OEMs, Elevator World make big announcements.

Orona Announces Acquisition, Projects at AGM

Hernani, Spain-based manufacturer Orona announced the approval of its 2016 financial statements and other items at its annual general meeting (AGM) in March. It also stated it had recently acquired Myhre Heis AS, an Oslo, Norway-based company with 38 years of experience in the industry. With its 33rd subsidiary, Orona expects its revenues to be in the range of EUR27 million (US$30 million) in Norway, where it already has nine offices and nearly 130 employees. The acquisition is indicative of its “Orona-UE” project, which is intended to strengthen the cooperative’s commitment to keep growing in Europe, where it already has more than 1,500 employees.

The AGM also analyzed the trajectory and future prospects of the expansion of Orona’s Hernani facilities (now 97,000 m2 and producing more than 15,000 lifts per year), which was launched in spring 2016. Through its “Fabrika 4.0” project, the company has installed an intelligent manufacturing system, which seeks to create jobs and improve competitiveness. Its total employee number stands at 4,765,266 more than the previous year.

thyssenkrupp: New Facility in India, Net-Zero Energy Solution

thyssenkrupp inaugurated its new, 20,000-m2 manufacturing, distribution and training center in the Chakan Industrial Area of Pune, India (ELEVATOR WORLD, December 2015), on May 12. With an initial capacity of 6,000 units (10,000 in the near future), the plant allows thyssenkrupp to expand significantly in the region to support the growing Indian construction sector. thyssenkrupp India CEO Ravi Kirpalani observed the urban population in India is one of the fastest growing in the world, with 30% of its residents living in cities now and a projected 40% by 2030. Along with nurturing local talent, which thyssenkrupp described as “an essential element of its plans for India,” the new facility will help support growth of India’s housing, rail, airport and retail markets.

The company also unveiled its net-zero energy elevator solution for modernization, which generates more energy than it consumes, at the annual Energy Efficiency Global Forum in Washington, D.C., in May. Describing it as the first solution to enable conversion of existing elevators to net-zero energy units, thyssenkrupp said it was motivated by the lifecycle of typical elevators, which remain in operation for approximately 15 years. The vast majority of the estimated 12 million elevators in operation worldwide are older units. The company described how the solution goes a step further than the energy-generating elevators it installed at One World Trade Center in New York City:

“[The solution] focuses on improving energy efficiency even when the elevator is idle, which can be as much as 70% of its working life. The design uses new controllers that trigger ‘hibernation’ modes in idle cabins, thus significantly reducing energy demand. The required energy can be generated using solar panels no larger than the footprint of the elevator shaft.”

New Elevator World Website, Program

Elevator World, Inc. is happy to announce the launch of its redesigned website. The new elevatorworld.com has a fresher look and faster navigation. It is also optimized for use on mobile devices. Its “Content Center” includes featured articles available for purchase or free for EW subscribers, and new advertising opportunities are available. A new paid program called “EW Plus” grants access to more content, including bonus products, educational materials, market studies and more.

Otis’ Relationship With Chengdu Metro Grows

Otis Elevator (China) Co., Ltd., has strengthened its relationship with China’s Chengdu Metro (EW, April 2016) with an order to provide 96 units to the expansion of Line 1, Phase 3. The 18.6-km north-to-south extension will help connect the capital of Sichuan Province with the growing Tianfu New District. The extension is set to become operational in early 2018. The order consists of 83 escalators and 13 energy-efficient, compact Gen2® elevators equipped with ReGenTM drives. President Luis Molina of Otis Elevator China stated the contract “reflects a good fit between Otis technologies and Chengdu Metro’s fast growth and high standards of efficiency and passenger comfort.”

Fujilift Opens Lebanon Plant

International OEM Fujilift tells EW it has opened a 4,500-m2 manufacturing plant in Mkalles, Lebanon. BusinessNews reported details on the project, including that it represents a multimillion-dollar investment; uses products imported from Switzerland, the Netherlands and Japan; and has an annual capacity of 1,000 elevators. Sixty-five percent of the units will be imported to Arab, African and Eastern European countries. The factory created approximately 30 full-time jobs.