China Outpaces Competition in Projects, Elevator Speed

The next world’s fastest elevators may be in Guangzhou; Shenzhen, Chengdu and Macao are swiftly building upward.

KONE to Supply 141 Units to Chengdu Development

KONE has been hired to supply 141 units to Zhonghai International Center in Chengdu, China. The development’s four 160-m-tall and three 110-m-tall buildings will be outfitted with 28 MonoSpace® and 85 MiniSpace™ elevators, and 24 TravelMaster™ 110 and four TravelMaster 120 escalators. The installation also includes the Polaris™ destination-control system and E-Link™ remote-monitoring system. Developed by China Overseas and Investment Ltd., the Zhonghai International Center was designed by China Architecture Design and Research Institute Corp. Ltd. and Sichuan Provincial Architectural Design and Research Institute.

Hitachi to Deliver World’s Fastest, Plus Shenzhen Stock Exchange

Hitachi Elevator plans to deliver the world’s fastest elevators to the mixed-use, 530-m-tall, 111-story CTF Finance Centre under construction in Guangzhou, China. Traveling at 1,200 mpm, or from the first to the 95th floor in approximately 43 s., the pair of units is part of a 95-unit order that also includes 28 double-deck elevators and additional high-speed elevators capable of traveling at 600 mpm. The previous world’s fastest elevators – such as those for Shanghai Tower – have an estimated speed of 1,080 mpm (ELEVATOR WORLD, July 2013). Hitachi is no stranger to fast-elevator technology, having developed 300-mpm units for the 30-story Kasumigaskei building, Japan’s fastest elevators at the time, in 1968. Four times as fast, the units for CTF will feature technology – some of it proprietary – to optimize safety, speed, efficiency and passenger comfort. Hitachi made the announcement in April, and delivery is expected upon completion of the building in 2016.

Additionally, Hitachi will provide 54 elevators for the Shenzhen Stock Exchange Square in China, the Shanghai Elevator Trade Association reported in April. Types include machine-room-less, super-high-speed and sightseeing elevators with speeds up to 6 mps. The company’s latest intelligent elevator-monitoring system will be installed for efficiency and flexibility. Its “meeting function,” “bypassed stop” and “peak run” settings are among its major features.

Macau Projects Are Eclectic, Ambitious

Schindler has been hired to outfit Sands China’s Parisian Macao hotel and casino with 85 elevators and 46 escalators. The latest order includes 40 7000 high-rise and 39 5500 elevators. Featuring a half-sized replica of the Eiffel Tower, the Paris-themed development will have 3,000 hotel rooms and 300,000 sq. ft. of retail at Cotai Strip in Macau. Schindler units will be installed in its podium, hotel tower and Eiffel Tower replica. Scheduled for completion in late 2015, Parisian Macao will be the fourth Sands development on the Cotai Strip to feature Schindler equipment.

Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd., owner of the City of Dreams gaming resort on the Cotai Strip in Macau, has unveiled Zaha Hadid’s design for the resort’s fifth hotel. The striking design by architecture’s “Queen of the Curve” features a pair of 40-story towers connected at the podium and roof. The exterior has a biomechanical look with rounded corners, while the interior features a soaring atrium. Designboom observes:

“While additional bridges span a series of voids carved into the singular volume, the elevator’s exposed exoskeleton not only presents a visually engaging and dynamic façade, but also allows for the optimization of internal programming by reducing internal structural requirements.”

Construction is underway, and the project is expected to be complete in early 2017.

Indian Companies See Success

Otis, Toshiba and Johnson have positive growth; Mitsubishi Electric launches new elevator line.

Otis India Back on Top After Reorganization

When Otis India was awarded the 670-unit contract by L&T Metro Rail for the Hyderabad Metro Rail project (ELEVATOR WORLD, July 2013), the largest single contract in the history of Indian industry, it marked a return to the top in the nation for the OEM. The steps Otis took to regain the No. 1 market position from Chennai-based Johnson Lifts were outlined recently in Live Mint. Under Sebi Joseph, managing director of Otis India since 2012, operations went from centralized to regional, which resulted in faster delivery times, better service and greater customer satisfaction. Joseph divided operations into four regions operating independently with their own directors and finance, sales and service teams. Thanks to reorganization, Otis’ new equipment orders – which included 222 units for the Delhi Metro Rail Corp. Ltd. – grew 44% from March 2013 to March 2014.

Toshiba/Johnson Partnership Going Strong in India

Toshiba Elevator India Pvt. Ltd. (TEI), a 100% subsidiary of Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corp., Japan, has operated in India since April 2011. In October 2012, TEI entered into a joint venture with Johnson Lifts Pvt. Ltd. with an aim of accelerating its growth and strengthening its presence in the Indian market. Since then, the business has been known as Toshiba Johnson Elevators India Pvt. Ltd. (TJEI), with sole exclusivity to market Toshiba’s vertical-transportation solutions.

 In the three years since its inception, TJEI has secured jobs amounting to more than 380 units. Various projects, from the prestigious to the iconic, have been completed in various major Indian cities. Some of these include:

• One Avighna Park, Mumbai
• GIFT Tower, Ahmedabad
• Sheraton Hotel, Bangalore
• Hotel Holiday Inn, Chennai
• Milestone SEZ 1, Bhartiya City, Bangalore
• The Atmosphere, Kolkata 

Mitsubishi Electric Revamps NEXIEZ Line for India

In an effort to expand sales in India to 1,000 units annually by 2016, Mitsubishi Electric has revamped its NEXIEZ elevator line to include NEXIEZ-LITE, a new, three-model lineup for low- and mid-rise buildings that it says blends energy efficiency, affordability, safety and Indian style. Safety features include the Mitsubishi Emergency Landing Device, which automatically checks the status of the elevator and moves it to the nearest floor in the event of a power failure, and a multibeam sensor to detect movement in the doorway and open doors immediately. Energy-saving features include a permanent-magnet-motor-powered gearless traction machine, said to reduce power consumption by 20% compared with that of inverter-controlled worm traction machines, and LEDs.  

Hitachi to Outfit Singapore’s DUO with 49 Units

Hitachi Elevator Asia Pte. Ltd. has been hired to supply 39 elevators and 10 escalators to the DUO mixed-use development under construction in Singapore. The order includes four elevators with maximum speed of 7 mps and capacity of 1600 kg. Sixteen elevators will be outfitted with Hitachi’s Destination Floor Reservation System, designed to ease traffic flow. Scheduled for completion in 2017, DUO consists of a 49-story residential tower and a 39-story hotel and retail tower. It is being developed by M+S Pte. Ltd. and was designed by German-born architect Ole Scheeren, best known for his work on Beijing’s CCTV headquarters.

Otis Supplies 21 Units to World Cup, Olympic Venue

Otis Brazil supplied 15 Gen2® elevators and six escalators for the historic Maracanã Stadium renovation in Rio de Janeiro, undertaken in advance of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup finals set to start this month, and the 2016 Summer Olympics. All units are outfitted with energy-saving ReGenTM  drives and will utilize Otis’ web-based PanoramaTM monitoring system. Otis is among OEMs expanding operations in Brazil, this year planning to open a new 200,000-sq.-ft. Gen2 factory in Saõ Paulo.

Appointment, Transition in U.K.

Industry veterans take on new challenges.

Cooper Appointed to CIBSE Council

David Cooper, director of U.K.-based consultancy LECS (UK) Ltd., ELEVATOR WORLD contributor and past chair of the London-headquartered Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Lifts Group, has been appointed to the CIBSE Council. His term commenced on May 8 following the CIBSE Annual Meeting. Cooper joined CIBSE in 1991 and became a fellow in 2008. In 2013, he was awarded honorary membership to the City & Guilds Institution for his technical-education contributions. In 2012, he was awarded the CIBSE Silver Medal in appreciation for his services. He is part of the team that organizes the CIBSE/University of Northampton Symposium on Lift Engineering, held each year in September. Cooper holds numerous degrees, including an MSc in Lift Engineering.

Drummond Joins Amalgamated Lifts

Nicola Drummond has joined Amalgamated Lifts in Kent, U.K. As part of the Service department, Drummond will help grow Amalgamated’s maintenance business as Business Development manager. She previously worked for Accord Lift Services and Schindler.    

Schindler Debuts M2M Phone System in Switzerland

Schindler has introduced a new emergency phone and telemonitoring system in Switzerland based on Swisscom’s machine-to-machine technology (M2M), m2mworldnews.com reported. Martin Huonder, head of Product Management Modernization at Schindler, said M2M enables monitoring of emergency calls and traffic in real time. The system, which replaces a landline connection, consists of a SIM card that transmits information to a central connectivity-management platform, both at regular intervals and on demand. Elevators equipped with M2M are ready for service immediately upon installation. The new system promises to provide cost savings and better service to customers in Switzerland, which has a high number of elevators per capita.

New European Lifts Directive Made Official

Directive 2014/33/EU of the European Parliament and Council of the European Union (EU) has been published in the Official Journal of the EU. It replaces the original version, 94/16/EC. The changes are only “cosmetic” and mainly made to bring an “omnibus” set of directives in conformity with the New Legislative Framework, adopted in 2008 as “the Goods Package” on the harmonization of the laws of its member states relating to lifts and safety components for lifts, by the European Parliament.

The publication clarifies the interpretation and application of the legislation by the member states to avoid unequal market conditions and unsafe products being placed on the market. The directive will provide manufacturers, installers, Notified Bodies and national authorities with clearer definitions, obligations of economic operators, presumption of conformity provided by harmonized standards, CE marking, policy in submitting the Declaration of Conformity, and conformity-assessment procedures. Elevator companies are advised to be careful with the references made in their documentation and certifications, since the numbering of articles and annexes has changed.

The technical amendments and modifications that had been requested by the industry were not taken into consideration due to the European Commission’s fear of making the process too long. The European Lift Components Association will be vigilant in the application of the new directive in the member states in efforts to protect component manufacturers and small and medium-sized enterprises against wrong interpretations. The new directive can be found in all 24 European languages at website: eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2014.096. 01.0251.01.ENG. Reported by Luc Rivet, EW Correspondent

Market and Company Updates

Rising steel prices and demand, accreditation and business expansion around the world

Steel Prices to Intensify Elevator Price Growth

Elevators are among five steel-based products forecast to see accelerated price growth due to an anticipated 2.2% annualized increase in steel prices over the next three years, Australian research firm IBISWorld reports. In addition, continued post-recession construction recovery is expected to fuel elevator demand, which will also contribute to higher prices. The value of private nonresidential construction is expected to grow at an annual rate of 7.5% from 2014-2017. This, combined with rising steel prices, is anticipated to result in an acceleration of elevator price increases to an annual rate of 4.2% from 2014-2017, compared with 3.4% over the past three years. Steel represents approximately 35% of the typical OEM’s total purchase costs.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator Buoyed by U.A.E. Demand

ThyssenKrupp Elevator expects significant infrastructure growth in the U.A.E. to bolster 2014 sales, The National reported, quoting CEO Andreas Schierenbeck at the unveiling of the company’s new US$45 million test tower in Germany in April. The U.A.E is outpacing the rest of the Middle East in terms of new construction, and ThyssenKrupp Elevator expects to build on an already strong track record in the country, which includes supplying 133 units to Abu Dhabi’s new Yas Mall and 640 units (not including 123 airport-to-aircraft passenger bridges) to Dubai International Airport. Schierenbeck forecasts a 10-12% increase in sales in Abu Dhabi and Dubai this year, and expects the activity to continue, resulting in growing ThyssenKrupp Elevator’s workforce from 1,700 in 2013 to 2,300 by 2019.

Oleo Accredited by UKAS

Oleo International, based in Midland, U.K., has become the first engineering company in the country to gain U.K. Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation for its energy-absorption testing laboratory. The designer, manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic buffers for the elevator, rail and industrial markets has had its testing laboratory formally recognized against internationally agreed standards for product testing. This means tests of its own products and those of other companies at its onsite laboratory meet the UKAS’ strict international standards.

Oleo demonstrated that its testing laboratory has a high level of quality control, beyond that of ISO 9001, to which the company already adheres. The company also showed that it operates approved validated technical methods and has highly trained staff using equipment with demonstrated accuracy and calibration for product testing. Oleo has been involved in the testing of buffers for more than 40 years and has its own onsite testing laboratory.

Accreditation application took 18 months and was led by Oleo employee of 23 years, Martyn Leckie. Leckie led his team of five through the UKAS application process and added:

“UKAS accreditation of our testing laboratory is a huge achievement for Oleo. It confirms that we are the only company in the U.K. that can test energy-absorption products to standards set by UKAS, and one of only [a] few throughout Europe. This adds to the huge level of integrity that we have on our products. . . .”

UKAS accreditation will remain valid for the next three years, subject to continuing compliance with international standards.

Mitsubishi Electric Establishes Myanmar Office

Mitsubishi Electric Asia Pte. Ltd. has opened an office in the Union Business Center in Yangon, Myanmar. The office is tasked with expanding business by conducting market research and supporting infrastructure projects and local distributors. It will be headed by General Manager Kohji Maruyama. Mitsubishi Electric has supplied products, including elevators and escalators, through distributors in Myanmar since the 1990s. Remarking on the country’s outlook, the company noted:

“Foreign investment for the development of infrastructure and special economic zones is accelerating in Myanmar due to democratization and economic reforms in recent years. The country’s consumer market has strong growth potential over the medium to long term.”    

Canadian Contracts, Proposal

National company GT gets contracts in Halifax and Toronto; developer eyes Dow’s Lake.

GT in Nova Scotia, TTC Metro Stations

Global Tardif (GT) has been awarded the Nova Convention Centre project in Halifax, Canada, from CKG Elevator to supply two geared freight elevators with a capacity of 20,000 lb., 16 machine-room-less elevators and seven escalators. The facility is a 1-million-sq.-ft. mixed-use development covering two city blocks. In addition to a convention center, a financial center, luxury hotel, residences, and retail and entertainment amenities are included. The estimated date of completion is the end of 2015.

Additionally, CEE Elevator Service Ltd. awarded GT a contract to install 10 custom hydraulic panoramic elevators at the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Pape, Mars, Dufferin, Union, Ashbridges Bay and Lawrence stations. Over the years, Global Tardif has supplied many elevators to the TTC, which is the third-largest transit system in North America, after the New York City Transit Authority and Mexico City Metro. Established in 1921, TTC comprises four rapid transit lines with a total of 69 stations.

Trio of Towers for Dow’s Lake, Canada

Two 48-story residential towers and an 18-story building have been proposed in Dow’s Lake, the latest in a series of tall residential towers proposed for the resort city, Ottawa Community News reports. It would consist of 1,123 residential units, as well as retail and amenities. Dow’s Lake leaders recently gave the green light to 45- and 30-story residential developments.