Expo Dubai: Rope Access all Areas

Expo Dubai 2020 – don’t worry, you didn’t miss it; the event had to be postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic – is shaping up to be a spectacle in a league of its own, surpassing even its own sky-high standards of excellence. Redefining standards is something PALFINGER has extensive experience in. It should therefore come as no surprise that PALFINGER has secured a mandate to assist in the organization of the mega-event. Find out how PALFINGER’s Megarme brand shaped Expo Dubai 2020 before it opened its doors – and will continue to do so during and after.

 

In its own words, Expo Dubai 2020 aims to create a new world as the greatest showcase of human brilliance and achievement. While the term “world” is often an exaggeration, that is definitely not the case here. From the 1st of October 2021 to the 31st of March 2022, no less than 192 participating nations are attending the show with individual pavilions. The separate countries’ respective showcases are complemented by pavilions designed by official partners and international civil organizations, as well as thematic Expo-owned special pavilions. Visitors can stroll through districts reflecting central global topics such as sustainability, mobility, and opportunity.

In short, Expo Dubai 2020 has set itself the lofty target of making the world a better place by highlighting the enormous potential of collaborative action and promoting essential initiatives. PALFINGER shares many of the described values and aims, especially in terms of creating value with partners and customers. That is why we are very proud that our industrial services brand, UAE-based Megarme, was selected to play a major part in preparation and in-event maintenance. And who knows, we might stick around for a bit after Expo Dubai 2020 is over. But let’s hear from someone who was directly involved in the many Expo-related projects.

CARING FOR PAVILIONS

Diego Parra, Operations Manager, was at the center of all Megarme projects right from the start. “We have been working on the Expo Dubai 2020 projects for 15 months and counting,” Diego reveals. “Specifically, we deployed up to 35 highly skilled Rope Access Technicians (IRATA – Industrial Rope Access Trade Association certified). They provided essential high-altitude industrial services to, among others, the pavilions designed by the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Singapore, and Norway, as well as the Al Wasl Dome.” The latter is, by the way, a colossal central structure that has been turned into the world’s largest 360-degree projection surface. The PALFINGER experts fulfilled complicated construction-related tasks including steel profile and PTFE/ETFE membrane installation, safety system implementation, painting work, and access consultancy.

 

Given that this is PALFINGER’s first Expo Dubai involvement, our teams must have faced many challenges. “Every project at Expo Dubai is unique, meaning that standard methodologies for access and execution were not always sufficient,” Diego explains.

To master these constant challenges, we harnessed our almost 30 years of experience and quality within the office and on-site teams to deliver new access solutions.

Diego Parra, Operations Manager at PALFINGER Megarme

And the challenges are far from over. “Seeing that we have been selected to support the maintenance of several pavilions, we expect to be here for another 6 months at least,” he adds. After the event, the Megarme experts will remain on-site to assist in the dismantling and demobilization of Expo Dubai 2020.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

How difficult is it to manage such a prestigious project account with such differing technical requirements? Naturally, every country strives to outshine the others with its individually designed pavilion. Diego keeps a cool head and relies on teamwork: “My personal challenge entails evaluating the various site requirements and allocating the best team for the job while managing several pavilion projects simultaneously. However, I know I always have the backing of an excellent team.” That is evident in the spectacular results that can be seen at Expo Dubai 2020, if we may say so ourselves.

How did we pull it off, you ask? Megarme’s Rope Access Technicians are not only IRATA certified, but they have undergone many additional certification and training processes. As an IRATA training member (TMC – Training Member Company), our internal rope access training and HSEQ (Health Safety Environment and Quality) departments ensured that all projects were perfectly prepared in terms of safety and implementation by providing essential services including pre-site evaluations, method statements, risk assessments, rigging plans, and emergency rescue protocols. “An excellent team guarantees excellent results – it really is that simple,” Diego smiles with a wink.

SHOWING THE WORLD

Last but not least, we asked Diego why he thinks being so heavily involved in Expo Dubai 2020 is such an important step for PALFINGER Megarme: “Expo Dubai is a showcase like no other. This event is an excellent opportunity for us to prove our competence and service quality to potential future partners all around the globe. Contributing to the event has added some excellent reference projects to our already impressive portfolio.” We could not agree more.

To learn more about the exciting work of our rope access technicians, check out our story “PALFINGER knows the ropes”.