KONE Acquires Denver Service and Repair Business KONE has acquired the service and repair arm of Elevators Unlimited in Denver, adding “depth and talent to KONE’s service, repair and modernization business in the Denver area,” according to KONE. Welcoming Elevators Unlimited customers, Larry Wash, executive vice president of KONE Americas, described the move as part…
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More elevator-industry history has been written in the Chicago environs than in any other place in North America. We focus this month on America’s second city with a special section. My father called it the “Crown Jewel of Elevatoring.” Because of the great fire of 1871, more than 30% of the buildings in Chicago were…
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Bret Abels, president of NAEC and O’Keefe Elevator, reflects on an industry he entered by accident. Bret Abels, president and chief operating officer of O’Keefe Elevator Co. and 2016 president of the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC), often shares the story of how he got into the industry. For those who haven’t heard it,…
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Rome hosts “Lifts & Escalators in Smart Cities.” On April 18-19, the Radisson Blu in Rome played host to the annual European Lift Association (ELA) Conference. Jorge Liguerre, the new ELA president, opened the two-day event by saying: “It is a great pleasure to welcome you in the marvelous city of Rome, which has been…
Read More A look at the titles and authors of the important American standard between its inception in 1921 and 1931 Members of the vertical-transportation industry often refer to the American elevator and escalator safety code as simply “the A17 code.” However, the first edition of the code, published in 1921, did not carry that well-known designation:…
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Outfitted with a thyssenkrupp vertical-transportation system, River Point stands out among new, world-class office towers making their debut in downtown Chicago. by Kaija Wilkinsonphotos by Ron Acord for thyssenkrupp Chicagoans tend to be straightforward, determined and ready to forge ahead to get a job done. These characteristics are evident when it comes to integrating elevators…
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Bringing the annual fundraiser onto land failed to dampen its success. Bringing the annual Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF) Chicago cruise onto land had no effect on the enthusiasm of Foundation supporters, as 110 guests gathered at RIVA Restaurant on Chicago’s famous Navy Pier overlooking the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan on June 8. As…
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West Chicago’s Vator Accessories has eye on growth. Vator Accessories, Inc., was founded by Lisa Grimes and her stepfather, Frank Wieckowski, eight years ago and has enjoyed success selling elevator accessories such as rail clamps, scavenger pumps, door detectors, ladders, lights and fans, primarily in North America, but also worldwide. Wieckowski used what he learned…
Read More Adams General Manager Rick Stumpf thrives guiding a team he describes as the “best in the industry.” Like many Chicagoans, Adams Elevator Equipment Co. General Manager Rick Stumpf is a first-generation descendent of immigrant parents, and now thinks of himself as a Chicago native through and through. Born and raised here, he and his wife,…
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After a long and colorful career with dumbwaiter company Matot, Jim Peskuski has no regrets. During his nearly 45 years in the industry, Jim Peskuski has seen it from many different and interesting angles. Born and bred in the Chicago area, the executive vice president of sales for Chicago dumbwaiter company Matot has enjoyed his…
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