#PioneeringSpirit – The logisticians working tirelessly around the clock
Project TitlisTITLIS Cableways05.12.2024
More than 150,000 tonnes of material have to be transported up and down the mountain in order for the Titlis Project to be successfully implemented. The logistics team established in 2023 is responsible for this important task – in all weathers and often in the middle of the night.
At 5 p.m., the iconic Titlis Rotair transports the last guests of the day from the peak down to Stand. What many don't know is that this is when the real work begins for some of the employees on Titlis. From 5 p.m. onwards, the Titlis Rotair is available for use by the logistics team. Instead of skiers and selfie seekers, it now transports gravel, cement and steel beams – all night long!
The logistics team was established back in 2023 at the start of the construction project, which includes the creation of world-class architecture by Herzog & de Meuron by 2029. "We started from scratch, just like a start-up company", recalls team lead Christoph Respond. "First we had to set it all up – that was very interesting." In a very short space of time, a team of 30 employees was recruited. This team would be responsible for ensuring the safe and timely transportation of materials on the mountain from that point on. An epic feat of organization!
It was agreed with the companies involved in the construction project that Titlis Cableways would be responsible for the transportation and distribution of the materials. This also means that if the gravel, reinforcing bars or construction equipment don't make it to the right place at the right time, the construction sites come to a standstill. This results in delays and quickly becomes expensive. This is why the members of the logistics team work around the clock in summer on a 3 shift rotation from Monday morning to Saturday morning. "We are only really limited by the weather", says crew leader Reinhard Huwiler. "Nature decides how far we get and what we can do."
90 to 140 tonnes of material per night
The material is delivered by truck to Gerschnialp at 1,300 metres above sea level. From here, it is transported onwards via cableway – either inside the cable cars themselves or attached underneath. Material can be transported parallel to the route that visitors take as far as Stand. The final leg from Stand to the peak must take place after 5 p.m. "On average, we transport between 90 and 140 tonnes of material up Titlis per night", says Christoph Respond. In the other direction, the logistics team bring demolition material from the construction sites back down to the valley. This includes steel elements from the telecommunications tower or building rubble from the dismantling of the old peak infrastructure. By 2029, more than 150,000 tonnes of gravel, steel, glass and other material will have been transported up and down the mountain.
Although the work of the logistics team is challenging and physically demanding, and is undertaken with strict safety measures in place, it also has many benefits. The team members rave about working in the great outdoors and the incredible atmosphere that you get in the early morning and evening hours. There's also the huge variety it brings to everyday working life. "We work in a different location every day", says logistician Sayed Jawad Hashmi, who comes from Afghanistan, where he studied civil engineering. "It is very interesting. I learn something new every day."
Episode 3 - Die Materiallogistik
In this video you'll find out more about the logistics team and get exclusive insights into their spectacular everyday working life.