Over 100 CASE machines upgraded runway at Milan Linate Airport

CASE Construction Equipment crawler excavators and wheel loaders from Italian company Vitali Spa’s fleet have been in operation during ongoing upgrades to Milan Linate Airport

Since 27 July, over 100 CASE Construction Equipment crawler excavators and wheel loaders from Italian company Vitali Spa’s fleet have been in operation during ongoing upgrades to Milan Linate Airport. The machines are being used to upgrade Linate’s 2.5km long runway, allowing the airport to handle much larger passenger numbers in the coming years. 

Vitali Spa, headquartered next to the airport, specialises in large scale infrastructure projects. The company has previous airport upgrade experience, as well road building expertise, making it ideally suited to renovate the runway. 

As part of the upgrades, the entire runway has been rebuilt. This involves demolishing the reinforced concrete surface currently in place, a task where the CASE excavators have come to the fore: “Demolishing the old runway in a relatively short amount of time requires precise power. The CASE excavators in operation have consistently delivered this, helping to keep this large project on time and on budget,” said Luca Vitali, owner of Vitali Spa. “As well as this, the new asphalt surface is being laid at 3,000 tonnes every 24 hours, a task in which the manoeuvrability of the CASE excavators has been perfectly matched by the power of the wheel loaders.” 

To meet the project’s strict deadline, work has taken place under a tight schedule and with machines in operating almost 24 hours a day. Reliability is therefore essential, as Vitali explains: “Our machines must always be available, so we are very attentive to factors such as robustness and the ease of maintenance. The CASE crawler excavators and wheel loaders are highly appreciated not only for their performance, but also their reliability and low fuel consumption. Operator feedback on machines is also crucial for us, and they have all remarked on the comfort the CASE machines deliver in what can be testing working conditions.”

The CASE machines at work on this key project comprise of: 821G wheel loaders, CX145D excavators, CX300D excavators, CX350D excavators, CX370D excavators, CX490D excavators and CX800B excavators, the largest of which features a demolition boom. 

All resulting debris from the demolition work is being treated, recycled and then used as foundations for the new runway. In total, this will require 63,000 cubic metres of material, which is currently recycled at a rate of 3,000 cubic metres every 24 hours.

“We are all delighted to see CASE machines performing at such a high level on a demanding jobsite,” said Nicola D’Arpino, Vice President Sales and Marketing, CASE Construction Equipment Europe. “They are playing a key role in developments that will greatly improve what Milan’s city airport can offer, and it is great to hear such glowing operator feedback".

Milan Linate Airport reopened to the public on 27 October 2019.