Graepel News
First, a nice relaxing break, and then onwards: Many travelers at China's new flagship airport Beijing-Daxing like to sit in seats whose essential components are supplied by sheet metal specialist Graepel.
For a year now, these seats have proven themselves in the tough airport environment. Airport Daxing is not just any airport: It is China's latest major project, an avant-garde hallmark of the capital and a showpiece of the domestic construction industry. The airport was supposed to be ready for the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China – and it was. Only four years were needed from the ground-breaking ceremony until the airport was ready for operation.
Job completed in record time
The components were ordered by the furniture manufacturer Kusch+Co, which has already equipped 260 airports with waiting benches, seating islands, and lounge furniture. The contract required a tremendous pace: the Chinese only allowed six months for production and installation on site. This was a challenge even for Graepel. The seats were transported by air freight from Frankfurt to China, which explains why the schedule was so tight.
Strict requirements for form and function
The individual elements of the 8000 and 8300 series furniture ensured a smooth transition between them. The design of the waiting benches, co-developed by Studio F. A. Porsche, allows a variety of configurations. This means that the seats in the waiting areas are flexible and can be adjusted as required. Among other things, Graepel manufactured the central shell elements of the rows of chairs from precisely perforated sheet metal. These shell elements formed the lion's share of the delivery for Daxing. The aluminum blanks were punched and finished in Löningen, Germany. Heavy-duty perforated metal sheets are Graepel's technical specialty: Hardly any other manufacturer has such a long-standing track record to look back on. A total of 3700 units were delivered. More on this can be found on the internet at www.graepel.de and www.kusch.com