Innovation under water

Some 8,000 tonnes of munitions have been lying at the bottom of Lakes Thun, Brienz and Lucerne for decades. Plunged underwater between 1918 and 1964, they now represent a complex challenge: how do we recover them safely and in an environmentally friendly way from depths of up to 215 metres?

Location

Dietikon, ZH - Headquarters

In brief

armasuisse launched an ideas competition for recovering around 8,000 tonnes of munitions in Swiss lakes from depths of up to 215 metres
WALO took part in the competition and came third out of 214 international entries. The WALO solution: a closed cube with a screw conveyor for environmentally friendly recovery
The result is a testament to WALO’s special, customised machine development solutions

Recovering munitions over 100 years old from the deep lakebed using an environmentally friendly, safe and precise method – for this competition task, the WALO Machine Development department designed an innovative cube system with a screw conveyor. “At this depth, every move counts,” explains Bernhard Zingg, Head of Machine Development. “Our solution combines precise mechanics with maximum control.”

The task

Innovation for the environment.

In the summer of 2024, the Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse began the search for innovative solutions. The requirements were demanding: the recovery operation must be technically feasible while fulfilling the highest environmental standards and protecting the sensitive lakebed. A total of 214 suggestions from Switzerland and abroad were submitted – a sign of just how complex but also how important this task is.
Experts from authorities, institutes and universities assessed the concepts according to clear criteria: feasibility, environmental compatibility, clearing performance and expected amount of silt for disposal. Each concept submitted had to demonstrate how it could overcome these challenges.

The solution

Into the depths with engineering ingenuity.

Christian Meyer, Sven Reichart, Joel Wenger and their team leader Bernhard Zingg from WALO Machine Development took on the challenge. What began as an internal development project became an opportunity to do pioneering work.

Christian Meyer, Sven Reichart, Joel Wenger and their team leader Bernhard Zingg from WALO Machine Development took on the challenge. What began as an internal development project became an opportunity to do pioneering work.

Their concept: a closed cube that lifts the munition from the bottom of the lake using a screw conveyor. It is a design that combines precision with environmental protection – closed to minimise sediment turbulence, controlled to ensure safety and well-conceived down to the last detail.
The project also served to optimise internal design processes and develop a concise guide for future projects.

Portrait of a smiling man with beard and glasses, wearing a dark polo shirt with a small yellow square – member of the innovation team.

«The challenge was clear: how do we go about working precisely at extreme depths, all while protecting the environment as much as possible? Our team has developed a solution that does just that – and which has optimised our internal processes at the same time.»

Christian Meyer, Project Manager & Design Engineer – Machine Development

THE ACHIEVEMENT

An excellent result: third place for Walo Bertschinger.

The result recognises the quality of the WALO solution: third place, ranking among international market players and large engineering firms. An accolade that demonstrates how our Machine Development department is also able to develop customised solutions for unusual challenges.

Placings

place – Royal ICH Defence & REASeuro, Netherlands
place – Helbling Technik Wil LTD, Switzerland
place – Walo Bertschinger AG, Switzerland

THE OUTLOOK

Responsible innovation.

The winning concepts form the basis for further research projects on the safe recovery of munitions from Swiss lakes. In this way, WALO is contributing to a solution that benefits the environment and wider society in equal measure.

Being recognised among tough competition shows that innovation and responsibility go hand in hand at WALO.

But the project was also worthwhile in other ways. Internally, the team optimised its design processes and developed a concise guide for future development projects – innovation that works both internally and externally.

This is WALO’s modus operandi: with a pioneering spirit and technical expertise, we develop solutions that work today and for future generations.

Our expertise

Special solutions for extraordinary challenges.

Whether 215 metres under water or on challenging construction sites – our Machine Development team finds customised solutions for complex technical tasks. With decades of experience, innovative thinking and the courage to break new ground.

Do you have an unusual task that requires a customised solution? Our experts will be happy to advise you.