Prangl up more than 2,000 metres

Austrian crane and transport specialist Prangl used an all terrain crane to install a cable car station more than 2,000 metres above sea level.

The new station in Austria's Ötztal district is part of the architecturally spectacular Gaislachkoglbahn cable car system, which peaks with a mountain station at 3,040 metres. At an altitude of 2,174 metres Prangl erected the steel cladding skeleton of the midway station. A 95 tonne capacity Liebherr LTM 1095-5.1 all terrain crane was used to lift steel elements, the heaviest of which weighed 11 tonnes.

Before the lifting work began another challenge was getting to the site. The crane was driven up narrow mountain tracks on top of which fell a 300 mm layer of fresh snow.

In the last financial year Prangl achieved sales of about 75 million Euro and employs around 550 people. Its fleet includes 260 mobile cranes, more than 2,000 aerial work platforms and 160 units of specialized transport equipment. They are operated from 17 locations in seven countries.