There is nothing routine about operating cranes at nearly 2,000 meters above sea level. In June, the new Spitallamm Dam at Switzerland’s Grimsel Pass was officially inaugurated, marking the end of a four-and-a-half-year challenge for project manager Ralph Stump and his six crane operators.
At the heart of the project were two XXL WOLFF luffing cranes, including the WOLFF 1250 B, which completed roughly 32,000 lifts and moved around 500,000 tons of concrete. The extreme environment required custom solutions: Wolffkran developed the XXL tower element TV 60 with a six-meter side length, providing the stability for nearly 100-meter-tall cranes standing on 1,500-ton pile foundations—ten times heavier than standard.
The construction season, limited from May to October, demanded around-the-clock operation in a three-shift system. Operators braved fog, avalanches, snowfalls, and storms. “Behind all these superlatives stands a unique team effort,” said Stump. Even urgent repairs, like rope replacements, were completed within hours thanks to rapid on-site response.
Dismantling began in October 2024, with more than 60 oversized truck journeys needed to transport the cranes—over 1,200 tons in total—down the valley.
Now, the story continues far from the Alps. The two cranes are headed to Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya, where they will help build the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium. Their freestanding 100-meter tower heights, enabled by the TV 60, will again prove vital in harsh conditions.
For Wolffkran, the Grimsel Pass project was more than a technical feat—it was a milestone. “It underscored what our technology and our team are capable of,” said Stump. The project drew international attention, with engineers and contractors worldwide visiting the site. Lessons learned here are set to influence future mega-projects around the globe.
