Portrait:

It is the most impressive project which the Vorarlberg cable car manufacturer Doppelmayr has built so far in the Austrian Alps: Like a gigantic installation the 3SBahn in Kitzbühel made a long-cherished vision of the Kitzbühl tourism experts come true: for three years it has linked the two skiing areas of Hahnenkamm/ Pengelstein and Jochberg/ Resterhöhe by the most spectacular tricable circulating ropeway in the world. The project represents across valleys the "main artery" of the entire skiing area in the Kitzbühel region.

Due to the technical challenges of the project the wishes of the people of Kitzbühl had to wait for a long time before they could be realized: Only the latest development from the workshops of the global market leader Doppelmayr-Garaventa made it possible to span the entire width of the Saukasergraben directly. What is so special about the new tricable circulating ropeway is the floor distance of up to 400 metres above the valley floor and the enormous span range of approx. 2 500 metres. By way of illustration: Besides the two station buildings with the supports in front only one extra pylon was required for the construction of the ropeway over a total length of about 3.7 kilometres. "The 3S-Bahn of Kitzbühel is certainly one of the technically and optically most interesting projects which we implemented during the last years", Ekkehard Assmann, head of marketing and spokesperson of Doppelmayr remembers.

Number One in the field

The Wolfurt company has so far built 13 700 installations worldwide. The list of references contains the most diverse projects. The range of products extends from the cable-drawn light rail system Cable Liner Shuttle, which connects entire city districts (Las Vegas or – from 2008 –Venice) or airports (Mexico City, Toronto, Birmingham), via the traditional segment of passenger ropeways for alpine and city tourism up to material ropeways, automatic high rack warehouses and the development of mountain experience concepts.

The latest world novelty from the engineering offices of the Doppelmayr group: The Mountain Glider, which was put into operation at the beginning of June in the Belgian amusement park of "Walibi" near Brussels. This is a novel experience ride which can be used both in the mountains and in amusement parks. In the "Walibi" fun park visitors are transported by lift on top of a 55 m high start tower and can then fly from there over the park through curves, slide passages and so-called corkscrews with acceleration forces of up to 3G. "Innovations do not happen in the technical field only. We are working continuously on new applications for our products", Ekkehard Assmann says about the power of ideas.

By opening up new horizons Doppelmayr underlined its technological leadership worldwide. Since 2002 the Vorarlberg company has joined forces in the field of cable car technology with the Swiss specialist Garaventa. Michael Doppelmayr, CEO of Doppelmayr Holding, described at the time as the main objective of the merger "the opening-up of new applications and markets for cable car technology and the absolute support of cable car operators in the keener competition of tourism destinations." The export and expansion potential of the group was increased considerably through the union. The sectors CWA (manufacturer of cable car cabins for reversible and circular ropeways in Olten, Switzerland) and Lagertechnik Wolfurt, which are to be found directly under the Doppelmayr Holding, were not affected by the merger. Since the merger the consolidated turnover of 407 million Euro in 2002 grew to 581 million in 2006. "It was important that we expanded early enough in the markets of central and south-eastern Europe. The former CIS states are also developing very well. A major part of the growth of the Group takes place in these regions", Mr Assmann, the spokesman for Doppelmayr explains. But he also points out the continued "indispensable importance" of the European market. "We generate 60 % of our turnover in Austria and the European core markets of France, Italy and Switzerland." The Doppelmayr Group has at present a staff of some 2 200 employees, of which 950 work in Austria.

Cable Cars in Sotschi

In the city and in the country

Mondovì Piemont

In Austria the Wolfurt company is practically synonymous for lifts and cable cars in practically all skiing areas. You will hardly go up a mountain without seeing the Doppelmayr logo at the back of the lift chair or gondola in front of you. The intensity of the technical development can be seen from the Galzig-Bahn in St. Anton, which started operating in December 2006. Arlbergbahnen praise their investment of 23 million as "state of the art in cable car construction". The concept of the "Funitel", optimized by Doppelmayr, with high wind stability, covering big spans and comprehensive transportation services, was integrated in the mountain and base station into a novel architectural concept by the architect Georg Driendl who hails from Tyrol. Visitors can take a good look at the carefully lit-up machine park of the cable car. The "big wheel" which lifts the gondolas from the ground floor entry level to the transportation height on the second floor and which was certified by TÜV AUSTRIA quickly became the new symbol of Arlberger Bergbahnen AG.

The renovation of the old funicular from the year 1886 in Mondovi in Piemont shows how versatile cable car technology can be. Since May 2006 the modernized railway has been part of the image of the city again after having been out of use for many years and now links Breo, the old part of the town, with Piazza, the upper town. In 2006 new funiculars from the Doppelmayr-Garaventa Group also started operating in Istanbul and Ljubljana. "We offer economically very interesting solutions also in urban contexts and in the field of transportation logistics. And here we want to be the best world-wide", that's how Mr Ekkehard Assmann defines the targets.

Number One with Safety Directive

The new cable car directive 2000/9/EC, which was to raise the European safety regulations of the sector on a uniform level for manufacturers and operators, came into effect in Europe in the year 2000. It demands co-called safety analyses for cable cars and their components. "The Doppelmayr Group was amongst the first manufacturers in Europe who had their safety components certified according to the new directive", Ing. Alfred Laherstorfer, head of the cable car technology sector at TÜV AUSTRIA is pleased to state. Together with the TÜV, which is in charge of the certification up to this day, the Vorarlberg company "has lead the way for the entire industry", says Mr Laherstorfer. Apart from the certification of safety components and part systems the cooperation extends from product development to the performance of acceptance inspections and material tests. The cooperation with Doppelmayr is particularly attractive for the TÜV technician: "If one gets commissioned by the leading company in the sector, then this is always a distinction - and a special challenge."