Acquisitions, expansions and more make up September’s business news.

thyssenkrupp Acquires Longtime Distributor O’Keefe

thyssenkrupp Elevator has acquired Omaha, Nebraska-based O’Keefe Elevator, which has more than 120 employees and been led by members of the O’Keefe family for more than 100 years. The largest full-service elevator company serving Nebraska and Iowa, O’Keefe has been thyssenkrupp Elevator’s exclusive distributor since 1947. Notable O’Keefe new installations in Omaha include First National Bank Tower, Union Pacific Center and Creighton University, while modernizations include WoodmenLife Tower and Kiewit Plaza in Omaha and Hotel Fort Des Moines in Des Moines, Iowa. thyssenkrupp told ELEVATOR WORLD that O’Keefe’s existing management structure, including CEO Bret Abels (EW, August 2016), will remain in place.

Announced on July 1, the news follows the recent acquisition of Nashville Machine Elevator (EW, August 2019) as thyssenkrupp looks toward continued growth in the U.S. “both by acquisitions and organically.” thyssenkrupp is building its new North American headquarters in Atlanta, where its first TWIN elevator system in North America debuted at the nearby Coda building (EW, June 2016).

Fraco Partnership Brings Products to Carolinas

A new partnership between Scaffolding Solutions, based in the U.S., and Fraco Products, Ltd., based in Canada, will provide more products to North and South Carolina. With locations in Charlotte, Greensboro and Charleston, Scaffolding Solutions offers estimation, erection, dismantling and project management. The supplier will now also offer Fraco products, such as work platforms, construction hoists, industrial elevators and transportation platforms.

VTX Announces New Leadership Roles

Mark DeCocinis, CEI, and Tony DeFrancesco, CEI, have assumed new positions at Vertical Transportation Excellence (VTX), a division of Gannet Fleming. DeCocinis, who has 20 years of industry experience, will serve as president and be responsible for all aspects of VTX. He will operate out of the Philadelphia office. DeFrancesco will serve as vice president and operate out of the Phoenix office. He will lead VTX in the West and take responsibility for growing VTX in the Midwest and portions of Canada. VTX was founded in 2000 and focuses on design, construction, modernization and maintenance of elevators, escalators and moving walks.

Liberty Elevator Experts Expands

Liberty Elevator Experts, LLC, Newark, Delaware, has expanded nationally with a series of planned acquisitions over the past several months: QEI, LLC; Ron Farley, Inc.; Empire Elevator Inspections, LLC; and Vertical Transportation Equipment Solutions, LLC. Liberty provides design, engineering, consulting, inspection, contract compliance and educational services throughout the U.S. The company has also added new products, including remote monitoring, uptime performance tracking, automated inspection monitoring and reporting.