A functional and efficient steel structure by ArcelorMittal for Galliker's car centre in Switzerland

For the extension of its car centre, the logistics company Galliker added seven storeys to an existing building at their headquarters in Altishofen, Switzerland. Highly functional and efficient, the building's structure consists of steel structural sections, partly in HISTAR® steel grade, and composite flooring - all made and delivered by ArcelorMittal.

Detailed information

The project and its requirements

The extension project of Galliker Transport & Logistik AG was not just about more parking spaces: the aim was to create a modern vehicle logistics hub, including a preparation centre for the mechanical and optical preparation of new cars with integrated washing facilities and assembly lines for equipment and conversion of fleets and vehicle series. Additionally, offices, a car parts and tyre warehouse, and six additional parking decks completed the car centre.

For the new car centre, an existing two storey warehouse was transformed: two storeys were dismanteled and seven new floors were erected. The aim was to create a highly functional yet aesthetic building. Efficiency was the main criteria both for the finished building and in the construction phase.

On the first floor of the new building, the office area creates a cantilever and stands out thanks to its red cladding. The rest of the building is enveloped in a facade system of blinds that protects the interior from the rain, but provides sufficient ventilation, which is important for the fire safety concept. The ground area of the existing building of two storeys and the seven additional floors created a challenge regarding the length of the fire escape, which exceeded the normative maximum. Therefore, the steel construction was protected by an intumescent paint which was applied in shop in order to simplify handling on site. Thanks to this measure, no additional fire protection, such as sprinkler systems, was necessary.

The project was first initiated in 2008. Due to the economic crisis, it was put on hold until 2010 when the construction permit was finally given.

Structural steel solultion from ArcelorMittal: Cost and time optimisation guaranteed

ArcelorMittal was involved from the beginning. Due to the need to create a light structure with maximum load bearing capacity, a composite flooring solution with Cofraplus® 60 was proposed by ArcelorMittal Construction Switzerland. With a total slab thickness of 140 mm, the floor system has a weight of less than 2.5 kN/sqm using normal concrete. Floor sheets with a length of over 7.5 m were pre-punched to pass the shear studs of the steel beams. In order to meet the tight time schedule on site and to accelerate the construction sequence, the packaging of Cofraplus® 60 was carried out in the ArcelorMittal factory following the logistic requirements of the installation on site.

The structure was predesigned by ArcelorMittal Long Carbon Europe. Thanks to the optimisation of the composite floor beams using ArcelorMittal's high strength HISTAR® steel grade, a significant reduction of the construction weight was achieved.

Because of the light weight (in total less than 300 kg/sqm), a steel structure in combination with composite flooring proved to be the most convincing solution for the special requirements of this project. In total, ArcelorMittal supplied 42 600 sqm of coated Cofraplus® 60 composite deck and 2200 t of hot rolled steel section, of which 415 t were delivered in HISTAR® 460 grade.

This solution was chosen among others thanks to its cost efficiency and due to the tight time schedule of the construction – delivery and erection had to be finished in just 24 weeks! Thorough logistical planning and the fact that the steel structure could be assembled rapidly guaranteed the building's opening as scheduled.

Project information

  • Altishofen
  • Switzerland
  • 2010 - 2012
  • Client:
    Galliker Transport AG
  • Engineering firm:
    Fent AG
  • Fire protection:
    Sika
  • Photographer:
    ArcelorMittal Construction Switzerland

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