Big Gains for KONE

Important contracts and awards for KONE as it expands in the Middle East

65 Units, Maintenance for Future World’s Tallest

KONE has landed a contract to outfit the mixed-use Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with 65 units, including the world’s fastest and highest double-deck elevators that exceed 10 mps and rise 660 m. Kingdom Tower is expected to be complete in 2018 and will be the world’s tallest building at more than 1 km. KONE plans to use its UltraRope^TM high-rise hoisting technology (ELEVATOR WORLD, August 2013). The order consists of 21 MonoSpace®, 29 single- and seven double-deck MiniSpace^TM elevators, and eight TravelMaster^TM 100 escalators. The system will include custom cabs and landing doors, Polaris destination dispatch, Infoscreen displays, E-Link^TM monitoring and emergency-evacuation capabilities. The order also includes 10 years of equipment maintenance. Noud Veeger, executive vice president for KONE Asia-Pacific and Middle East, commented:

“Close cooperation between all project partners (and with the KONE Areeco team locally), our technical professionalism and People Flow planning expertise was a winning combination in helping us land the order. We hail this project with great excitement.”

New Dubai Office

KONE has opened a new office in Dubai, ConstructionWeekOnline.com reports. Located on the 41st floor of the U-Bora Tower in Business Bay, the office will facilitate what CEO Henrik Ehrnrooth describes as a growing demand for KONE products such as UltraRope^TM (ELEVATOR WORLD, August 2013) and destination-dispatch and security systems. “KONE believes the higher buildings get, the more intelligent they have to become to ensure smooth and safe people flow,” he said.

24 Units for London Bridge Station Upgrade

KONE has been selected to provide and install 24 TransitMaster® 140 escalators for the London Bridge rail station upgrade, scheduled for completion in 2018. The fourth-busiest rail station in the U.K., London Bridge sees approximately 50 million passengers annually. Part of a comprehensive rail-network upgrade underway across the country, work at the London Bridge includes elevators, escalators and additional platforms to ease passenger flow.

29 Units for Mumbai Residential Tower

KONE has been selected to provide 29 elevators to the 358-m-tall Worli Tower B, the residential component of a two-tower project in Mumbai designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, India Blooms reports. The order consists of 24 MiniSpace^TM  and five MonoSpace® units, including panoramic, freight and vehicle elevators. The E-Link^TM monitoring system promises to enhance availability and traffic flow, while a radio-frequency identification card system will offer added security. Installation is expected in late 2015.

KONE Ranked World’s 12th Greenest Company

KONE is the 12th greenest publicly traded company in the world, according to 2014 rankings provided by the U.S. magazine Newsweek. Rankings are based on eight metrics that measure overall corporate environmental performance. In addition to working with customers to achieve environmentally friendly solutions, KONE says it has reduced the carbon footprint of its operations relative to net sales by 3.5%, compared with its 2012 figure. The company states:

“Sustainable thinking is deeply rooted in the way KONE works. The maintenance and modernization services KONE provides are aimed at helping customers achieve their eco-efficient goals in every phase of a building’s lifecycle.”

Red Dot Awards

KONE has won two awards in the “Red Dot Award: Product Design 2014” competition. The awarded products are its RL 20 elevator ceiling light and KSP 858 destination operating panel. The RL 20 features a universal form and minimalistic design that fits most new and old elevator cars. The light’s combination of geometrical design language and “sophisticated functionality” were noted. The KSP 858 was praised for having “a well-thought-out and versatile user concept and high performance.” Judges said these attributes make it suitable for a variety of buildings. Companies and designers from 53 countries submitted a total of 4,815 applications to the competition with the intention of internationally proving their design ability. Both of the winning KONE designs were also acknowledged earlier this year at the iF product design awards and the Fennia Prize 2014.

Maintenance and Modernization in London

Apex is handling a pair of intriguing jobs.

Lloyd’s of London Elevator Renovation

Apex Lifts of Kent, U.K., has been selected to modernize the 12 exterior, scenic glass elevators at the iconic Lloyd’s of London Building in London. The project, which also includes three firefighter lifts and at least one heavy-duty materials lift, is underway and expected to be complete in March 2016. When built 28 years ago, the Richard Rogers-designed building featured the only elevators of their kind in the U.K. The 88-m-tall structure also boasts exterior water pipes, staircases, and electrical power conduits, giving it an industrial appearance and opening up interior space. In March 2014, a crane was used to lift the first elevator out of the building, then transport it to the Apex factory for renovation. Warren Jenchner, Apex managing director, observed, “We are making excellent progress with the project and are very much looking forward to seeing the renovated lifts in operation.”

Museum Maintenance Contract

Apex Lifts has been awarded a contract to service and maintain 21 elevators at three Museum of London properties through March 2019. The units include a 2722-kg-capacity service elevator, an array of KONE MonoSpace® models, handicapped-accessible elevators and dumbwaiters. Warren Jenchner, Apex’s managing director, observed:

“With such a variety of lifts to maintain, this will be an interesting and diverse contract. We’re excited to help keep the lifts running so that visitors can continue to enjoy the museum.”

ThyssenKrupp Elevator India Hires Vishnani

Bharat Vishnani joined ThyssenKrupp Elevator India on May 1 as its managing director. According to the company, his arrival is part of an effort to manage its continued growth in the Indian market. In his new role, Vishnani will drive the profitability and organizational efficiency by providing strategic direction and overall guidance to his functional leaders in achieving financial and nonfinancial targets. ThyssenKrupp Elevator believes Vishnani will complement its existing organization and help it be the most customer-centric elevator company in India.

Vishnani has an electrical engineering background and has spent nearly 30 years in the elevator industry handling various functions covering all operational facets of the business. Prior to joining ThyssenKrupp Elevator, he worked with other elevator companies in India and the Persian Gulf countries.  

China Expansion, Partnership

Schindler expands in Shanghai, and Oriental partners with Shanghai Edunburgh Elevator Group.

New Schindler Shanghai Factory, Another to Come

Schindler opened a new manufacturing plant in Shanghai’s Jiading Industry District on May 21. At its opening ceremony, Schindler Group President Alfred N. Schindler called the factory’s completion a milestone in the group’s history that shows the ambition and confidence of its long-term development.

The facility will supply both the domestic and global escalator market. It is equipped with multiple energy-saving components and was built as a certified green building. According to the Shanghai Elevator Trade Association, China is the biggest manufacturer of escalators, with an annual production share of 65%. Schindler’s Chinese construction plans for the next two years include another elevator plant and an R&D center with a test tower, all totaling 300,000 m2.

Oriental, Shanghai Edunburgh Partner

Oriental (Chinese) Klc Holdings Ltd. and Shanghai Edunburgh Elevator Group, one of the country’s largest elevator manufacturers, signed a cooperation agreement in May, the Shanghai Elevator Trade Association reported. Shanghai Edunburgh will provide Oriental with its elevator equipment for the contract’s duration as it promotes communication and cooperation between the companies. Oriental will provide its wireless-monitoring building/facility technology to Shanghai Edunburgh.

CECA Golf, Fishing Details

The Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA) has announced its annual Golf Classic, along with a fishing trip, for October 2-3 in Vancouver. The Golf Classic is on the first day at Furry Creek Golf and Country Club, with the fishing trip on the next day departing from North Vancouver. For more information, contact the Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA) at email: office@ceca-acea.org or website: ceca-acea.org.

Otis Receives Manufacturing Leadership Award

Otis received the Editors’ Choice Award at the 10th annual Manufacturing Leadership Awards gala in Palm Beach, Florida, in March. The OEM was recognized for its implementation of cloud computing, in partnership with Cisco and CGI, in an effort to “enable redundancy and consistency across [Otis’] global footprint [and] provide a boundary-less solution that enables rapid deployment of scalable applications in a consistent and methodical manner globally in order to reduce operational costs, while increasing operational efficiency.” The awards were presented by the Manufacturing Leadership Community, a division of Frost & Sullivan.

MP Lifts Provides Unit for Spanish Landmark

MP Lifts has designed and manufactured a unique panoramic unit providing disabled access from the patio to the Museum of Art at the Palace of Charles V at Alhambra, a complex in Granada, Spain, dating to 889. The lift consists of a panoramic irregular cabin and was installed by IASA. Inaugurated on May 19, its irregularly shaped elevator cab boasts three glass sides and a glass ceiling, allowing outdoor views. Alhambra is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage site. MP Lifts notes:

“This project presented a challenge for MP Lifts, which worked side by side with architect Antonio Jiménez Torrecilla and managed to fully adapt the irregular shaft and integration with the building, resulting in a unique lift in Alhambra.”