Grugahalle in Deep Purple
“Deep Purple” rocked the Grugahalle! However, it wasn’t the English music legends causing a stir, but rather Evonik Industries AG, which invited guests to its annual general meeting in Essen on May 19, 2015, and once again delivered a successful performance. The specialty chemicals group’s striking corporate color, known as “Deep Purple,” dominated the location and gave the shareholder meeting a noble ambiance. For the structural implementation of this glamorous event, Evonik once again relied on the expertise of the Oberhausen-based trade fair construction specialists AMECKO.
AMECKO Managing Director Klaus Zittrich and his team were already enthusiastic about the spectacular stage design by Cologne architect Herbert Kuhn during the initial setup in May 2014. Its realization was an exciting challenge. “The implementation was a technological and logistical challenge, also due to the conditions of the event location. But that is what makes our job exciting and vibrant time and again. And with the knowledge and skill of our experts—our network of the best—we develop solutions and processes for all conceivable requirements.”
At the gathering of Evonik shareholders, the Grugahalle, where rock and pop acts usually set the tone, impressed as an imposing arena with an elaborate stage construction as the central point and effective key visual. The path to the stage was paved by generous staircases positioned at the sides, as well as screened-off entrances. The enlarged stage plateau supported the semi-circular seating arrangement for the Evonik Executive Board and Supervisory Board. The furnishings conveyed a clean, calm image: the front of the curved, long desk created a private area for the speakers on the one hand, but was also designed so that the board members and the Supervisory Board were clearly visible from all sides of the plenary. Recessed screens and storage areas for beverage bottles also ensured a tidy look in the overall view. As a “gesture of embrace,” this setup was framed by a nine-meter-high and 36-meter-wide curved stage backing with a 60 m2 projection surface visually floating in front of it. Behind the elegant membrane construction made of stretched, opaque textile was a massive framework consisting of 16 tons of steel. The reflective projection membrane sat tightly stretched over the curved steel frame; its seams were almost invisible thanks to the adjustable mounting using profile rails with keders. Illuminated in the Evonik corporate color “Deep Purple,” the mighty horizontal sail translated two stylized outstretched arms, symbolically embracing the shareholders in the auditorium, into a visual language that was both emotional and exciting. Under the stage, the AMECKO team built a dedicated area for 60 experts who assisted the Executive Board. For this purpose, the trade fair builders leveled the floor and constructed separate, soundproof office departments from polygonally placed walls.
The corporate design of the listed company ran like a deep purple thread through the entire event design. Even the entrance, realized as a nine-meter-high and 90-meter-long tent, set a strong visual signal and welcomed visitors to the world of Evonik right at the entrance area. AMECKO also provided the outer skin of the tent. “The structural engineering of the scaffolding, concealed with printed gauze on two flanks of the tent, was decisive,” explains AMECKO authorized signatory Dieter Happel. To secure it against strong wind loads, the trade fair construction professionals stabilized it with weights weighing 120 tons. The smooth outer skin simultaneously served as a graphic carrier for brand communication. The Oberhausen trade fair specialists equipped the interior of the tent with partitions, illuminated counters, and cloakrooms in the corporate design from the customer’s own modular system.
All areas and pathways were expanded or furnished in the company’s corporate look and feel. “The staging of a brand in a space fundamentally requires that the customer’s design system is taken into account in all its forms and realized in an exciting mix of graphics, color design, interior design, and equipment,” explains AMECKO Managing Director Klaus Zittrich. Shareholders reached the inviting foyer, where the catering area had been installed—including signage—via the passageway designed in Evonik branding. “The correct placement of all signs and the appropriate choice of different materials, including their documentation for reuse, were not minor matters, but were crucial for the smooth running of the event,” emphasizes AMECKO Key Account Manager Alexander Scholz. In total, the trade fair specialists laid 6,000 m2 of carpet for this event. In addition to the tent, passage, foyer, and stage, AMECKO also had to provide logistical support for the side rooms for press representatives at the same time.
Behind the glamorous event lie five months of preparation time, around 2,000 hours of project management, and a great deal of expertise. The project began as early as December 2014. On behalf of Evonik Industries AG and in cooperation with the agency Kuhn, Kammann & Kuhn, AMECKO once again planned and coordinated the sequence for assembly and disassembly down to the smallest detail.
After all, seven trades—steel, fabric, projection, wood, carpet, electrics, and paint—had to be coordinated in the stage area alone. Everything had to mesh perfectly here to meet the tight schedule. “It was a matter of perfectly realizing a considerable volume within a small window of time,” recalls AMECKO Project Manager Ronny Colditz. The AMECKO team mastered the setup in just seven days. Up to 75 fitters were in action at the same time, some in rotating shifts. Given the conditions in the Grugahalle, creativity and flexibility were required. Machines, work and construction materials, and even the steel beams had to be brought into the hall via two elevators. But these challenges were also solved on-site. Finally, the dismantling, which had to be handled in just four days, also went like clockwork.
“Our principle of action for effective and efficient use of resources is always sustainable,” emphasizes Klaus Zittrich. “This means that our concepts and structures are forward-looking and do not have to be disposed of after a single use. Thanks to individual concepts and high-quality, professional execution, many elements can be reused for years and are, of course, expandable and updatable.”
Evonik has found a reliable partner in trade fair construction specialist AMECKO, who knows how to master even difficult requirements. Klaus Zittrich: “This trust honors us, and we are already looking forward to the next Evonik annual general meetings. We are already working on it.”