German group Hightex wins Qatar stadium contract

Hightex, a leading global membrane construction company based in Bavaria, Germany, said it has secured a stadium contract in Qatar as part of Fifa World Cup 2022 preparations. Hightex, which is 80 per cent owned by international businesswoman Yelena Baturina, will join the contracting team, comprising Italian company Cimolai, and Salini Impregilo, for the stadium work. As per the deal, Hightex will be responsible for the membrane construction of the roof and façade of the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar. Galfar Al Misnad Engineering and Contracting Company is also involved in this project and was brought on by the Aspire Zone Foundation, said a statement from the company. The companies selected Hightex due to its extensive experience in membrane construction for stadiums. A total of 200,000 sq m of the stadium's roof and façade will be covered in a lightweight membrane structure. The project is due for completion in June 2018, it stated. Hightex founder and CEO Klaus-Michael Koch said: "The stadium in Qatar will resemble traditional Bedouin tents with its extraordinary colour design. The membrane fabric will be specifically printed in traditional colours and patterns." "We are really proud to be tackling a challenging project of this scale after little more than a year back in business," he noted. Besides the Qatar stadium deal, the company also won a big project in the US. Hightex has been commissioned to install the membrane elements for the "Canopy of Peace", a 50-m-high landmark in New Orleans. The Canopy will form part of the extension to the city's renowned World War Two Museum which will be reopened with a spectacular new design in 2017, said the company statement. "Located in completely different geographies, both these projects are milestones for Hightex and the membrane construction industry as a whole," remarked Baturina, who directs the company's strategic business development as chairman of the Hightex supervisory board. "These projects demonstrate how universal and innovative membrane engineering is and highlight the range of solutions membranes provide for the construction industry,"