Manchester City have partnered with long-time partner Etihad Airways for the international transport of two statues of players from around the world to Manchester.

The full-scale statues of club legends Vincent Kompany and David Silva traveled 5,778 miles from the United States to Manchester before they were installed at the Etihad Stadium later this week.

Born and raised in Glasgow, but now operating from his studio in Philadelphia, sculptor Andy Scott was appointed by the Club 15 months ago to bring player legends to life in sculpture form.

Uniquely, the entire process, from commissioning to design and construction, was conducted remotely due to travel restrictions related to the global pandemic.

After the completion of the statues in Philadelphia, the complex logistics and transportation work began with Etihad Cargo exclusively providing dedicated, end-to-end service throughout the process.

Carefully separated into four parts and meticulously packaged, these large statues were trucked from Andy’s studio in Philadelphia to Chicago, loaded onto a Boeing 777 Freighter and airlifted to Frankfurt, then transported by road to ‘in Manchester.

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Etihad Cargo’s expertise in special delivery as well as the use of its extensive global network ensured that the statues were delivered on site and on time, ready to be installed for the Club’s inauguration on Saturday August 28. .

Commenting on Etihad’s support in the delivery process, Manchester City Director of Infrastructure Ed Dalton said: “These statues are bespoke, high-end works of art that have been made for 15 months. .

“The precious nature of the coins, along with their size and weight, meant that transporting them across the world to Manchester was always going to be a difficult and complex process.

“It was vital that we had an organization with the right logistics know-how, a global network and a team of people with the experience and expertise required to undertake a project like this.

The dedicated Etihad Cargo team worked closely with the Club throughout this process and were the perfect partner – highly organized, professional and collaborative and we are extremely grateful for their invaluable help.

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Martin Drew, Senior Vice President of Sales and Freight, Etihad Aviation Group, added: “The Etihad Cargo team is extremely proud to have been chosen by Manchester City to transport this unique cargo cargo.

“As Manchester City partners for over twelve years, we have watched closely and with admiration what Vincent Kompany and David Silva have achieved for the Club, so our team were even more excited about this unique opportunity.

“The complexity of this operation required months of planning and technical expertise in close collaboration with the Club. The successful delivery of this highly confidential shipment demonstrated the teamwork capabilities within the Etihad network.

“We are all delighted to see these statues unveiled after delivering them safely to what will become their permanent home.”

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