Hot-Dip Galvanized Polygonal High Mast Light Poles for Sports Stadium & Athletics Track Lighting Project in Ethiopia

The client, a stadium construction contractor in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was developing a municipal sports complex including a football pitch and a 400m athletics track. The project required professional stadium flood lighting capable of supporting evening training sessions, competitions, and public events.

The project presented several demanding requirements:

• High and uniform illumination for sports applications — stadium lighting requires strategically positioned high mast poles to achieve consistent lux levels across the football pitch and athletics track, which cannot be achieved with conventional street lighting poles.

• Tall structures under high wind loads — 18–21m high mast poles support heavy multi-head LED floodlight assemblies, creating significant overturning moments. The structure required accurate calculations, suitable wall thickness, and reliable flange and anchor bolt connections.

• Long-term corrosion resistance — as permanent outdoor infrastructure expected to operate for decades, the poles required durable hot-dip galvanizing with strict coating thickness control.

• Reliable export delivery to East Africa — transportation to Ethiopia through Djibouti required professional packaging, container loading, and schedule control to avoid damage and delays.

The contractor needed a manufacturer capable of engineering certified high mast poles for stadium flood lighting, ensuring structural safety, corrosion protection, and reliable international delivery.

As a 6-year custom manufacturer specializing in lighting poles and high masts, Yangzhou Xintong addressed each project requirement with a complete engineering and manufacturing solution:

• Purpose-built high masts: Supplied 60ft/70ft polygonal high mast poles with top-mounted multi-head lamp carriers designed for high-power LED floodlights, providing the required illumination coverage for the football pitch and athletics track.

• Structural reliability: Our engineering team completed project-specific structural calculations based on mast height, floodlight weight, and local wind conditions. Wall thickness, polygonal section design, flange connection, and anchor bolt structure were optimized to ensure stability under high overturning moments.

• Heavy-duty corrosion protection: Applied hot-dip galvanizing with 80–100 µm zinc thickness according to ISO 1461 / ASTM A123 standards, providing long-term protection for outdoor stadium infrastructure.

• Advanced manufacturing capability: In-house production includes plate shearing, bending, straightening, robotic welding, flange fabrication, polishing, galvanizing, and inspection to maintain consistent quality.

• Full customization capability: Pole height, lamp carrier configuration, base structure, and accessories were customized according to the stadium layout and lighting requirements.

• Complete production control: All key manufacturing processes are completed in-house, allowing strict control over quality, delivery time, and project requirements.

In-house production: plate shearing, bending, welding, straightening, flange fabrication, robotic welding, polishing, painting and packing

Every high mast pole follows a controlled, fully in-house production and inspection workflow:

1. Plate shearing — Q235/Q355 steel plate is precision-cut to required dimensions.

2. Bending — steel plates are press-braked into polygonal mast sections.

3. Welding — longitudinal welds are completed according to AWS D1.1 requirements.

4. Straightening — each section is straightened to ensure vertical accuracy and proper assembly.

5. Flange fabrication — base flange plates are manufactured and welded for secure anchor-bolt connections.

6. Robotic welding — automated welding ensures consistent quality for circumferential and structural welds.

7. Polishing — weld areas are finished and surfaces are prepared before galvanizing.

8. Hot-dip galvanization / painting — each mast section is fully immersed in molten zinc with 80–100 µm coating thickness according to ISO 1461 / ASTM A123. Painting or powder coating can be applied when required.

9. Packing — inspected mast sections are protected, bundled, and prepared for export shipment.

Key QC standards applied: ISO 1461 / ASTM A123 (hot-dip galvanizing), AWS D1.1 (welding), and CE compliance. Each shipment can be supplied with galvanizing thickness reports and structural documentation.

To ensure the high mast poles arrive safely after long-distance transportation to East Africa, professional export packaging procedures were applied:

• Protective wrapping: Each mast section was wrapped with protective material, with additional protection around flange areas to prevent surface and coating damage.

• Bundling & strapping: Pole sections were secured with steel straps and wooden spacers. Different sections were arranged efficiently to maximize container space and transportation stability.

• Container loading: Large-diameter base sections with flanges were professionally positioned and secured inside containers. Accessories including anchor bolts and lamp carriers were packed separately with clear identification.

• Shipping support: FOB/CIF sea transportation arrangements to Djibouti and onward delivery to Addis Ababa were supported with complete export documentation and installation guidance.

Large-diameter galvanized high mast sections loaded and braced inside the container

The full order of 4 galvanized high mast light poles was delivered and installed according to the project schedule. The supplied poles passed quality inspection with galvanizing thickness and structural documentation meeting ISO 1461 / ASTM A123 and AWS D1.1 requirements.

After installation and LED floodlight integration, the high mast lighting system provided uniform illumination across the football pitch and 400m athletics track, supporting evening training, competitions, and community activities with reliable long-term performance.

The completed stadium installation shows the high mast poles positioned around the field and track, providing a professional lighting foundation for future night-time sports activities.

Completed stadium with high mast poles around the pitch and athletics track

Client feedback:

"The high mast poles from Xintong gave us exactly the lighting performance our stadium needed — bright, even coverage across the whole pitch and track. The galvanizing and welding quality are excellent, and delivery to Ethiopia went smoothly and on time. We are very satisfied with the result."

— Project Manager, Stadium Construction Contractor (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)