Beauty and the Beast

This month’s issue is a study in contrasts. The “beast” is the coronavirus that comes to us from nature and refuses to go away. The “beauty” is our annual photo contest that, once again, reveals the loveliness that can be found in our man-made industry.

Many events and meetings were held across Europe over the past few months, and — with rare exception — were different because of the virus, or they were about the virus:

COVID-19 Impact Outlook by Kaija Wilkinson. This was the second industry survey done by Elevator World, Inc., VFA-Interlift and AFAG, in association with Credit Suisse, and showed Germany and North America most positive in outlook.

EFESME met internally to discuss the COVID-19 crisis and take stock of projects and initiatives. President Massimo Bezzi indicated rising optimism. Several associations said new construction business was at a standstill, but expected to return.

Elevators and Social Distancing by Elevating Studio Pte. Ltd. This article suggests various measures to control traffic flow: staggered arrivals, reduced building occupancy, use of overload and bypass controls.

In the Thick of the Digital Revolution by Undine Stricker-Berghoff. Carried from the Schindler headquarters in Germany, the first of the new IVV roundtable series focused on digitization and how it is changing the elevator industry. It was attended by 100 (virtually). The following two events were also covered by Stricker-Berghoff.

E2 Forum: How Will Elevators Become COVID-19 Safe? Builtworld and Messe Frankfurt held this forum where experts discussed problems and solutions for reopening buildings. Air purifiers, shaft ventilation and anti-microbial coatings were among the solutions discussed.

TÜV Austria Lift Day 2020. This event was held both in person and digitally. It focused on current legal regulations, norms and state-of-the-art safety reporting.

A New Experience by Nick Mellor. The annual Symposium on Lift and Escalator Technologies, usually held at the University of Northampton, was held entirely online in its 11th iteration. It was very successful with almost 400 delegates.

Several unusual stories came our way for this issue. One of them celebrates the anniversary of Otis’ Gen2. 20 Years of Innovation by Ricardo Muñoz describes how the equipment introduced in 2000 has evolved, topping 1 million units in sales this year. Another article is about how Inspiration Strikes in the Strangest Places. Wait until you hear how KONE’s UltraRope® had its “steamy” beginning. Also, A Drop Tower of Superlatives by Giuseppe Savoca reveals the background of the Einstein Elevator in Hannover, Germany. For experimental purposes, this is the only tower in the world that can simulate weightlessness.

And, finally, “beauty” wakes up in ELEVATOR WORLD’S 2020 Photo Contest. The beauty and creativity at work in the elevator industry never ceases to amaze me. It’s not just that we build beautiful objects, but these photographers see the beauty all around us and relish it. We had more entries this year than ever before, and the winners spanned the world, from Taiwan, Egypt, Turkey, the U.S. and the U.A.E. to the U.K., Australia, Greece, Germany and Sweden. One of my favorites is on page 62 — the “stairway to heaven” in Hamburg, Germany. Another amazing shot from NYC shows equipment being lifted high above the clouds and seems to be saying, “Yay! Construction is back — the race is on!” In this industry, the race is always on — for the tallest, fastest or longest. Hopefully, the “beast” will be gone soon so our industry can again soar above the clouds.