On a large industrial site, every hour spent installing and removing temporary bracing is an hour holding back the project. For Mota-Engil, building a new 11,400 m² paint shop for Volkswagen-Autoeuropa in Portugal, eliminating that step entirely changed how the project ran.
The challenge: Installing giant columns, safely and fast
Installing precast columns on a large industrial site is never simple — but some projects raise the stakes considerably. When columns are exceptionally tall and heavy, the logistics of site assembly become a critical factor in whether a project runs to plan or falls behind.
The traditional approach to column installation often requires temporary bracing: a system of props and supports that hold a column in position while the foundation connection cures or sets. Bracing takes time to install and remove, requires additional site labour, and limits how quickly the next column can follow. On a fast-moving project with tight programme requirements, it becomes a bottleneck.
The project: A new paint shop at Volkswagen-Autoeuropa
Mota-Engil was responsible for the precast concrete works on a new 11,400 m² paint shop facility for Volkswagen-Autoeuropa in Palmela, Portugal. The project involved precast columns of exceptional scale — reaching up to 24 metres in height and weighing as much as 60 tonnes each.
For connections of this scale, the project team chose HULCO® 36 and HULCO® 52 Anchor Bolts paired with BOLDA® Column Shoes. The bolted column-to-foundation connection system is designed to provide immediate structural stability at the point of installation — without the need for temporary bracing. In addition to being a solution suited for seismic areas, Peikko’s connections are designed for heavy-duty industrial use with significant loads, such as the project’s strongly reinforced large-section columns.
Peikko was involved in the project from the preliminary design phase and in the definition of connections with the project's main engineer, assigned by the project owner. This helped to save time in choosing the optimal solution right from the start. The anchoring system combining BOLDA® with HULCO® was dimensioned using Peikko Designer® BOLTED CONNECTION software, which, together with the European Technical Assessment, met all design-level expectations and requirements set by the engineering team.
What changed on site
On the Volkswagen-Autoeuropa project, eliminating temporary bracing had a direct and measurable effect on the pace of work. Without the need to install, monitor, and subsequently remove bracing for each column, the installation sequence could move forward more quickly and with fewer site workers involved in each lift.
"Peikko’s column connection avoided temporary bracing in the assembly of the columns — it accelerated the pace of assembly and increased the level of safety in the application of these elements on site.” — Mário Lacerda, Construction Manager, Mota-Engil
Beyond speed, there was a safety dimension. Temporary bracing on heavy precast columns introduces a period of managed risk — the column is held in position by a temporary system that must be properly designed, installed, and eventually removed. A bolted connection that provides immediate stability removes that window of exposure entirely.
HULCO® also simplified the logistics of getting materials to the site. The bolt's compact design and optimized packaging mean that more units fit into a given truck space — a practical advantage when coordinating deliveries across a busy construction programme. The anchor bolts arrived on time and within the agreed schedule, and their straightforward installation process required no specialist training.
Value for construction
For Mota-Engil, the result was a column installation programme that ran at pace, safely, and without the complications that temporary bracing introduces. HULCO® removed a procedural step that traditionally slows down site assembly, replacing it with a connection system that is reliable, immediately stable, and easy to work with.
When the columns involved weigh up to 60 tonnes and the site programme leaves no margin for delay, those qualities are not a bonus — they are the requirement.
Project Facts
Project New Paint Shop H3 Extension — Volkswagen-Autoeuropa
Location Palmela (Setúbal district), Portugal
Building Type Industrial facility (automotive paint shop)
Floor Area 11,400 m²
Construction Company Mota-Engil
Client / Investor Volkswagen-Autoeuropa
Completion March 2026
Peikko Solutions HULCO® 36, HULCO® 52, BOLDA® 36, BOLDA® 52