N&M stages jubilee celebration marking "150 years of the Gustav Eirich Machinery Factory"
In 1863 the Gustav Eirich Machinery Factory started off as a workshop for mill repairs; today it is a global group of companies operating in five continents. The enterprises develop innovative systems and procedures for processing free-flowing materials, slurries and sludges. Over 1,500 employees work for the Eirich Group in locations around the world - and it was they who were the centre of attention at the large-scale, two-day jubilee celebration staged in the middle of July.
Almost unnoticed by the general public, a marquee covering nearly 8,000 square metres was erected on a military training area between Eirich's two German sites in Hardheim and Külsheim (Neckar-Odenwald region). The 24 poles holding up the main tent jutted over 18 metres up into the sky; there were also auxiliary tents for catering, wardrobes and stores. Eirich engaged the PP Agency for Events & Promotions from Frankfurt to plan and realize the celebration. The agency then turned to Neumann&Müller Veranstaltungstechnik to take charge of the video, lighting and sound systems.
The highlight was a 360-degree projection on a surface measuring 150 by 6 metres. The whole assembly was lifted three metres into the air using chain hoists that comply with the BGV-C1 standard, thereby creating a space with room for almost 1,600 guests inside. The video concept was realized using 16 projectors. It presented impressive excerpts from the company's history as well as examples of its modern capability. Setting up the technical systems took N&M project manager Alexander Wolf (Düsseldorf office) and his team around two weeks. "During the planning, we had to do some elaborate structural calculations for the rigging because the material we used brought us close to the tent poles' maximum load," says Alexander Wolf. To ensure the safety of the guests and of the event, 24 critical points were monitored by so-called load cells. As Wolf went on to explain: "These devices are suspended between the motorised hoists and their load; a computer shows in real-time how much force is being transferred to the suspension point at any given time".
A directional, location related sound concept was implemented for the centrally positioned round stage. This ensured the best possible level of speech intelligibility for the presenters and speakers as well as creating the perfect mood for the band to keep the party going once the Gala was over. Due to the height of the tent roof, the N&M technicians used moving lights instead of conventional lamps to light up the festivities. Many of the lights used LED technology, which also helped to save energy. Apropos energy: eight synchronously connected aggregates covered the power requirement, with the event consuming a total of one megawatt of power.
"From Hardheim to the whole world" was the jubilee motto. And on this evening visitors from around the world converged on Hardheim. Employees from the subsidiaries congratulated the firm in person or by video; a breath-taking entertainment programme presented the cultures of the eight countries in which the Eirich Group operates, as did the culinary highlights featured in the buffet. On the following "Open Day" at the two factories, employees had the opportunity to give their families and guests further insight into how the company operates. Over 8,000 visitors came and a shuttle was provided to bring them to the marquee to see the multi-vision show.
Photos: Eirich