Friderici News | Exceptional transport: our logistics project featured in Schwertransport Magazin

4 March 2025

Exceptional transport: our logistics project featured in Schwertransport Magazin

We are proud to announce that our project has been featured in the January/February 2025 edition of the Schwertransport Magazin newspaper. The article details the impressive logistics involved in transporting and installing a new transformer at the Bitsch hydroelectric power station, located in a cavern over 800 meters inside the mountain.

Exceptional transport across Switzerland

The project involved transporting a 109-tonne transformer across Switzerland in seven nights, from Auhafen near Basel to Valais. Thanks to meticulous planning and the use of a Friderici Spécial suspension bridge, this exceptional convoy was able to overcome the challenges posed by the terrain and existing infrastructure.

A meticulous installation in the heart of the mountains

Once in Bitsch, the transport didn’t stop there. The transformer still had to be transported inside the cavern. This operation required advanced 3D simulations, precise dismantling and repositioning of the axles, as well as controlled lifting using an overhead crane and cable traction device. The aim was to avoid any contact with the narrow walls of the access tunnel.

Hydropower in constant evolution

This project illustrates the importance of regularly modernizing Switzerland’s hydroelectric infrastructure to optimize its efficiency. The Bitsch power station, which draws its energy from the Gebidem dam, transforms up to 340 MW with its turbines, fed by water from the Aletsch glacier.

Thanks to rigorous planning and flawless execution, this exceptional transport project was successfully completed, guaranteeing the plant’s long-term viability and energy efficiency.