21st Schwelm Symposium

Modern elevator technology and forward-looking innovations in intensive industry dialogue

From May 19 to 20, the traditional Parkhotel Fritz am Brunnen in Schwelm, Germany, once again became the hub of the German-speaking elevator world. For the 21st time, experts, developers, manufacturers, operators and young talents gathered to exchange ideas on the latest developments and technological innovations at the Schwelm Symposium. Under the motto “Modern Technology in Elevators,” the two-day event was professionally organized by Henning GmbH & Co. KG and offered a high-caliber platform. Complemented by an informative and well-attended trade exhibition, the event offered plenty of networking opportunities.

The symposium was traditionally kicked off by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfram Vogel (Vogel Gut Achten), a luminary in the industry whose opening speeches are always eagerly awaited. With his renowned eloquence and inspiration, he reminded the audience that elevators, although ubiquitous, should never become “everyday objects” and shared valuable experiences from product development, the use of rope-based sensors and the potential of ropes using new materials.

This was immediately followed by a topic that is essential for the future viability of the industry: promoting young talent. Linus Klostermann and Fahd Dawd from Dörken Service GmbH and Elisabeth Meßner from SIHK (South Westphalia Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Hagen) gave a presentation on the “Ausbildungsbotschafter NRW” (North Rhine-Westphalia Training Ambassadors) program.

The rest of the first day was packed with technical highlights that delved deep into specific areas of innovation:

Tim Ebeling (Henning GmbH & Co. KG) presented “Intelligent Load Measurement,” which enables detailed system analyses that go far beyond mere overload monitoring and highlights potential for increasing efficiency and early detection of problems.

Peipei Wang (VFA-Interlift e.V.) gave a fascinating macro view of the dynamics of innovation in her presentation “Patent trends in the elevator industry,” painting a picture of the current fields of technology and future development priorities.

Klaus Sautter (Sautter Lift Components GmbH) presented a particularly innovative and sustainable approach with the “Drum Lift 2.0 in lightweight wood construction,” which combines high shaft space utilization with modern materials such as plastic-coated fiber ropes and promises new design and ecological advantages.

This was followed by a presentation by Jörg Hellmich, managing director (MD) of ELFIN Technology, and Joshua Petri, MD of eleon data and executive management of ELFIN Technology, on “Elevator Monitoring – Current Services and Trends.” They outlined the current architecture of monitoring, from data collection and transmission to cloud-based evaluation and use via APIs for various stakeholders. Three main approaches to data collection were presented in detail: the monitoring interface in the control system, gateways to diagnostic interfaces (such as the eleon S1) and the installation of additional sensors, each with their advantages and disadvantages. Modern data transmission technologies (4G/5G, NB-IoT) and the importance of security (CRA, EN 18031, RED) were emphasized, as was the need for needs-based implementation.

In the afternoon, a presentation by Prof. Dr. Adrian Wildenauer, Bern University of Applied Sciences, on the topic of “Skills for digital planning and construction” was shown. He was not present in person, but sent a video presentation. He emphasized that the half-life of knowledge is decreasing dramatically, while, at the same time, a large proportion of skilled workers will be retiring in the coming years.
He identified problem-solving skills, self-organization and analytical thinking as key competencies (“future skills”) in the face of project inefficiency and a shortage of skilled workers. Competence-oriented, interdisciplinary teaching based on the CORE model is crucial for the continuous development of the industry.

Klaus Würkner from Serapid Deutschland GmbH then presented “Rigid Chain Technology (RCT) as an alternative drive solution — starts where others reach their limits.” 

He presented push chain technology (RCT) as a powerful alternative for elevator drives, especially in the heavy-duty sector with systems such as LinkLift and VLB using stiffening chains for precise lifting with low space requirements. He touted sustainability (no oil, energy recovery), compactness, safety and cost-effectiveness — even and especially with very high loads — as advantages. Using practical examples, such as a 7000-kg double-deck car lift in London (2015), a private car lift in a listed building in Berlin (2023) and a 30,000-kg freight elevator in Dunkirk (2022), the performance and versatility of Serapid solutions were impressively demonstrated.

The first day of informative presentations was rounded off by a final two: Sven Weidner from meiti GmbH discussed “AI: Smart voicemail app with AI chatbot.” He presented “meiti,” an AI-based assistant for WhatsApp and voice calls that optimizes communication and organization for service companies by answering inquiries, qualifying leads and automatically scheduling appointments. Use cases such as appointment booking, maintenance reminders and emergency service management demonstrated how the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)-compliant solution increases efficiency and ensures availability. 

Frank Saalmüller (Schaefer GmbH) then gave a presentation on “Control panels with character,” showing how — beyond pure functionality — design, materiality, haptics and intuitive interaction contribute to making control panels an integral part of the architectural concept and user experience.
The second day of the symposium began once again with a thematic introduction by Vogel.

A highly topical regulatory issue took center stage with the EU Data Act, explained by Christian Schultz, senior associate and specialist Lawyer for IT Law at Fieldfisher, under the title “Data Act – The Underestimated EU Regulation.” He highlighted the regulation, which will come into force in September, obliging manufacturers of connected products (such as elevators) to provide “access by design” to user data and to disclose it to third parties at the user’s request. Companies (data holders) may only use user data with clearly defined contractual consent, which requires urgent adaptation of product contracts and data management processes. Schultz encouraged early engagement with the complex requirements. 

Safety technology is at the heart of every elevator system. Dr. Stephan Rohr from Cobianchi Liftteile AG presented the latest developments in mechatronic safety gear.

He introduced the new electrically triggered systems LEA (up to 5.5 t) and REA (up to 100 t for combined systems), which feature battery emergency operation, standby capability, automated reset and monitoring. These EN 81-20/21-certified systems combine mechanics and sensor technology to increase safety and respond to the shortage of skilled workers, and can be combined with all Cobianchi safety gear. He announced some news for interlift in October and, perhaps not entirely seriously, offered the audience: “If you want me to stop developing… say so now!”

Closely linked to digitalization is the topic of cybersecurity, which Anne Zerno from AZ-Aufzugtechnik addressed under the title “Cybersecurity: National Regulation and Interpretation.” 

She explained the national cybersecurity requirements for elevator systems based on TRBS 1115 and EK-ZÜS resolutions B-002 rev. 4 and BA-017, and emphasized the importance of a Programmable Electronic System in Safety-Related Applications for Lifts (PESSRAL) for safety-critical control and monitoring systems. The tests carried out by ZÜSen cover the suitability of cybersecurity measures and the plausibility of the documentation, with system certifications being required.

Further exciting presentations rounded off the program:

Patrizio Fontanarosa (FLP Lift Parts GmbH) spoke about the “Sustainable general overhaul of frequency converters with TÜV certification.” He demonstrated how quality-assured reconditioning processes not only save costs, but also conserve valuable resources and extend the service life of important components — an important contribution to the circular economy in the industry.

Joachim Kalsdorf from AFAG Messen und Ausstellungen GmbH gave an eagerly awaited preview of the world’s leading trade fair, interlift 2025, in Nuremberg. He announced the trade fair, which will take place on October 14-17, is expected to attract more than 500 exhibitors and 20,000 visitors, highlighting its highly international character and wide range of products and services related to elevators and escalators. Strong participation by countries and associations, including the VFA Interlift Forum, underscores the global significance of the event.

Florian Runck, product manager at Meiller Aufzugtüren GmbH, presented “Meiller MiDrive,” a solution for intelligent door diagnostics that drastically reduces service costs and downtime.

The system gathers and stores data directly within the door controller, enabling condition monitoring and predictive maintenance by analyzing current values, friction or position. A traffic light display visualizes the door status, which supports predictive maintenance in various areas of application.

Thomas Lipphardt (KONE GmbH) answered the question “Elevators and wood — is that possible?” and highlighted opportunities and challenges.

The final presentation was given by Michael Puttrus from Telegärtner Elektronik GmbH, who addressed the topic of “Elevator emergency calls in transition.” He addressed the urgent need to retrofit approximately 400,000 2G-based elevator phone systems in Germany by July 2028 due to the 2G shutdown and highlighted the logistical challenge this poses. However, the technology switch to VoLTE-enabled 4G/5G systems offers opportunities including router functions, visual emergency calls, and cloud-based monitoring. Telegärtner offers tailored solutions for these transitions.

Networking, Dialogue and Innovation You Can Touch

The Schwelm symposium was not just about the excellent and varied presentations. The accompanying trade exhibition in the foyer and adjacent rooms provided an important additional platform for information and exchange. The generous breaks between the lecture blocks, the joint lunches and, in particular, the traditional “get-together” on the evening of the first day in the stylish ambience of the Parkhotel Fritz am Brunnen also provided ideal opportunities to make and deepen contacts, continue technical discussions in smaller groups and gain new perspectives. The atmosphere was characterized throughout by openness, collegiality and a shared interest in the continuous development of elevator technology.

Conclusion and Outlook: An Established Meeting Place With a View to the Future

The 21st Schwelm Symposium once again reinforced its reputation as one of the most important and technically sound industry meeting places in the German-speaking world. The professional organization by Henning GmbH & Co. KG and VFA-Interlift e.V. contributed significantly to the success of the event. The careful selection of topics and speakers ensured a high level of quality and broad coverage of current and future challenges. We can already look forward to the next edition, which, as announced at the end of the event, has already been scheduled: The 22nd Schwelm Symposium will take place on June 22-23, 2026, and promises once again to be a showcase for modern elevator technology and a forum for groundbreaking dialogue.