Expansions and acquisitions

KEB America Announces Expansion of Minnesota Facility

In response to rapid growth and strong customer demand, KEB America, Inc. is expanding its 80,000-ft2 U.S. headquarters in Shakopee, Minnesota, to 150,000 ft2. The ISO 9001:2015-certified facility was built in 2004, manufacturing complete automation solutions for the vertical-transportation, medical, packaging and plastics industries. The expansion is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2020. “We are excited to announce the new addition, which solidifies our strong commitment to North American customers from coast to coast and to our local community,” KEB America President Andy Delius said, adding the expansion will allow the company to meet demand more effectively and expand product offerings in North America.

ESI Partners With Carroll Capital

Investor Carroll Capital has partnered with Elevator Service, Inc. (ESI) to continue the company’s growth across Michigan. ESI, which maintains and repairs elevators for public- and private-sector customers, covers Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, Michigan. This partnership allows Carroll Capital to provide support and capital for the development of ESI’s growth strategy and acquisitions. ESI President Brett McCay said, “We are excited to partner with Carroll Capital and believe their resources and business-building capabilities will enable us to accelerate the growth of the business, while continuing to provide world-class service to the market.”

Oracle Elevator Expands West, Makes an Acquisition

Tampa, Florida-based Oracle Elevator recently announced a new office and an acquisition. Serving 42 markets in 15 states, primarily owners and managers of airports, universities and hospitals, Oracle opened its newest location in Denver as part of a continuing westward expansion. Chris Vanairsdale, regional vice president of Oracle’s Southwest Region, will lead the expansion into western areas including Utah, Arizona and Southern California.

Oracle also announced it is acquiring Affinity Elevator. Affinity has offices in Pensacola and Panama City, Florida, and Oracle hopes to expand its regional coverage in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. “The addition of Affinity to Oracle helps us expand our footprint and connect the critical markets along the I-10 corridor from Florida to Texas,” said Paul M. Belliveau, president and CEO of Oracle Elevator. The deal marks the 30th acquisition for Oracle Elevator since 2004.

Benfield Electric Supply Relocates to New Mega Facility

Benfield Electric Supply is moving all locations, the company recently announced. It is creating a new central distribution center that will have everything in one location. The mega facility will consist of two buildings and 70,000 ft2 of space in Mount Vernon, New York. Counter service will still be available at the existing White Plains facility, as well as the new location. The new Benfield facility is located at 240 Washington Street, but the phone numbers and email addresses remain the same.

Mod Job for 20 Elevators, Six Escalators in Minneapolis

The StarTribune reported on the renovation of 20 elevators and six escalators planned for the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis. The US$19 million project began at the nearly-50-year-old, 24-story downtown tower in October. It is expected to improve elevator performance and wait time, increase safety by adding a secondary emergency brake and improve energy efficiency by 30%. Additionally, a new AC drive system will eliminate carbon dust released by the old DC motor drive.

“It’s getting to the point where we aren’t able to get replacement parts, and the useful life of the mechanical system has come to an end,” Margo Geffen, the county’s facilities manager, said. To meet the county’s goal of “as little disruption as possible,” only one elevator is to be down at a time so its thousands of daily users aren’t too inconvenienced.

Hoistway walls will also be restored, and enclosed spaces will get better heating and cooling. Recent statewide building code changes will also be addressed. This entails wider elevator cars, new safety features for escalators and stairwell remodeling. Shaw-Lundquist Associates, Inc. is the general contractor, and work is expected to take approximately four years.

Delaware Elevator Honored Twice by ABC

Delaware Elevator, located in Salisbury, Maryland, was recognized twice by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) for its commitment to safety initiatives on the jobsite. The company was awarded the ABC Diamond STEP Award for exhibiting safety across the board at the highest level and the Chapter Safety Award for more than 500,000 man-hours on the job.