nuremberg-based Schüttler Gerüstbau GmbH were contracted to renovate the facade and roof of this impressive building, as well as the funeral chapel and columbarium. The Schüttler team collaborated with a specialist engineering firm for the professional planning of project statics with Layher’s LayPLAN SUITE software.
“We had been involved in another municipal project previously, so the city officials approached us directly for a professional opinion,” said Peter Schüttler, managing director of the long-established scaffolding services company. “The building has a very complex architecture, so we told them it was important to engage an engineering firm specialising in scaffolding projects in the process of planning the 2,600 m² Layher Allround scaffold on the basis of a substantiated structural analysis. I’m sure we were awarded the contract for this exciting project as a result of this professional approach.” Two Layher Allround Bridging Systems and two 15-metre-long HEB 600 steel beams were used to bridge sections of the roof and decrease the total weight on the scaffold and the Keder Roof System parts above them. To ensure that the roof renovation could go ahead in any weather conditions, a Keder Roof XL with a span of 23 metres and an eaves height of up to 20 metres was also installed.
Everything new, please!
“We used new Layher Allround Scaffolding material for this prestigious project. With the exception of the custom-made steel beams for load transfer, the entire scaffold was built with standard materials in the integrated Layher Allround System,” explained Julian Haubner, construction supervisor and planner at Schüttler Gerüstbau GmbH. The scaffolding expert and his team of four professional scaffolders implemented the build, flexibly adapting the scaffold to the other trades’ requirements. “We always have to work very closely with the roofing contractors when we’re building a scaffold, otherwise we can’t transfer the loads away from the beams that are needed to support the rest of the scaffold. It takes quite a bit of coordination and you can’t always plan things to the day, but everything usually works out well,” added the construction supervisor, summing up.
The versatile Allround System certainly demonstrates the ‘more possibilities’ concept in this project
“The building’s complex architecture posed a number of challenges to the planners. Both the columbarium and the north facade required a round scaffold. The various overhangs and aisles were connected by two Allround Bridging Systems of 15 metres and 18 metres in length, plus diverse lattice beams. We also installed two 15-metre-long steel beams on the north facade, supported by two towers built from Layher Allround Scaffolding material, for load transfer,” commented junior boss Daniel Schüttler. The large Allround Bridging Systems were pre-assembled on the ground and then lifted into position on top of the steel beams by truck-mounted crane. To provide safe access to the construction site two Layher platform stairtowers extending up to 22.5 metres in height were positioned at opposite corners of the building. An additional 18 m2 platform was also installed next to one of the stairtowers at a height of 13 metres to simplify material logistics in connection with the roof renovation. To ensure that the roof renovation work could go ahead in all weather conditions, two staggered Keder Roof XL structures, each with a 23-metre span, were installed. Finally, everything was covered with protection nets and tarpaulin. “We planned the entire project on the computer in 3D drawings with the help of LayPLAN CAD software. The 3D model of the building helped us to identify potential problems in advance of the project and to precision-plan our scaffold, the build and the logistics,” added Peter Schüttler.
At home in the scaffolding trade since 1976
Walter Schüttler laid the cornerstone for the company when he founded Schüttler Spezial-Bauartikel back in 1976. In 1998 the current managing director Peter Schüttler established Schüttler Gerüstbau and orchestrated the successful expansion of the Nuremberg-based company with the assistance of his son Daniel. “We’ve always used Layher material and that has been instrumental to the success of our projects. In many of those projects efficiency, safety and stability are absolutely essential, and the Layher products are designed to deliver exactly that,” said the entrepreneur, explaining the reason for choosing the scaffolding system from Eibensbach. Gerüstbau Schüttler GmbH also uses Layher’s LayPLAN SUITE software to improve planning precision and efficiency in its projects. The company has 70 employees and is mainly involved in structural engineering projects on a public tender basis. Scaffolding for building maintenance represents one of its biggest lines of business. “We know it would be near impossible for us to be successful in our market without our committed team,” emphasised Daniel Schüttler. “That’s why we always try to give something back to them. We organise a range of activities for employees, such as barbecues and summer fetes, to make them feel part of the family. We’re also one of only a few companies to have its own rap song. It does a great job making scaffolding apprenticeships more attractive to the younger generation,” added Daniel with obvious pride. The company provides comprehensive basic and advanced training to its scaffolders, and ensures that all members of staff are regularly sent on courses – especially Layher training courses – so that they are always up to date on the latest products and safety requirements. “Our excellent relationship with our long-standing partner Layher, and the many contact and information options it offers us, makes an important contribution to the success of our projects. I have never once regretted committing to Layher products. They’re perfect for us,” said Peter Schüttler in closing. Despite the importance of the business side of things, Peter Schüttler is keen to support a wide range of social projects, and the ever-growing list of projects that have received financial sponsorship from Schüttler is pretty impressive.
