Atlas Copco entered into the West Coast project in Croatia when the new HB 3600 breaker arrived at the construction site because it was used straight away for wide excavation.

The Pomgrad Company, one of the oldest construction companies in Croatia, was founded in 1947 and specialised from its beginnings in marine construction. After renewing many Croatian ports damaged during World War II, and building new ones, the company set their sights a bit higher; they first expanded the scope of their business activities and then ventured into the international construction markets in 1952. Over the years they have worked in Syria, Sudan, Cyprus, Ghana, Iran, Montenegro and other countries, their most recent projects being a port and an oil refinery in Algeria.

In 2011, the company got a job in the currently most attractive locations in Split, Croatia, working on the West Coast project under the new Hilton hotel. The architectural project was designed by a young trio: Mirta Dilas, Jure Beslic and Ivan Juric, and the intention of the project was to expand and modernise the West Coast. The investor plans on constructing 150 m of public benches in the pedestrian zone and 550 m of underwater lighting along the coast. The plan also includes a two-track road 6.5 m wide, a square, a fountain, a bicycle track, several bistros, and a significant square footage of green areas.

Pomgrad Inzenjering, part of the Strabag Group, got to work on the first two phases of the project. Nikola Jenjic, Technical Manager of Mechanisation Group says, ?Our work on the project started from its earliest phase, in June 2011. The main challenge we faced was the construction, transport and laying down of the 6 m cubic concrete blocks whose task will be to break the waves and protect the boats which will be moored in the West Coast marina.?

?Underwater works are a constant part of our work,? he continues. ?It is not an issue for us because we have scuba divers, full equipment for work under water. This is what we do and that makes us stand out, that makes us special and not just another local company.?

Atlas Copco entered into the project when the new HB 3600 breaker arrived at the construction site because it was used straight away for wide excavation. ?We used the breaker to break the large underwater rocks and reach the necessary depth and, consequently, dig and prepare the foundations for the laying down of the concrete blocks forming the coastal wall.?

?The cooperation with Atlas Copco is excellent, not just now, it always has been so. Just as we are now using Atlas Copco hydraulic breakers and compressors, we have always owned and used other Atlas Copco machines ? drills, hand-held pneumatic tools. Atlas Copco is a renowned brand with products that have proven themselves over and over again and the Pomgrad Company has always appreciated that because we need high-quality machines. There is a mutual understanding, there is a will to help and react quickly.?

Ante Milacic, Project Manager on site reports, ?We are currently constructing the surface coastal wall which means that we are finished with most of the underwater work. We have to deepen the port down to 5.5 m and that will be the last of the underwater work. After that another company will be able to initiate the third phase of the project ? the construction of the pedestrian area and of the road.?

A challenge was an incorrect estimate of the ration of mealy and concrete rock under water. ?It was estimated that we will have around 4,500 cu m of concrete rock while in the end it was close to 10,000 cu m. We managed to solve that challenge, thanks to Atlas Copco; the HB 3600 solved that problem quickly because it?s good for underwater work and so far we haven?t had any problems with it, ? says Ante Milacic.