Different Names, Same Issues

Some call them lifts and others call them elevators, but the issues besetting the vertical transportation (VT) industry in Europe are eerily the same as those in the U.S. and around the world. We just finished Elevator World Inc.’s annual corporate board meeting, where four of our directors are from Europe. Their comments reflected issues affecting their businesses – supply chains, inflation, interest rates and the lack of skilled labor. In this issue, Dr. Peter Hug, managing director, Lifts and Escalators, VDMA, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, said that rising interest rates were hampering growth in the European VT industry but, “many would rather give up margins than let skilled workers go.”  There are no replacements, he said, and young people do not know about our industry. During this year’s Heilbronn Elevator Days, a new group called MeetLift met for the first time and discussed the challenges of recruitment to VT. Evidently, we have a low visibility problem (my son says we are a “secret industry”), and attention is focused on lifts only when something goes wrong. The solutions for recruiting the future workforce are to organize meetings with universities and high schools; integrate motivated immigrants; and offer education/training and apprenticeship programs. We are a high-tech industry with appealing financial rewards. Go out and talk it up! 

The spring months in Europe were filled with events. In Back with New Ideas by Undine Stricker-Berghoff, the aforementioned and well attended 40th Annual Heilbronn Elevator Days is detailed. Many of the presentations addressed the new EN Machine Directive and its effect on the European lift industry. Three other events were covered by our Managing Director in Europe, Bülent Yılmaz. 

• Asansör Istanbul Attendance Exceeds Expectations. Despite the recent earthquake, the fair had over 300 booths and almost 25,000 visitors. Panels covered vocational training and seismic conditions.
• Great Interest in the First Kazakhstan Expo. Kazakhstan boasts the best economy in Central Asia. Their expo hosted 60 exhibitors.
• ELA’s Silver Anniversary. The umbrella organization of lift societies in the European Economic Zone celebrated its 25th year in Lucerne, Switzerland. The two-day conference focused on maintenance safety.
• The focus this issue is The Future of VT – 2030. We offer two articles on the subject.
• Polymer Matrix Composite Applications on the Elevators of the Future by Emre Köroğlu and Ali Kiliç. This paper from the 2022 International Elevator and Escalator Symposium (IEES) held in Barcelona, Spain, discusses the use of PMC to make lifts lighter, stronger and more energy efficient.
• Lifts in the New Millennium by Elena Mauro. This paper was also presented at the IEES in Barcelona. It addresses the major changes affecting lifts in the future, i.e., machine learning, smart lifts and automation of testing and maintenance.
• Three other articles could easily fall under that focus:
• Using Circular Economic Business Models and Life Cycle Assessment To Improve the Sustainability of Elevators by Marco Tomatis et al. The goal of the study was to learn the environmental impact of refurbishing an elevator drive versus installing a new drive.
• PU-Coated Ropes as Elevator Suspension Means by Nicola Imbimbo. Small diameter suspension means can make a great difference, and PU-coated ropes allow reducing the traction sheave diameter while the motor sheave is larger.
• And for those who are sure ropeless lifts are the future, we have Hongliang Liang’s article Ropeless Lift Feasibility Study, where he argues both sides of its feasibility.

There is much more to enjoy in this issue. Dr Lee Gray continues his exploration of The History of Operatorless Elevators in Europe with an article about Otis’ John D. Ihlder. We hope you enjoy these offerings, and if so (or not) let me know –  ricia@elevatorworld.com.