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Free Malaysia Today
07-08-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Penang mulls cable car link to Gurney Bay as hill project progresses
The proposed 2.5km cable car line from the Botanic Gardens to Gurney Bay could complement Penang's ongoing hill cable car project. (Bernama pic) GEORGE TOWN : A feasibility study is being conducted for a cable car line linking Penang's Botanic Gardens to Gurney Bay, chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said today. Chow did not give specific details or an implementation schedule, but said the proposed 2.5km route made sense due to Gurney Bay's rising popularity, adding that it could help spread visitor flow. He also said the Gurney Bay line would serve as a second route to Penang Hill, especially during peak times and service outages. 'It supports our vision for sustainable tourism and better planning,' he said before witnessing the signing of a financing partnership between Hartasuma Ropeways Sdn Bhd and Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB) for the Penang Hill cable car project. The Botanic Gardens-Gurney Bay link, if approved, would complement the Penang Hill cable car project that has secured RM367.2 million and is expected to be completed by early 2027. The 2.73km main line for the Penang Hill cable car project will run from the Botanic Gardens to the hill's summit, climbing 700m above sea level in under 10 minutes. It will feature 50 eight-seat gondolas, moving up to 1,400 passengers per hour each way. The line is being built by Hartasuma Ropeways in partnership with Austrian firm Doppelmayr. It will serve as a gateway to the Unesco-listed Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, create 400 jobs, and offer disabled-friendly access, according to the planners. Hartasuma's executive director, Ravindran Menon, said the project cost rose from RM245 million to RM367.2 million due to post-pandemic price hikes and added facilities, including a car park, food outlets and sports areas. 'It won't just be a cable car. It will have shops, cafes, and even yoga space or pickleball courts,' he said. Penang Hill Corporation general manager Cheok Lay Leng said the gondolas would help manage visitor flow, keeping within the hill's maximum capacity of 6,463 people at a time.
Free Malaysia Today
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Free Malaysia Today
Chow leads delegation to Switzerland, Austria for Penang Hill cable car project
An artist's impression of the Penang Hill cable car project. PETALING JAYA : Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow is leading a state delegation to Switzerland and Austria to support the development of the Penang Hill cable car project. In a statement, his office said the seven-day visit, which starts today, is hosted by Austrian ropeway specialist Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH and local rail firm Hartasuma Sdn Bhd. Chow's office said the visit is key to ensuring the project meets international standards for sustainable mobility and safety. The delegation will visit several key suppliers involved in the project, including Doppelmayr in Wolfurt, Austria; Fatzer AG, a cable ropeway supplier in Romanshorn, Switzerland; Garaventa AG, a funicular system expert in Goldau, Switzerland; and CWA Constructions SA, a gondola cabin manufacturer in Olten, Switzerland. The delegation will also meet with the mayor of Bettmeralp and representatives from local cable car operator Aletsch Bahnen AG. Bettmeralp is a well-known car-free village accessible only by cable car and serves as a model for sustainable mountain tourism. The statement added that insights gained from the visit will help guide the long-term development of Penang Hill as a sustainable and accessible destination. 'This visit is vital for understanding the engineering, operations and safety measures behind world-class cable car systems,' the statement said. 'The state government is committed to delivering the Penang Hill cable car project with the highest standards of safety, quality and reliability. This mission reflects that commitment,' it said. The RM245 million Penang Hill cable car project was awarded to Hartasuma under a 30-year public-private partnership using a design-finance-build-operate-transfer model. Doppelmayr has been tapped to supply the cable car technology. The cable car line will span 2.73km from the Penang Botanic Gardens to the top of Bukit Bendera. The project includes three main stations, namely the Garden Station at the base, a mid-route Turn Station and the Hill Station at the summit, as well as a multi-storey car park, commercial plaza opposite the Botanic Gardens department and a dedicated bus parking space.
Malay Mail
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Penang looks to Alps for lessons on eco-friendly tourism, state leaders on Swiss visit till June 16
GEORGE TOWN, June 10 — The Penang government will be exploring the best practices in mountain tourism and sustainable transport systems based on the car-free village or Bettmeralp in Switzerland. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is leading an official delegation to Switzerland and Austria from today until June 16. He said the visit is hosted by Doppelmayr and Hartasuma. 'It marks a significant step forward in the implementation of one of Penang's key sustainable mobility initiatives,' he said in a statement issued by his office today. He said the delegation will be engaging with the Mayor of Bettmeralp, Raron, Switzerland and Aletsch Bahnen AG, the local cable car company on mountain tourism and sustainable transport systems, as Bettmeralp, a renowned car-free village, is accessible exclusively by cable car. The delegation will also visit key suppliers and industry leaders involved in the cable car project such as Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH - headquarters and manufacturing facility in Wolfurt, Austria, Fatzer AG – cable car ropeway supplier in Romanshorn, Switzerland, Garaventa AG – funicular system supplier in Goldau, Switzerland and CWA Constructions SA – gondola cabin supplier in Olten, Switzerland. Chow said the technical visits are crucial for understanding the advanced engineering, operational procedures, and stringent safety standards of world-class cable car systems for Penang's environmental sustainability. 'The aim is to ensure that Penang Hill's cable car infrastructure is delivered to the highest international benchmarks,' he said. He gave an assurance that his state government is committed to delivering the Penang Hill Cable Car Project while ensuring its safety, quality and service reliability. The tender to build the cable car project was awarded to local rail industry pioneer, Hartasuma Sdn Bhd, in December 2022 through a public private partnership on design, finance, build, operate and transfer. Hartasuma is expected to invest RM245 million in the project and the project is based on a 30-year concession period. The targeted completion date for the cable car is at the end of 2026. It is expected to open for operations by the second quarter of 2027.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Doppelmayr To Expand Canadian HQ by 185,000 Square Feet
Late last month, the ski chairlift manufacturer Doppelmayr announced plans to expand its Canadian headquarters in Saint-Jérôme, Québec, over the next 18 months with a new building that includes office, production, and warehousing structure, which covers 185,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, will nearly double the size of the preexisting headquarters and is aimed at helping Doppelmayr better serve the North American market, where, according to a press release shared by the company, there is growing demand. 'Our employees do an outstanding job completing all our ropeways on time and to the highest standards," said Gerhard Gassner, the Doppelmayr Group's managing director. "The new building has become essential to continue meeting these expectations."Want to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates. 'The current facility has been expanded many times over 45 years, but we are now looking into the future of ropeway business, considering material flow, efficiency, and employee satisfaction,' added Luc Guy, the CEO of Doppelmayr Canada. 'The new facility will be a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility where we will continue to design and produce the highest quality ropeway systems in North America.'The architecture and design of the facility were being finalized as of May 23, when Doppelmayr published the press release. The company anticipated that construction would begin at the end of May, with the goal to have the facility producing ropeways by the last quarter of announcement follows the news of another facility expansion for Doppelmayr. In July 2024, the company shared plans to double the size of its Salt Lake City, Utah, project in Saint-Jérôme was facilitated, in part, by the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), which granted Doppelmayr $3 million in funding for its growing headquarters. 'Businesses are at the heart of community development,' said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for CED. 'We help them invest in equipment and devices that will improve their performance, which is why I am delighted with CED's support for Doppelmayr Canada's project.'A dominant force in the ski resort chairlift marketplace, Doppelmayr's handiwork has featured prominently in several recent and ongoing infrastructure improvements at mountains across the continent. In December 2024, Big Sky Resort, Montana, unveiled the Madison 8, a Doppelmayr product that held the distinction of being the world's longest eight-person chairlift. This summer, Mount St. Louis Moonstone, Ontario, is constructing the Elfriede Huter Xpress, another chairlift from To Expand Canadian HQ by 185,000 Square Feet first appeared on Powder on Jun 3, 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Large helicopter to hover over Wachusett Mountain all day. Here's why
PRINCETON — With snow an afterthought, and with the aid of a helicopter, crews this week began installing a $20 million chairlift to the face of Wachusett Mountain. The existing four-passenger Polar Express will be replaced with a high-speed, six-passenger lift. The upgrade, which includes the mechanical system and towers, does not include a name change. Polar Express is a nod to the ski area's partner, Polar Beverages of Worcester. The four-passenger lift was installed in 1994. Wednesday, May 28, crews began moving construction supplies and chairlift components onto the mountain. A Canada-based helicopter was enlisted to transport large, heavy items from the ski area's parking lot to the slope. Workers on the ground connected the cargo to a cable that was attached to the helicopter. The effort includes the removal of existing equipment. The installation of the new lift is expected to be complete in time for the 2025-26 ski season. The lift was manufactured by an Austrian company, Doppelmayr. It will have the latest safety technology including auto-closing, self-locking restraining bars. More: High-speed, 6-passenger chairlift is headed to Wachusett Mountain This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Large helicopter to hover over Wachusett Mountain all day. Here's why
