Changes, promotions and new ventures around the elevator world

KONE Announces Executive Board Changes

Maciej Kranz has been appointed chief technology officer, executive vice president (EVP) and executive board member at KONE. Kranz succeeds Tomio Pihkala, who has been appointed EVP, New Equipment Business. Pihkala succeeds Heikki Leppänen, who has been with KONE since 1982 and a member of the executive board since 2005.

Kranz, who holds an MBA, joins KONE from Cisco Systems Inc., where he served for 20 years, most recently as vice president and general manager, Corporate Strategic Innovation Group. KONE CEO Henrik Ehrnrooth observed that, in previous roles, Kranz “demonstrated strong leadership in turning digital opportunities into clear business benefits.” Pihkala, meanwhile, “has a proven track record of leadership in several business lines in Europe and China, most recently leading our Technology and Innovations unit.” Ehrnrooth thanked Leppänen for his contributions, including being instrumental in the launch of MonoSpace® in 1996 and helping grow KONE from a small player to a market leader in China. Leppänen is leaving his position to focus on non-executive duties.

CEO Title, Duties for Marks as Otis Readies for Spinoff

Otis President Judy Marks was appointed CEO of the company by United Technologies Corp. (UTC) in early June as UTC’s air-conditioning and building systems company Carrier, aerospace and defense supplier UTC and Otis prepare to split into three independent companies (ELEVATOR WORLD, February 2019). At the same time, David L. Gitlin was appointed president and CEO of Carrier. As Otis CEO, Marks has greater responsibility and is confirmed as the company leader. She said:

“I’m privileged to lead our 68,000 Otis colleagues into the future. We’re the world’s leading elevator and escalator company, moving more than two billion people a day. The largest portfolio of service contracts, our global presence, and our ability to execute to scale enable Otis to deliver superior returns to shareholders through economic cycles.”

thyssenkrupp Elevator France Names New President

Emmanuel Paris became the new president of thyssenkrupp Elevator France on May 1. He succeeds Emmanuel Altmayer, who served as president from February 2016 to April 2019. Paris spent 10 years as a manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers and four years as head of Etna France before joining thyssenkrupp Elevator Home Solutions in 2011. Paris also worked for Drieux-Combaluzier, a company that specializes in custom elevators and the maintenance and modernization of multibrand elevators. He later became district manager for the Paris Ile-de-France area of thyssenkrupp before becoming director of sales and marketing operations. In addition to Emmanuel Paris, thyssenkrupp Elevator France is also joined by Jérôme Py, who will serve as chief financial officer France.

Cambridge Elevating Announces Employee Promotion

Cambridge Elevating announced the expansion of its Dealer Support Team with the addition of Shawn Mallaley. He has been an integral part of the direct Field Operations in Ontario for more than 12 years, with past roles in installation, service and project management. Mallaley will serve as the Dealer Training Manager, a role created to ensure all new (and existing) dealers have a successful and rewarding experience installing the company’s elevator models. In this new position, Mallaley will take advantage of the new location’s training hoistways for conducting technician training schools throughout the year, and on-site installation coaching when needed. His mandate will be broad enough to support sales, production and technical support for all projects when required.

Mitsubishi Electric Launches New Company in Laos

Mitsubishi Electric announced that it has established a new company called MELCO Elevator Lao Sole Co., Ltd. (MLAO) to increase its elevator business in the Mekong regional market, which it calls “highly promising.” It is expected to strengthen Mitsubishi Electric’s sales of elevators and escalators. Annual sales in Laos are expected to rise 50% from the prior fiscal year. The new company began operations July 1. Mitsubishi Elevator (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (MET) had been distributing elevators and escalators in Laos through a local agent, Souvanny Home Center Public Co. (SVN). MET purchased and integrated SVN’s elevator and escalator business with MLAO after completing a number of successful projects in Thailand.

Liftinstituut Solutions Opens Middle Eastern Office in Dubai

Joined by a select group of architects, developers, property owners and government officials, Liftinstituut Holding Managing Director Marco Waagmeester inaugurated Liftinstituut Solutions LLC’s new Middle Eastern headquarters in Dubai on May 29. The offices of the elevator/escalator safety consultancy are on the 22nd floor of Tower 2 of the Boulevard Plaza building. The inauguration included a seminar about optimizing engineering in vertical-transportation (VT) system design. Liftinstituut Solutions Managing Director Süleyman Özcan said the team provides advice on VT design, modernization, maintenance and inspection. Waagmeester said Liftinstituut’s presence in the U.A.E. is vital: “We are now able to service our customers in the region on a much more personal level.” The new office may be reached at phone (971) 4524-7855, and more information is available at liftinstituutsolutions.com.

Taiwan’s Golden Friends Bullish on Demand

Golden Friends Corp., one of Taiwan’s leading elevator/ escalator companies, anticipates increased revenue for it in Taiwan as high rises multiply, driving demand for new units, the Taipei Times reported. A stable maintenance and repair portfolio is also projected as systems reach the end of their service life.

Golden Friends spokesperson Lin Hung-peng observed shipments of its high-end elevator, Genesis, have grown roughly 10% annually since 2015. Sales in the replacement-part business saw approximately 42% annual growth from 2015-2018, and double-digit percentage growth is anticipated over the next three years. In the first quarter of this year, the company sold 586 elevators, contributing the equivalent of US$18 million, or more than 55%, of the quarter’s revenue. The company anticipates none of its growth will come from China, as it withdrew last year due to “fierce competition and an unfavorable supply-demand situation” in the country.