Gallowglass worked for 18 clients at MWC, including Jack Morton, Brand Fuel and Imagination Europe
The February workload for Gallowglass’ Barcelona office was 14 times that of January: 127 crew were deployed, totalling over 15,000 crew hours.
Gallowglass UK MD Jon Sigsworth said: “The reach our European operation allows us to flex up to take on this level of increase and still deliver.”
Five UK crew chiefs were sent from Gallowglass’ UK head office. Head of crewing operations Os Diez was also despatched to oversee the project.
Gallowglass’ most challenging build was for a high-profile presentation at Barcelona’s international convention centre, involving a 360˚ stage surrounded by 5,000 chairs, all requiring internet connectivity. To cover the essential 150km of networking cable, crews built a 10cm deep wooden deck using plywood sheets laid over 70km of timber ribs throughout the 11,000sqm exhibition floor.
Although the space had been booked from 16 February, extra time was needed to prepare the floor. So the cables were laid and the deck built during the first week of February and left in place during the intervening exhibition. The stage construction, installation of four huge video screens and carpet-laying were then completed during the week before MWC.
With crews working 24-hour rotations during both build periods, Gallowglass’ anticipated headcount of 40 had to be tripled. Sigsworth added: “Our rigorous selection and induction programme put a great deal of pressure on the management team but enabled us to ramp-up without compromising on service. And, even though the schedule was delayed by a day and a half due to the non-arrival of trucks, we finished early – allowing the client to start rehearsals ahead of time.
“We also dismantled over 24 hours earlier than expected.”
