Home / For Designers / Multi-sided Poles: Technology, Applications, Price
Knowledge base
Multi-sided Poles: Technology, Applications, Price
A multi-sided (polygonal) pole is a steel structure whose shaft has a polygonal cross-section and tapers toward the top. Most of what we make is built on this technology, from park lighting poles to telecom towers and power line poles. Below: what the pole is, how it is made and what it costs.
Contents
What a multi-sided pole is
The shaft of a multi-sided pole is a truncated pyramid with six or more faces (most often 8, 12 or 16), tapering from the base to the top. Wind bends and twists it, and this shape spreads the metal along the height so that bending and torsion are carried evenly. The taper also makes the shaft stiffer than a cylinder of the same cross-section.
The material is S245/S345 sheet steel (similar grades are possible, depending on the application). Standard corrosion protection is hot-dip galvanising to DSTU EN ISO 1461:2024.
Manufacturing technology
The pole is made by bending sheet steel on a specialised press. The sheet is formed into a tapered profile with the required number of faces, and one longitudinal seam is then welded along the full length. A pole longer than a standard sheet is assembled from several sections on a telescopic joint. The finished shaft is hot-dip galvanised.
We also design and supply equipment for this kind of production to other factories (see Welding Lines for Multi-sided Poles and Hot-dip Galvanising).
Multi-sided vs conical and round
Besides the multi-sided shaft there are conical ones (round cross-section tapering to the top) and round ones of constant cross-section (a plain tube). A multi-sided shaft has a distinctive “engineered” look, and it is easy to pick the diameter and thickness for a given load. A conical one looks more classic and smooth. A round one is the simplest and cheapest, and suits shorter poles.
Wind load, appearance, installation and cost are compared in Multi-sided or Conical Poles: Which to Choose.
Where multi-sided poles are used
- lighting: park, street and road poles in the PLO, PMO, PKO, UMO, UKO and DMO ranges (see Lighting Poles);
- floodlight masts for stadiums, ports and industrial sites — Floodlight Masts;
- power line poles and switchyard gantries, in more detail: Power Line Poles;
- telecom towers and antenna masts (Telecom Towers);
- traffic signal poles, CCTV poles and flagpoles: the same bent multi-sided shaft, just on a smaller scale.
Price by category
- lighting poles: from UAH 3,800 to 39,000 per unit, depending on range and height (details on the Lighting Pole Prices page);
- 6–10 kV power line poles: from UAH 55,000 per unit; 35 kV from UAH 220,000, 110 kV from UAH 350,000, 220 kV and above from UAH 450,000;
- multi-sided telecom towers: from UAH 130,000 per tonne, and combined towers (with lighting and video) from UAH 140,000 per tonne.
Prices are indicative, including VAT, excluding delivery and installation, as of September 2026. Height, wall thickness, wind region and fit-out all affect them; the exact price for your project comes from a calculation. Brackets and crossarms are not included in the lighting pole price: they have a separate price list (see Brackets, crossarms and caps).
Completed projects
Examples of installed poles, masts and towers across our different product lines are on the Projects page.
Production stages: from design to galvanising
There are six stages. The table shows what happens at each.
| Stage | What happens | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Design | calculation for wind load and equipment mass, structural (KM) and detail (KMD) drawings | Structural (KM) and detail (KMD) drawings |
| Cutting | the sheet is cut into trapezoidal blanks | Manufacturing process |
| Bending | a 2000 t press bends a blank up to 12 m long | Bending on a 2000 t press |
| Welding | the longitudinal seam and the flange; welds are inspected visually and by ultrasound | Quality control |
| Galvanising | the finished shaft in a 13,000 × 1,600 × 3,200 mm bath; on lighting poles the mean zinc thickness is at least 55 µm (3 mm wall) and 70 µm (4 mm) | Galvanising process |
| Inspection | dimensions and coating thickness; laboratory tests if needed | Standards and quality control |
On-site erection is carried out by a licensed construction partner company.
Updated:
Multi-sided poles: frequently asked questions
How does a multi-sided pole differ from a conical one?
By cross-section. A multi-sided pole has a polygonal one (6 or more flat faces); a conical pole has a smooth round one that tapers to the top. Both are made by bending sheet, and both stand up well to wind.
What are multi-sided poles made of?
Sheet steel grade S245/S345 (or similar grades, depending on the application), hot-dip galvanised to DSTU EN ISO 1461:2024.
Where are multi-sided poles used?
In lighting (park, street and road poles), floodlight masts, power line poles and gantries, and telecom towers. The same design is used for traffic signal poles, CCTV poles and flagpoles.
How much does a multi-sided pole cost?
It depends on the category: from UAH 3,800 for a lighting pole, from UAH 55,000 for a power line pole, from UAH 130,000 per tonne for a telecom tower. The exact price for your project comes from a calculation.
How do you build a pole that is longer than one sheet?
From several sections joined by a telescopic joint. Masts and towers are assembled the same way; the details are in Assembly, Erection and Installation of Multi-sided Poles, Masts and Towers.
Why is a pole galvanised after welding, not before?
So that the zinc covers the seam as well. If an already galvanised part is welded, the zinc burns off next to the weld and that strip has to be repaired afterwards, so the finished shaft is galvanised instead. How to prepare a product for galvanising is covered in the checklist.
What is needed to calculate a pole?
Height, purpose, wind region, the mass and size of the equipment, and how it will be mounted. The ordering procedure, work stages and lead times are described in How to Order Poles and Masts.
Related products: Street lighting columns · Overhead power line masts · Telecom masts · High-mast lighting
Read also: Installation of Multi-sided Poles and Masts · Solar Street Lighting · Power Line Pole Types by Purpose: Suspension, Tension, Angle, Terminal · Cross-arms for 0.4–10 kV Lines: TM and TN Types, Reading the Designation
Get a quote for your requirements
Send us your requirements — we will calculate the price and lead time.