The SERAPID solution has once again been chosen to provide dynamic stage action for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, this time for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. SERAPID had previously provided an extensive stage lift system for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China.
This exceptional event took place at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium, east of Seoul, South Korea. It was broadcast globally with pre-show estimates of nearly 400 million viewers including the audience that watched live. The pentagon-shaped and fully open stadium can accommodate around 35,000 people and was specially built for this event. Since the open design of the stadium provided no protection against the challenging weather conditions (remarkably low temperatures and severe winds), the choice of Rigid Chain Technology (RCT) was legitimate: the LinkLift, robust and reliable, allows the stable lifting of heavy loads on high strokes, even in harsh environments.
For the event, SERAPID provided its Meridian Lift, a circular lifting platform powered by LinkLift electromechanical actuators. The lift, located in the center of the stadium, was designed with an outside diameter of 24 meters, rising to 5.5 meters in height, thanks to 12 LinkLift 100 actuators. This platform provides a lift capacity of 28.5 tonnes. At its center, there is a second independent platform with a diameter of 8 meters. This platform also elevates to 5.5 meters and utilizes 3 LinkLift 100 telescopic columns for a capacity of 9.5 tonnes. “We are proud to provide the Olympic games opening ceremony with a system resistant to harsh climate (-20°C plus wind chill) and safe for moving people”, said Eric MICHAUT, Project Manager at SERAPID Group, “we put 15 LinkLift 100 telescopic actuators rising up to 5.5 meters to lift 2 concentric circular platforms: one with a diameter of 24 meters and another in its centre with a diameter of 8 meters”.
The SERAPID Group develops, manufactures and supplies horizontal and vertical load transfer systems based on Rigid Chain Technology (RCT) across a wide range of industries. Thanks to the trust of its customers and the good work commitment of its team, The SERAPID Group has become one of the leading manufacturers in its market segment during its 45 years of existence. After 30 years at the helm, Saïd Lounis has sold The SERAPID Group to Emeric Labesse and Guillaume Davies, who serve as CEO and COO, respectively; and are backed by LBO France, one of France’s leading private equity companies. Mr. Lounis has retained an investment in The SERAPID Group. Their ambition is to continue the development of the company based on the fundamentals that have made SERAPID a success: innovation, competence, and the excellence of its team.
