30 kilometres per hour

Partnership with Beumer Group

Baggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport
goes high-speed

Looking out across the airport, it’s difficult to believe that there is a high-speed transport system hidden several metres beneath the airfield with its planes taking off and landing. Two tunnels connect the northern and southern terminals – one is designated for passenger transport and in the other, baggage items streak along a track system at high speed to their destination. Requiring just four minutes to cover the two-kilometre distance, the high-speed baggage transport system is part of an ambitious expansion program at the airport and was scheduled for completion in time for the 2018 World Cup.

From suitcases to surfboards –
speedy and safe transport

A leading provider of individual logistics solutions, Beumer Group was awarded the contract for the prestigious project in December 2015.

"Our Beumer autover system® is already in use at international airports such as Montreal, Dubai, Nice and soon also in Denver. To meet the requirements for Sheremetyevo airport we had to develop our transport system further," explains Thomas Frank, Senior Systems Manager Airport for the Beumer Group. The high-speed baggage transport system consists of a track system and individual vehicles that move independently along the tracks, each carrying a single item.

With the new system, bulky items such as surfboards, sun umbrellas and skis now zoom to their destination not only just as efficiently as standard suitcases using the same tracks – but also, for the first time, at a speed of 30 kilometres per hour.

Switchgear technology made by Blumenbecker

For the baggage items to arrive at their destination safely, quickly and dependably Beumer Group sought, and found, a capable partner in Blumenbecker. Thomas Frank states the reason for choosing Blumenbecker as follows: » We have worked closely with Blumenbecker on a variety of projects for many years now, and they offer an extensive portfolio from a single source. « In the case of Sheremetyevo, Blumenbecker’s remit comprised drawing up the wiring scheme, constructing the control cabinets and installing the electrics for the system on site. And thanks to three Blumenbecker companies from Germany, Poland and Russia working hand in hand, everything went according to plan.

 

80 trucks headed for Moscow

For the assembly to commence, 80 trucks carrying conveying technology, control cabinets and assembly material headed to Moscow from Germany in spring of 2017. Facing tremendous time pressure, the team nevertheless installed 18 kilometres of energy cabling and 167 cabinets over a distance of two kilometres in the tunnel underneath the airfield in record time. Owing in part to this, Beumer Group was able to hand over the large-scale project right in time for the World Cup in February 2018, putting a smile on the customer's face and delighting football fans, who appreciated the faster connections and transfers at Sheremetyevo.