Founded in 1905, Circus Krone isn’t just a circus—it’s a moving institution
When the largest circus in the world goes on tour, ‘standard’ solutions are no longer enough. The legendary Circus Krone, founded in 1905, is not only one of the largest but also one of the most traditional circuses in the world. The ensemble boasts the largest circus tent of its kind, with which it tours around 30 cities across Germany every year.
That means constant assembly and dismantling. Sometimes on grass, sometimes on gravel, sometimes on asphalt – the tent must stand securely everywhere. To ensure this, 1.5 m long iron anchors attached to the tent are driven deep into the ground. This is exactly where a major challenge arose – one that Circus Krone solved with a special steel ‘Big Cat’: a new Bobcat S86 compact loader.
“Until now, we had used a modified forklift with a hydraulic hammer for this task – but it simply didn’t have enough power,” explains Martin Lacey-Krone, Circus Director and big-cat trainer at Circus Krone. “With our new tent, we urgently needed a more effective solution that works on any surface. There was no ready-made solution. The iron anchors are in a class of their own, because they secure a tent of exceptional size: the dome rises 17 m high, while the two impressive lattice arches reach up to 23 m. The roof alone spans around 3200 m2 in area, while the total tent canvas covers roughly 10,000 m².”
Twenty-four electric winches with a combined output of more than 48,000 watts raise the entire structure and position it in place. With 300 iron anchors hydraulically driven 1.5 m into the ground, the structure can withstand even the strongest storms – and this is where the Bobcat compact loader comes into play.
Power, Speed and Precision Required
The technical team at Circus Krone discussed the situation with Bobcat dealer, Hans Völk, and eventually identified the right machine: the Bobcat S86 compact loader, currently the most powerful model in its class. The combination of enormous hydraulic performance and compact dimensions was the key. When erecting a giant circus tent, it is not only about raw power but also about precision, speed and reliability. That is exactly what the S86 delivers. Two powerful hydraulic systems – Standard Flow and Super Flow – provide up to 159 l per minute, delivering enough power to operate even heavy attachments such as the specially designed hydraulic hammer with ease.
“The S86 has the most powerful high-flow hydraulic system Bobcat has ever installed in a compact loader – exactly what Circus Krone needs,” explains Harald Sancu, Head of Commercial Equipment Technology at Hans Völk. “Our challenge was to provide a machine that could handle this power while driving the iron anchors into the ground with millimetre precision without bending them.”