Manntech Type 1 compact BMU facilitates facade maintenance of Emil Frey dealership

Undergoing an impressive revitalisation, the Emil Frey AG car dealership in Oerlikon, Switzerland, has been transformed with modern infrastructure. The new building showcases a high-quality glass facade and spacious exhibition area and accommodates twenty car brands across three basements and seven upper floors. Designed by AMZ Architekten AG, the Emil Frey AG Garage Zürich-Nord connects individuals with their dream cars.

As innovators of German engineered facade access solutions, Manntech played a vital role in developing a suitable facade access system for effective cleaning and maintenance of the building’s facade. Weighing just 4 tons, the lightweight design of the Type 1.3 Compact building maintenance unit was a key factor in its selection. This feature eliminated the need for a thicker concrete ceiling to support the system, avoiding unnecessary additional costs and resulting in savings for the customer. Thanks to the compact and lightweight design of the BMU, the lifting process onto the roof was accomplished in just 1.5 hours using a building crane.

One of the main challenges encountered during the project was ensuring that the BMU would seamlessly integrate into the dealership design. To overcome this challenge, Manntech’s engineers designed the BMU with a hinged jib customised to fit the garage layout, offering a space-saving solution when the system is not in operation. This solution facilitated the BMU’s integration into the provided space, enabling its safe and efficient operation. Furthermore, with the aid of the inverter-controlled system, the BMU employs a soft start/stop feature, ensuring a noise-free operation.