The
most
extraordinary
installations

Over a hundred installations have already been carried out since the founding of Zippsafe five years ago. The process has become much more professional since then and the commissioning of the systems usually runs like clockwork. But as we all know, there are exceptions to the rules. Unfortunately, not all rooms are ideal for placing our Zippsafe solution. We tell you the best stories - from the early days to this year's installation at Claraspital in Basel. To say it in advance, we always find a way to place Zippsafe at the desired location ...

Let's start in 2018 with the department store Loeb in Bern when Zippsafe was still at an early stage. The shopping centre ordered a Zippsafe system so that visitors could deposit valuables and jackets while shopping. The system had to be delivered to the service point on the 5th floor. During delivery, however, it was discovered that there was no goods elevator. The initial plan was to transport the system via the escalator. However, this was quickly rejected due to the five floors. Consequently, the idea came up to transport the locker via the passenger elevator. Although theoretically feasible, the reality was different. In order for the system to fit in the elevator, it would have had to be turned around its own axis several times when loading and unloading - extremely tedious with a total weight of almost 200 kg. Giving up, however, was not an option. To balance the weight and make it easier to turn the system in the elevator, a custom-made wooden box was provided by a befriended carpenter. Encased in this box, the system could be transported smoothly to the 5th floor.

A similar problem occurred during an installation in a shopping centre in Riga. Our two founders David Ballagi and Carlo Loderer flew together to the capital of Latvia in 2018 to commission the smart soft locker solution at Riga Plaza. Once again, the elevator was too small. Because the locker was to be placed on the 2nd floor, there was still the option via the escalator. The two young men transported the system with four employees of the shopping centre. Communication was difficult due to language barriers, but nevertheless, everything arrived safely at the top and Riga Plaza received new lockers for its guests. Since these incidents, it has always been checked whether a goods elevator is available. In addition, we measure the space available and ensure our system fits through doors and into elevators.

Probably the biggest spectacle took place this year at St. Claraspital. The hospital in Basel ordered another 13 cabinets of the latest ZippSpace generation. The locker rooms in which the systems were to be placed were located on the 2nd basement floor without access to an elevator. So we resorted to an unusual solution: each system was transported to the locker rooms by crane via an opening in the floor. If the direct route to the employee locker rooms is not guaranteed, there is not always a crane available to help.

At the Centre Hospitalier de Wallonie picarde in Belgium, a container building was to be equipped with four of our locker systems in 2021. In advance, it became clear that the corridors did not offer enough space for transporting them. The idea was to build the walls only after Zippsafe had already been placed. Because the project did not work out in terms of timing, there was no alternative but to deliver the systems dismantled and install them on-site. On the day of the installation, it was realized that the quickest way from the truck to the desired location was via the window of the locker rooms. Two Zippsafe employees transported 1.6 tonnes of individual parts from the truck via the window into the employee locker rooms at an outside temperature of minus two degrees. This was followed by the assembly of the systems on-site.

A final story of equally exemplary Zippsafe teamwork was our first installation at “Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe”. Shortly after the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, it was not possible for our installation team to enter from Hungary. On the other hand, the customer planned a test installation over the following three months. Based on its outcome they wanted to decide on further investments. Therefore, a solution had to be found. Not only was the assembly team not available. Also, as before, only individual parts could be delivered. Additionally, the test installation did not take place in regular locker rooms. The two rooms were in the basement with two high steps at the entrance and the ceilings were too low to deliver the locker room solution fully assembled. So Zippsafe team members from Switzerland and Germany had to execute the assembly. Eight employees more or less skilled in crafts worked together to assemble the eight systems from A to Z over the course of two days. The effort was definitely worth it - Karlsruhe already followed up with a larger order last year and is the second-largest installation in Germany until now.

As you can see, not every installation runs completely smoothly and requires a certain amount of creativity and problem-solving skills. Nevertheless, we have always managed to successfully put all systems into operation so far. We are excited to see what extraordinary installations await us in the future, are you too?