2018
Zermatt, Switzerland
From 1976-1979, the first large cabin lift in Valais, Switzerland, was installed, running from the valley station Trockener Steg to the glacial mountain station Klein Matterhorn, over 3,820 m above sea level; a pioneering achievement at the time. The work was executed by the construction company Ulrich Imboden AG and Sika concrete admixtures were used. There has been a strong partnership and cooperation between Sika and Imboden over the years.
At the time, the concrete used for the high-alpine station was produced at the base station of the Trockener Steg. The raw material was obtained from the Schweigmatten glacier lake and processed into mixed gravel. The cement was then transported to Zermatt in silo trucks. The Sika admixtures used in the project over 40 years ago were Sikament®-300 in summer and Friolite® OC in winter.
With a shaft depth of 73 meters, one of the main challenges was the construction of the summit lift on the Klein Matterhorn. The shaft was created from top to bottom using a Sikament® tempered concrete, and all sealing work was carried out by Sika Bau AG in Steg.
A New Generation of Sika Additives
Since November 2018, the new groundbreaking and super modern cable car, the Matterhorn glacier ride from Trockener Steg to the Klein Matterhorn has been carrying up to 2,000 passengers per hour on the world’s highest 3 S-cableway.
From the time of construction, a concrete plant was established at Trockener Steg which uses Sika additives stored in the distinctive Sika yellow dosing and laboratory container located next to the plant, insulated to protect the additives from the cold.
The new generation of Sika additives - Sika® Antifreeze and Sika® ViscoCrete® SB – were used for the various mast foundations where over 2000 m3 concrete was used. Another 3000 m3 of concrete were used for the valley and mountain stations.
The new mountain station is attached directly to the existing one, so that both merge into one building. SikaBau AG Steg is currently responsible for sealing and special works in the lobby of the Klein Matterhorn station. To be at a record high of around 3800 meters, injection molded highly reactive liquid plastics for sealing.
Zermatt Continues to Invest in Lift Infrastructure
In addition to the existing 3 S-cable car, another new lift from the Testa Grigia border station in Italy is under construction and is planned to be operational by the end of 2021. This will create the highest Alpine crossing point of all, establishing a direct year-round cableway link between northern Italy and Zermatt over the Klein Matterhorn. Additional lift construction work in Italy would create one of the largest continuous skiing areas in the world, with over 600 kilometers of slopes.
The cable car, budgeted at approximately CHF 30 million, is being constructed by the well-established consortium Cervino from Ulrich Imboden AG and Cogeis SPA.
The new tri-cable lift combines the advantages of a cable car with those of a normal detachable single-rope cabin orbit. Due to the relatively short distance between the valley station on the Testa Grigia and the mountain station on the Klein Matterhorn, no supports are necessary. As with the existing 3 S lift on the Klein Matterhorn, there will also be "crystal ride cabins”, enabling a unique ride experience through the glass bottom floors.