A busy summer stands to have continent-wide ramifications.

Sale of thyssenkrupp Elevator Being Considered by CEO

In August, Reuters was among news outlets to report that thyssenkrupp CEO Guido Kerkhoff was considering selling the conglomerate’s profitable elevator division Kerkhoff was considering selling the conglomerate’s profitable elevator division — valued at up to EUR14 billion (US$15.68 billion) — to help stanch profit loss. The news came on the heels of a fourth profit warning issued under Kerkhoff, who assumed the CEO role after the former CEO and group chairman resigned. Quoting unnamed sources, the source said among those interested are KONE and private equity firms KKR, Advent and CVC. Kerkhoff is behind a failed attempt to spin off its capital goods unit (ELEVATOR WORLD, December 2018) and merge the steel division with Tata Steel’s European unit. He said he is backed by thyssenkrupp’s supervisory board, which includes one of the top two shareholders, Cervian, which has wanted a simplified structure for a long time. The news created excitement among analysts, with Kepler Chevreaux Equity Research Head of Steel Rochus Brauneiser saying the “best move would be to sell a large chunk of the elevator business to pay down debt and fully externalize pensions.”

KONE Wins 74-Unit Order for Madrid Rail Station

KONE has won a contract to modernize 74 units as part of a major renovation at Madrid’s Atocha train station, the Spanish capital’s main station and hub of the nation’s rail network. The order, which KONE announced in July, calls for 60 heavy-duty TransitMaster™ escalators and 14 MonoSpace® elevators, all in the commuter train area of the station. The contract includes 25 years of maintenance on the units. The renovation is scheduled for completion in 2023 and will help Atocha accommodate up to 87 million passengers per year.

ELFIN Welcomes New Sales Manager

ELFIN GmbH has named Heiko Nagorski sales manager, the company announced in August. He becomes the direct contact for all ELFIN elevator products, including flexyPage lift displays, digital signage solutions, and lift monitoring and development services. Based in Cologne, Germany, Nagorski was previously key account manager at Henning GmbH & Co. KG; modernization manager at Schindler; and project manager, new facilities at Otis in Dortmund and Bielefeld, Germany. He studied electrical engineering and business at Chamber of Crafts Dortmund. “Because of his many years of experience in the elevator industry, he will be the perfect person for your project,” ELFIN observed.

thyssenkrupp Escalators for Beer Brewing Museum in Spain

thyssenkrupp Elevator manufactured and installed two custom Velino 300 escalators for beer manufacturer Estrella Galicia at its new Mundo Estrella Galicia museum (MEGA) in A Coruña, Spain. The units have an angle greater than 137˚, and are outfitted with a structural lattice able to bear heavy glass side panels. The escalators include an internal illumination equipped with an automatic red-green-blue color switch synchronized with the skirt lights. thyssenkrupp observed this is the first example of this kind of design in Spain.

Opening to the public in June, MEGA took four years to complete and involved 90 professionals from 39 companies. It includes 2,500 m2 of exhibition space focused on the brewing industry, of which Estrella Galicia has been a part since 1906. Located in the Estrella factory, MEGA boasts audio-visual interactive spaces, degustation sessions and brewing workshops. thyssenkrupp Elevator CEO Peter Walker said its escalators “offer a new, stylish design to perfectly match our customers’ needs and ensure visitors move around the museum seamlessly.”

Birmingham Tower Design Shows “Super Slender” Profile

Glancy Nicholls Architects has unveiled its design for 100 Broad Street, a luxury apartment tower in Birmingham, U.K., PBC Today reported in July. Standing 193 m tall, 100 Broad Street is set to become one of the tallest buildings in the U.K. outside of London. Residents of its 500 high-end apartments will be treated to panoramic views and other amenities, including a top-floor sky lounge and restaurant higher than any dining establishment in the country outside of London. The building will also offer ground- floor commercial space, which the source said will contribute to the “evolving Broad Street.” It will be the tallest of an emerging cluster of high rises in the area, and its narrow proportions allow it to be classified as “super slender.” The plan has been submitted to the Birmingham City Council for full planning approval.

Design Selected for European Commission in Brussels

A winning design for the new European Commission headquarters in Brussels was selected from a blind competition, AEC Café reports. Perkins and Will, Latz and Partner, TYPSA, MC2 and Rafael de La-Hoz designed a plan for the site that will reportedly generate 50% less CO₂ emissions and consume 70% less energy than the current building does. The plan calls for two towers: one standing 30 stories high, and the other rising 42 stories. There will also be a public gallery and landscaped gardens open to members of the local community.