Designed by internationally renowned architects Foster & Partners, the Riviera Tower development project, which is a part of Lamda Development's Ellenicon Project, is being constructed on the site of the former Athens airport.
The Riviera Tower is one of the three planned very tall buildings for the Ellinikon Project to be found near the Greek coastline and is accompanied by a number of other projects like a high-end shopping mall, a yachting marina, etc.
Heading the construction of the Riveria Tower project is Athens-headquartered Cosmos Construction and while in many ways, the construction of the Riviera Tower appears to be a straightforward construction project the land that was not considered for the construction of a tower, which means that the building has to accommodate construction techniques that arenot of the norm. In fact, Cosmos Construction was presented with a project that required 300 concrete piles being installed before construction work could begin. The problem was that these piles needed to be cropped to the correct height, efficiently, safely and effectively.
New technology for Greece
Cosmos Construction, a family-owned and run firm, appreciated that cropping of the type required at the Riviera Tower development could be undertaken by more efficient and cost-effective ways than the usual breakers the company used. In its search for a superior solution, Cosmos was helped by the fact that its new civil and structural engineer, Ioaniss Panos, had studied civil engineering at Aberdeen University, and had gained a great deal of work experience in the UK before heading back to his native Greece.
"Ioaniss knew from his days in the UK and attending international construction equipment exhibitions that there were better ways of cropping the concrete piles than Cosmos usually used. Health and safety are becoming an increasing concern in Greece, and companies are becoming more and more aware of the dangers of HAV (hand-arm vibration syndrome), and the very real risks associated with manual work within unstable ground conditions and so he contacted National Pile Croppers with a view to acquiring our equipment and working with us on this demanding project," Scott Fitchett, National Pile Croppers sales manager, said.
After initial contact, Panos flew to London where he was taken around several sites where National Pile Cropper equipment was being used on similar projects. "Ioaniss was not only impressed by our equipment and know-how but also, our enthusiasm for the project and excitement at being involved in such a demanding development, which being in Greece, was a first for us," Fitchett added.
Customer-focused service
The Riviera Tower was going to need over 300 CFA piles cropped, at a rate of 10 to 15 each day, each of either 1000mm or 1500mm in diameter. To provide Cosmos Construction with the solution it needed, it was decided that National Pile Croppers would not only supply the equipment but accompany the HD CFA links to Athens to ensure Comos got the very best out of its investment.
"The team and I went with the HD CFA links to Athens to commission the unit, train Cosmos' workers in the use of the equipment, and provide assistance when and where required. We built the unit in conjunction with Cosmos staff and devised and implemented a thorough training and application programme. We backed this up with a daily ‘toolbox' talk, which involved daily meetings on site," Fitchett said.
We are keen to involve National Pile Croppers at our other sites in Athens
Panos added: "I was incredibly impressed by not only the National Pile Croppers equipment, which I was familiar with from my attendance of exhibitions and then my London visit but the professionalism and expertise of Scott and his team. They didn't just send and commission the equipment but stayed with us to make sure we knew how to operate it and maximise our investment. There was real care and professionalism displayed. While the pile cropping is in full swing on the Riviera Tower project, we are keen to involve National Pile Croppers at our other sites in Athens."
"Our knowledge and experience were essential in us providing the pile croppers for the Riviera Tower. But what really made the difference was ensuring that Ioaniss and his team knew how to use the HD CFA links effectively and safely. We feel that's what makes us a little different: all at National Pile Croppers want our customers to get the best out of the equipment we supply. If there's any issues, we'll fix them. As hydraulic pile croppers are relatively new to Greece, we undertook a proactive bespoke programme suited to the Riviera Tower and Cosmos Construction. The entire project has been successful, and we can't wait to work with Ioaniss and the Cosmos Construction team on the other Athens projects Cosmos has lined up," Fitchett concluded.
Got a story? Email: duncan.moore@aspermont.com
