The international Unger Steel Group has again impressed with outstanding steel structures and has recently been awarded the European Steel Design Award by the European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS) in Brussels. The company received the award for the ÖAMTC Headquarters in Vienna. It is the fourth time that Unger has received this prestigious award: in 2007, the company received the award for the earthquake-proof ‘Bucharest Tower Centre’ in Romania, in 2009 for the western wing of the ‘Neue Mitte Lehen’ town library in Salzburg and in 2015 for the diamond-shaped roof of Vienna’s central railway station.

The European Steel Design Award is awarded every two years to projects that demonstrate the outstanding properties of steel in modern architecture. This year, the special award was again given to Unger Group as the executing steel construction company. Other participants in the project were the architect team pxt, structural engineers FCP as well as the client ÖAMTC. The award ceremony took place during the annual congress of the ECCS, followed by a gala in Brussels.
‘We are proud to be accepting this prestigious award for the fourth time in twelve years. This multifunctional building, accommodating functions as diverse as a helipad, breakdown service and travel agency, is not only of great importance to us as an architectural prestige project, but primarily because it adds significant value for the ÖAMTC (and its members and all road users),’ explains Josef Unger, Managing Director at Unger Steel Group.

Features of the victorious ÖAMTC Headquarters, Vienna project
The building’s shape resembles a rim, with five ‘spokes’. At 230 m in length and almost 17 m in height, the building’s circular exterior is the architectural crown on the ÖAMTC’s new headquarters. It simultaneously forms the connecting element which stretches between the spokes and acts both as a protective wall to Vienna’s south-eastern ring road while also enabling the escape routes from the offices to be structurally integrated into the steel design. This allows the depth of the office building to be utilised effectively and the massive staircases to be kept smaller. BIM (Building Information Modelling) technology was continuously employed throughout the planning stage by the planning architects, the structural engineers and the contracting companies in order to realise the prominently placed steel-and-glass circular exterior. Unger Steel Group from Oberwart in Austria, which operates internationally, is responsible for the circular exterior, the multi-storey car park, the hangar and the heliport.
‘Steel is the perfect material for architectural objects like the ÖAMTC Headquarters. The structure has a slender appearance, and is graceful at the same time, whilst also being extremely resilient. This project was extremely demanding from a technical, logistical and time perspective, and necessitated a high level of solution competence. We are proud to receive an award such as the European Steel Design Award for the fourth time,’ explains Bernd Mühl, Division Manager for Steel Construction at Unger Steel Group.

Perfect planning and logistics.
Various experts from Unger Group were needed to reconcile the ambitious architectural specifications with the structural engineering requirements. With comprehensive expertise in all areas of construction, more than 60 years of experience and competence in steel construction, plus state-of-the-art BIM software, the complex project was completed on time in a masterly logistical performance.

About the European Steel Design Award.
The European Steelwork Design Award was first awarded in 1973 by the European Convention for Constructional Steelwork. Full members of the ECCS are eligible to participate, with one award for each member country. The European Steel Design Award seeks to raise awareness for outstanding design in steel construction throughout Europe, and to highlight the economic and architectural benefits of steel. Unger Group won this prestigious international award for its steel construction at the ÖAMTC Headquarters in Vienna.

Fact box:

Project: ÖAMTC Headquarters, Vienna

Client: Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club (ÖAMTC)

Architect: Pichler & Traupmann Architekten ZT GmbH

Construction time: 7 months

Unger Steel Group services: Steel construction

Area: 9,000 m2

Processed steel: 1,580 tonnes

Building height: 22.5 m

The renowned Thöni Group, headquartered in Telfs, Tyrol, Austria, specialises in aluminium, automotive components, environmental energy technology, mechanical and plant engineering and hose production. Business success prompted the company’s management to draw up plans for the future, which included the construction of a new multi-bayed frame hall at the Pfaffenhofen site, which was officially commissioned on 20 September 2019. Its commissioning saw one of the largest industrial halls in western Austria commence operation.

Unger Steel Group was commissioned as the steel construction expert, responsible for rapid, professional and prompt completion of the steel hall construction, including craneways, roof and wall cladding, hall glazing with heat and smoke vents, gates and doors.

Prompt – completion in record time:
The hall was commissioned in April 2018; construction of the new aluminium press was commenced just a few weeks later. In view of the extremely tight timeframe, all work was logistically timed with maximum precision and carried out at top speed. Meeting deadlines is a top priority at Unger. We have completed numerous construction projects in record time and always to complete satisfaction. We are delighted to have been able to support Austrian success story Thöni with our comprehensive range of services in the best way possible, and to execute the construction project so that the timetable could be kept,’ explains Josef Unger, Managing Director and owner at Unger Steel Group. Unger Steel Group fitted the first steel frame in mid-July 2018. The date of completion or ‘hall-tight’ date was set for 21 December 2018. This means that the hall, including building envelope, was completed within a construction time of around 23 weeks! During that short time, Unger fitted approx. 2,800 tonnes of steel, approx. 22,500 m² of panels and approx. 2,500 m² of glass. The remaining work, including aligning the craneways and completing the sheet facing, got underway after Christmas 2018.

Contractors defied the cold and sub-zero temperatures:
The ‘hall-tight’ deadline was met due to consistent use of state-of-the-art BIM planning at Unger Steel Group and the fantastic commitment and teamwork of the contractors involved.

Future-proof – aluminium press Pfaffenhofen:
The hall, covering an area of approx. 19,000 m², consists of four hall bays, each of which is approx. 200 m long and approx. 20 m wide, as well as a press hall, which is approx. 50 m long and approx. 20 m wide.

Thöni’s production plant in Pfaffenhofen is unique in the aluminium industry worldwide. For the new plant, the company is investing for the first time in an aluminium extrusion press combined with internal high-pressure reforming, mechanical processing and a robot-operated assembly line. Commissioning of the fifth extrusion press will increase annual production capacity by a further 20,000 tonnes. The new plant will also enable Thöni to produce profile cross-sections, making Thöni a highly attractive partner for the automotive industry when it comes to e-mobility.

Photos & image credits.
Thöni plant Pfaffenhofen

Image credit: Unger Steel Group

The new junior training center for the German record champion was officially opened on Monday, 21.08.2017. Numerous prominent personalities attended the event. On 30 hectares, eight soccer pitches were set up for 14 junior teams, a sports hall and a stadium for 2,500 visitors, in which junior teams of the U17 and the U19 play their federal league games.

The Unger Steel Group was responsible for the realization of the constructive steel construction for the new junior training stadium. In just 65 days, 445 tons of steel were installed on a surface area of around 5,950 m². The FC Bayern München was very satisfied with the work of the Unger Steel Group.

The Unger Steel Group convinced the audience of specialist of the Austrian Steel Construction Fair and received the Austrian Steel Design Award for the new ÖAMTC Headquarters in Vienna on June 9th, 2017.

On the 8th and 9th of June 2017, the 31st Austrian Steel Construction Fair took place at the “Messe Congress Graz” with around 250 participants and more than 30 exhibitors and presented the performance of steel construction on a national and international level. Within the framework of this high-caliber event, outstanding projects are awarded over a two-year period, highlighting the important features of steel in modern architecture. For the fourth time, the Unger Steel Group was able to look forward to the coveted award. In 2007, the jury awarded the architecturally challenging valley station of the Galzigbahn in St. Anton in Tyrol. In 2011, Unger received the Austrian Steel Design Award for the architecturally impressive landing stage for the two Twin City liners in Vienna and in 2013, the spectacular diamond-shaped roof at the Vienna Central Railway Station was awarded.

The Unger Steel Group again impressed with outstanding steel constructions and received the Solid BautechPrize in Vienna on May 10th, 2017. The new ÖAMTC-Headquarters in Vienna was awarded with the prize. 

The top view of the building shows a rim of a wheel where each building wing represents one of five spokes. The ring facade, with a length of 230 m and a height of almost 17 m, represents the architectural highlight of the new ÖAMTC-Headquarters and is connecting the spokes. The ring facade is both, a noise barrier and a main escape path. The prominent located steel and glass ring structure of the building was designed by consequent using of BIM (Building Information Modeling) by the architects, the engineers and the executing companies. The Unger Steel Group was responsible for the realization of the steel structure of the ring facade, storey car park, hangar as well as the heliport.

The renowned German football club FC Bayern München commissioned the internationally active Unger Steel Group with the realization of the constructive steel construction for the grandstand as well as the luminaire system of the floodlight of the new junior training center in Munich. In just 65 days, 445 tons of steel were installed on an area of 5,950 sqm.

The welded Vierendeel girders, which consist of bars composed of rectangles, overhang 13 meters above the seats of the grandstand, and protect the audience from the rain. The Unger Steel Group completed the steel construction work of the FC Bayern München junior training center in time and to the fullest satisfaction of the customer. On September 30th, 2016, the steel structure was handed over as planned.

On October 14th, 2016, exactly one year after the foundation of the building project, a topping-out ceremony at the construction site took place for all participating companies. Representatives of the Unger Group were also present and gave an individual and personal gift to the FC Bayern München board of management. A FC Bayern tricot made of steel plates is now reminiscent of the good cooperation between the German club and the Unger Steel Group.

The internationally successful Unger Steel Group will increasingly accentuate the bridge construction sector in the following months. Due to the strong international orientation of the group of companies with around 20 subsidiaries in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East, regional access to the competences and the achievements of the Unger Group is guaranteed.
All processes necessary for the project implementation, starting with the conceptual design, planning, procurement, purchasing, production, logistics and assembly, are integrated in the entire group and are exchanged across countries. The use of state-of-the-art software guarantees fast and efficient realization in every phase of a project.
Various bridge building projects have already been implemented in recent years. In the future, bridges in Austria and abroad will be the focus of the Unger Steel Group.
Here you can find already realized projects of the Unger Group.

The largest shopping center in Upper Austria (AUT), the Plus City Pasching, has been expanded and restructured in recent months. As a reliable partner and specialist for complex tasks, the Unger Steel Group was commissioned with the construction of the steel structure for the four impressive pedestrian bridges, a tram station, a pre-facade structure at the area of the cinema and a unique mall area. A special feature is the barrel mall roof, which gives approximately 20,000 visitors daily the impression as if you were shopping under the open firmament. 6,400 m² of glass and 1,200 tons of steel were used. The opening ceremony took place on August 31st, 2016.
You get an impression of the Plus City Pasching here.

The Unger Steel Group and TLC work already for the fourth time on an ambitious major project: on over 26,400 sqm, the new logistics center for TLC in Graz is built as a turnkey project in a challenging construction time of only seven months. The completion of the logistics center is scheduled with January 2017, the finalization of the first large hall part with September 30th, 2016. At full operation, there are up to 130 employees working in 2-shift operation, in addition to the 300 already existing staff.

The ground-breaking ceremony took place on July 15th, 2016 at 01.00 p.m. in Graz. Many guests came and gave their congratulations to this major project. Among others, some prominent people from politics and economy were welcomed; the proud owner, Mr. Hagen Temmel, CEO of TLC, welcomed Mr. DI Georg Topf, Municipal Council of the city of Graz, also representatives of Magna Steyr, furthermore Mr. Matthias Unger, Sales & Business Development of the Unger Steel Group, as well as Mr. Horst Ache, Head of Division General Contracting of the Unger Group and Project Manager of the local construction project.

On Friday, April 8th, 2016, the golf tournament of the Dubai Irish Golf Society took place in Abu Dhabi at the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. This event was sponsored and organized by the Unger Steel Group. 52 participants, including Mr. Josef Unger – CEO of the Unger Group – and Mr. Larry Burke – Managing Director Sales & Marketing of the Unger Steel Middle East FZE – took up the challenge and enjoyed the well organized and athletic event. Following the tournament, there was a get-together and an award ceremony.

The new distribution center for the Austrian „Post AG“ in Eisenstadt was optimally designed, planned and implemented for all workflows. On an area of about 4,000 sqm, a tailor-made object was realized exactly to the customers wish. The distribution center consists of a frame hall with an impressive wingspan of 22 m, including a steel construction of 10 m as a office building and a 60 sqm garage for scooters.

In only five months of construction, the Unger Steel Group provided the turnkey project as efficient logistical feat. The Unger Group is characterized in charge here of the land search, the submission and approval planning, turnkey construction and the supply or digestion of the object and the plot to financing.

On December 10th, 2015, the topping-out ceremony for this project took place at 02.00 p.m. in Eisenstadt. A lot of high-ranking representatives visited the event.

Internationally operating Unger Steel Group proved itself again with excellent steel structures and received on 15th September 2015 in Istanbul the European Steel Design Award from the European Convention for Constructural Steelwork (ECCS). The award was given for the diamond-shaped roof at the new Vienna Central Railway Station. Unger received this prestigious award for the third time: In 2007 the jury bestowed an award for the “Bucharest Tower Center” in Romania and in 2009 for the West Wing of the city library “Neue Mitte Lehen” in Salzburg.

The European Steel Design Award is given biannually for projects, which represent the outstanding properties of steel in modern architecture. The new Vienna Central Railway Station has already earned itself a reputation as one of the most significant multi-modal hubs within the trans-European rail network. Approximately 7,000 tons of steel were assembled for the widely visible 37,000 sqm roof structure, which is equal to the quantities used for the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The largest shopping center in Upper Austria, the Plus City Pasching is expanded in the upcoming months. As a reliable partner and specialist in complex tasks, the Unger Steel Group has been commissioned with the construction of the steel structure for the four impressive pedestrian bridges, a tram station, a spiral ramp and a unique mall. A special feature is the barrel roof of the mall which impresses around 20,000 visitors daily. The use of 6,400 sqm glass and 1,200 tons of steel makes you feel as if you are shopping under the open sky. Four pedestrian bridges with lengths of up to 49 meters and widths of up to 9.80 meters provide more convenient connections between the buildings. 350 tons of steel are used for the central and edge bridge and the two connecting bridges to the tram station and the parking deck. The completion of all additions and extensions is planned for March 2016.