A Transformative Journey

Omega Elevators Founder & Owner Kumarpal M Desai (KD) and Executive Director Sameep Desai (SD) shares insights with your author (SSP) on marking 40 years in the VT industry and the company’s future.

SSP: How does it feel to have completed 40 years in the vertical-transportation (VT) industry?

KD & SD: Omega Elevators is very proud of this milestone, which represents a defining and transformative journey for our founder, Shri Kumarpal Desai, and the Omega team. Our journey began with a mission to provide affordable elevators, and today, lifts have become an integral part of the lifestyle choices for homes and buildings across India. A key takeaway from this journey has been the fostering of a strong team spirit and a culture of discipline, commitment,    solution-oriented communication and diversity. With four decades of experience, we have honed our leadership in engineering innovation and developed a deep understanding of India’s infrastructure requirements. This achievement reflects the vision of our founders and the company’s ability to remain at the forefront of technological advancements. This position enables us to deliver reliable and high-performance elevators, escalators and complex VT systems for diverse projects across various industries.

SSP: What have been the key milestones during this journey?

KD & SD: Omega’s milestones encompass several notable achievements, the most recent being the timely completion of a VT system for the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar Metro. This project was inaugurated on September 16, 2024, by esteemed Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The founder, Shri Kumarpal, and his son, Sameep Desai, dedicated countless nights to ensuring the project’s successful completion before the deadline. In 2014, Omega was the first company to introduce smart elevator technology in India.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Omega’s R&D team developed innovative cabin disinfecting systems and touchless elevator controls. Omega has consistently made technological advancements, including introducing variable frequency drives and specialized motor designs. Smooth, jerk-free operation is one of Omega’s noteworthy features. Our motors are engineered such that if you put a 50-paisa coin in a standing position, it will stay that way during elevator operations. This degree of unparalleled stability and smoothness is unique to our design. 

Elevators have evolved from their traditional role as mere electrical or mechanical systems that are modes of transport. They are extremely complex systems that are hardware- and software-controlled. Omega has developed QR-code access and destination-control systems specifically for enhanced security and smart elevator management solutions. Some elevator designs necessitated specialized engineering for high-capacity elevators utilized in industrial and manufacturing facilities. Furthermore, Omega’s adoption of Internet of Things (IoT)-based predictive maintenance and its unwavering adherence to international safety and performance standards have positioned it as a pivotal player in addressing India’s evolving VT requirements.

SSP: What Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) set Omega Elevators apart as a brand and as an organization? How does this reflect the legacy that has been created over the past four decades?

KD & SD: The USPs that set Omega Elevators apart include: 

• Omega SmartConnect: This involves smart elevators and some exceptional features like QR code-based access for high security.
• Lifts with 90° openings: These provide suitable solutions to complex problems architects and builders face. 
• Customized Elevators: Whether you’re installing a lift for your home or any other space, we can customize finishes based on the client’s requirements.
• Elevator Modernizations Based on Customer Budgets: We offer several packages to modernize existing lifts that are older than 20 to 25 years.
• Great Service: Omega takes pride in excellent customer service. Most of our procedures are paperless with minimal hassle for the customer. 

“Over the decades, Omega has built its reputation on technical excellence and consistent service, establishing itself as a cornerstone of India’s VT industry.”

SSP: How does Omega Elevators exemplify the term “lifeline of modern infrastructure” with its accomplishments across VT segments and categories?

KD & SD: Omega Elevators has been a key player in India’s modern infrastructure, providing customized VT solutions for high-rise buildings, automated production facilities and commercial complexes. We have installed elevators in some extremely complex infrastructure projects like dams, mines, power plants, airports, railway stations, metro rail projects, large-scale housing developments, car showrooms, high-end malls and several factories that needed specially engineered designs. Omega has elevators in several railway stations in Mumbai — a city with a huge population and a lot of foot traffic. We have also installed high-speed lifts in buildings that have 70 or more floors. We use remote monitoring, high-capacity elevators and precision-driven passenger systems to make sure people can move around easily, and there is almost zero downtime for our VT systems. We are proud to have provided elevators and escalators for urban metro rail projects and airports. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, but we’re even more excited about the future. Smart cities need better connectivity and better infrastructure. We want to be the preferred elevator brand of choice for Indian consumers and our country’s growing infrastructure.

SSP: Omega Elevators has distinguished itself in the sphere of high-speed, high-capacity and high-performance VT for landmark projects. What is the significance of this achievement for the company and the “Make in India” initiative?

KD & SD: : Omega’s focus on high-speed, high-capacity elevators for landmark projects underscores its ability to match global benchmarks while championing the “Make in India” initiative.  Indian infrastructure and Indian cities often have certain unique, specific issues such as dust, power failures and an uneven power supply. We understand these issues and have proactively designed our systems to effectively address them. Anchoring our manufacturing operations in India, Omega reduces reliance on imports and supports Indian industries that drive and uplift the economy. We have a large manufacturing facility, and we are vertically integrated. We create local jobs, and because we manufacture our components especially for the Indian market keeping in mind India’s high traffic, frequent usage and specific infrastructure needs, we are able to support “Make in India.” These achievements reflect the company’s engineering excellence and its commitment to contributing to India’s infrastructure evolution through innovation and self-reliance.

SSP: How are initiatives like Omega SmartConnect an indication of the future-ready, technology-driven approach to VT at Omega Elevators?

KD & SD: The future is tech-driven in smart cities, and there is an immense potential for urbanization. We intend to use AI with leadership and integrity to make our customers’ lives better. 

Omega SmartConnect represents the company’s push toward advanced technology through real-time monitoring, diagnostics and predictive maintenance. It enhances operational efficiency, minimizes downtime and ensures safety across VT systems. Space is at a premium for developers; we understand that very well. With better elevator management solutions, we can optimize space. Security and Wi-Fi connectivity are also important. Omega has already implemented solutions that ensure digital security for the passengers, as well as no loss of signal while they are in the elevator. Imagine taking an important call and Wi-Fi is lost. With our Wi-Fi access, you can stay connected. In case you are trapped in an elevator or there is an emergency, with Wi-Fi access, you can easily call for help. By integrating IoT and data analytics, Omega SmartConnect positions the brand as a leader in future-ready VT solutions, addressing the rising demands for smarter, interconnected elevator systems in India’s infrastructure projects.

SSP: What is your vision for the next decade as you head toward the Golden Jubilee milestone?

KD & SD: India is already among the top five economies and is one of the fastest-growing economies. Infrastructure is our lifeline. VT is imperative for urbanization. Elevators are ubiquitous in all buildings — even family bungalows and villas. As Omega approaches its Golden Jubilee, the vision is to expand and scale our manufacturing capabilities, create more jobs, improve in high-speed, high-capacity design and emphasize modernization while deepening R&D investments for larger-scaled automated manufacturing and production in smart technologies like IoT and AI. We want to further strengthen our presence in major metro areas for industrial and premium infrastructure projects. Omega is committed to innovation and excellence and aims to become the preferred “elevator brand of choice” for Indians.