Acquisition, transitions, events and more in the recovering continent

Prysmian Group Completes Acquisition of EHC Global

Prysmian Group, headquartered in Milan, Italy, announced the acquisition of EHC Global, a “complementary add-on to Prysmian’s Draka Elevator business,” in January. Headquartered in Oshawa, Canada, with manufacturing and distribution facilities in North America, South America, Europe and China, EHC Global supplies escalator handrails, rollers, elevator belts and other components. Founded in 1977, EHC Global also provides a range of technical services for escalators and moving walks, including installation. Prysmian announced its plan to acquire 100% of EHC Global in July 2020 (ELEVATOR WORLD, September 2020). Draka offers more than 7,000 components for the vertical-transportation industry, and Prysmian said the acquisition of EHC Global is “in line with [its] strategy to grow and reinforce its value-added businesses.”

KONE: Changes on Executive Board, New MD in Western Europe

KONE recently announced changes on its executive board and a new managing director (MD) of Belgium and Luxembourg. Johannes Frände was appointed executive vice president (EVP), general counsel and a member of the executive board. Based in Espoo, Finland, Frände reports directly to KONE President and CEO Henrik Ehrnrooth. He succeeds Klaus Cawén, who is focusing on non-executive duties after nearly 40 years of service. Cawén is supporting Frände in the transition through this month and will continue as an executive advisor through April 1. The acquisitions team that currently reports to Cawén will transfer to the finance team, reporting to EVP and Chief Financial Officer Ilkka Hara.

Thomas Hinnerskov has been appointed EVP for South Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), starting April 1. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, Hinnerskov will continue as a member of the executive board, reporting to Ehrnrooth. He succeeds Pierre Liautaud, who is retiring from the board after serving 10 years as EVP for South EMEA. Axel Berkling has been appointed EVP for Central and North Europe, succeeding Hinnserskov. Based in Hamburg, Germany, Berkling will report to Ehrnrooth. KONE also named Ilse Vanderlocht the new managing director of Belgium and Luxembourg. She succeeds Pascal Lekeu, who is assuming new responsibility within the France leadership team.

Fermator DMT Plant in Spain Collapsed by Snow; Production Shifts

Fermator’s 7,000-m2 Doors Movement Technology (DML) plant in Falset, Spain (EW, August 2005), collapsed as a result of heavy snowfall in January, prompting production to shift to the Tecnolama S.L. plant in Reus, Spain, Fermator Product Specification Team Lead/R&D Gregori Losada said. Fortunately, he said, there were no injuries. The company plans to reconstruct the destroyed Falset factory, and production will remain in Reus until it reopens. Describing the Falset facility as one of Fermator’s biggest factories in western Europe, Losada said the company thanks all who reached out with “countless expressions of solidarity, support and affection from all over the world.”

EFESME Holds Assemblies

The European Federation for Elevator Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (EFESME) Board of Directors and General Assembly took place online on December 17, 2020. EFESME reported that, in them, members discussed the several technical and political activities carried out during 2020 in the face of the year’s many challenges. It added that members expressed satisfaction in the results of the association and its experts. The many virtual meetings the federation attended and the events it organized were highly regarded.

The importance of the collaboration between the European Commission and EFESME was another focal point. Such strong cooperation is supported by the commission’s frequent participation in EFESME events and by the good relationships between its officers and experts, EFESME explained. Likewise, members were pleased with the work and activities performed in conjunction with Small Business Standards and looked forward to more.

thyssenkrupp Maintaining VT System at University of Seville

thyssenkrupp Elevator is providing maintenance, including predictive maintenance, for the vertical-transportation (VT) system at the University of Seville in southern Spain, the OEM announced in January. The contract covers 161 passenger elevators; 22 small, freight elevators; eight platform lifts; and 22 chairlifts. The company credits its cloud-based, digital solution MAX with helping secure the contract, which has been in place since June 2020. The university’s maintenance department praised MAX for enabling constant monitoring, and predicting and preventing breakdowns. According to thyssenkrupp Elevator, the university “combines future-oriented technology like [MAX] with tradition and architectural highlights like the university’s main building” known and the Old Tobacco Factory and dating to the 1700s.

Changing of the Guard, Honors for Ziehl-Abegg

German manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg announced that Uwe Ziehl, grandson of company founder Emil Ziehl, has passed the leadership reins to his children, Dennis Ziehl and Sindia Ziehl, who now serve as supervisory board chair and member, respectively. The pair attended more than 80 board meetings over the past several years to prepare for their roles. Dennis Ziehl is also director of ZIEHL industrie-elektronik GmbH + Co. KG, which designs and produces electronic devices, and is a member of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Uwe Ziehl was also recently presented with the Medal of Economy by Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Minister of Finance and Economy Nils Schmid for Ziehl-Abegg’s contributions to the area economy. The company, which manufactures products that include elevator drives, has approximately 4,300 employees, including 2,400 in the Hohenlohe region.

61-Story Office Tower Envisioned as New Bangkok Landmark

Thailand’s Ramon Land Public Co. Ltd. and Japanese real estate developer Mitsubishi Estate are planning a 61-story office tower in Bangkok’s city center that Ramon describes as a new city landmark, Thailand Construction News reported in January. Designed by Tandem Architects, One City Centre will boast 61,000 m2, 92% of which will be column-free, flexible office space with floor-to-ceiling windows. The design features a “simple-yet-dynamic” façade with diagonal, spiraling fins designed to conserve energy. Among planned amenities are “nap pods,” a food hall, a café/library, a gym and a “chillout rooftop venue.” The tower is designed to connect directly to Bangkok’s Skytrain system. Completion is anticipated in late 2022.