Ski Hall

Bottrop, the new paradise for skiers, in the middle of the Ruhr area. Here Marc Girardelli, a ski world champion on several occasions and five times winner of the overall world cup, has made his dream come true. Cooperating with other investors, the Austrian raised €50 million to build the longest indoor ski slope in the world – 640 metres long, with a 30 metre wide piste on snow freshly prepared every day.

And another Austrian helped with the planning of the centre: Jürgen Koegler, general manager of ContiTech Austria. He convinced his compatriot that a conveyor belt is the best way of carrying people in a ski hall. Now up to 2,500 visitors are transported every day on approx. 2,600 metres of belt in the 1,300 metre long conveyor to the top of the slope: from the entrance via the bottom station up to the top station.

“A lot of companies take the opportunity to give their customers an unforgettable experience or to present their products in novel surroundings”, says Girardelli, who currently spends a large part of his time on the site in Bottrop to put forward his ideas on the extension plans. An unusual cooperation with the football stadium Auf Schalke, situated not far away, brings illustrious stars onto the ski piste: Whether ex-world champion boxer Axel Schulz or TV star Verona Feldbusch, they all dropped in on Girardelli and were taken up to the top on ContiTech conveyor belts.

Specialists of the ContiTech Conveyor Belt Group gave advice on the selection of the best conveyor belt. “Belts have a greater capacity than a double lift, so they allow people to be transported faster and more safely”, says Ralf Gensigora, project manager at ContiTech in Northeim, Lower Saxony, who gave expert advice for the project. In the lower section visitors are carried upwards at 1.6 to 1.7 metres a second on a 246 metre long belt. “The belts are always moving and, regardless of the time, visitors can be shuttled from the bottom to the top, or vice versa”, says Marc Girardelli. “So even people who don’t want to ski can meet up with their family and friends at the top or simply enjoy the Alpine flair or the catering.” The steel cord conveyor belts of the type ST 1000, installed in two flights, each 394 metres long, bring the skiers and snowboarders safely to the top station. Hands or feet can’t get caught up in the belt; safety was a top priority when designing it. In addition, staff waiting at the entrance and exit points ensure everything runs smoothly. A central video system monitors all areas of the Alpine Centre – and, despite fresh snow every day, visitors don’t have to worry about avalanches.

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