Our annual photo contest never ceases to amaze me with the beauty and creativity at work in the elevator industry. It’s not just that we build beautiful objects; we see the beauty all around us and relish it. We had more entries this year than ever, and the winners came from Taipei, San Francisco, the U.A.E., London, Australia, Greece, Germany, Sweden, Hungary, Spain, Texas, Canada, Istanbul, Oregon, Colorado and Philadelphia. Our cover is from NYC, and it seems to be yelling above the clouds, “Yay, construction is back — the race is on!”
Another feature this month is Art in Motion by Farid Waleh. This gorgeous round glass elevator in a freestanding glass hoistway was a challenging job, but it is the star of the Museum of Modern Art expansion in NYC.
The only international event we are reporting on is the World Elevator & Escalator (WEE) Expo in China. Our Chinese correspondent Peng Jie manned the booth for Elevator World, Inc. and reported on the event in WEE Goes On. Moved from May to August, this was the only in-person elevator event held while we were writing this issue. Suppliers showcased clean, safe and virus-proof products. Many Chinese exhibitors noted that exporting has dried up almost completely, and they are now depending on the domestic market.
Our focus this month is on Machines and Drives, and we have four interesting offerings:
- Choosing a Brake for Elevator Drives by Alexander Hutler: Selection of the correct product has become more difficult due to globalization and intensity of competition. It is important to specify the appropriate brakes from a renowned manufacturer.
- VFD for Residential Elevators by Sher Xiong: KEB America offers its F5 series drive for both traction and winding-drum machines in multistory homes.
- Elevator Drive Obsolescence by Jordan Griffin: The author suggests using “discontinued” instead of “obsolete,” because a unit is not obsolete while parts and service are
still available. - A Drop Tower of Superlatives by Giuseppe Savoca: The Einstein Elevator in Hanover, Germany, is the only tower in the world that can simulate weightlessness and various other gravitational conditions. It is used for experiments. GEFRAN manufactured the frequency converters that control its high-power drive system’s power supply.
COVID-19 continues to affect our industry, but the dynamics are different in every country, and it is changing as we are writing. It is trending slightly upward again in the U.S., and some parts of Europe are experiencing a second wave. India and the Middle East continue to struggle with numerous cases a day, but business is good. Elevator World, VFA Interlift and AFAG, in association with Credit Suisse, have launched a second survey of the industry and COVID-19’s effects as we approach the ninth month of the pandemic.
In Working Through the Challenges by Kaija Wilkinson, Otis released its half-year earnings that reflect how the pandemic is handled in various countries. President Judy Marks noted that almost 90% of all buildings are now open, and high technology is the solution called for in many instances.
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat hosted a virtual forum for a global group of owners and occupiers, inviting them to discuss pandemic-related changes in building use. The Inaugural CTBUH Owner/Occupier Forum found building flexibility to be critical for owner happiness.
This is a great issue, full of our industry in constant beautiful motion. Enjoy!
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