The Elevator World Comes to Poland

More than 100 VT companies display and demonstrate at EURO-LIFT Expo.

With a roster of more than 100 vertical- transportation (VT) companies representing 14 countries in attendance, nearly 2,000 guests were drawn to Kielce, Poland, for the Fifth International Lifts Exhibition EURO-LIFT, held October 2-4 at the Targi Kielce Exhibition & Congress Centre. On display within a 1,520-m2 space were some of the latest products from VT suppliers, including ropes, drives and control and safety systems.

There were several innovative products on exhibition, such as car-position devices, cab interior accessories, frequency inverters and solar-powered elevator systems. Another feature of the expo was the “Accessibility Island,” a display booth sponsored by the Polish government’s State Fund for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (PFRON) that served as a clearinghouse for the official “Accessibility Plus” program. At this booth, lift company representatives picked up information regarding financing, technical and architectural solutions (including elevator modernization) to adapt living, working and public spaces to the needs of people challenged by mobility issues. The goal of PFRON is to enhance the self-sufficiency of the disabled and elderly through design and mechanical means.

Several educational programs were offered, with prestigious presenters including Roberto Zappa of the European Lift Association, (ELA), Roger Howkins of ARUP, Mateusz Szymański of Safel, Stormer Stefan of TÜV Austria and others. Countries represented in the vendor hall were Poland, Belarus, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and the U.S. Major European industry organizations were also represented, including ELA and ANICA (Italian elevator components association).

EURO-LIFT was organized by the Polish Association of Lift Manufacturers and the EWIT Publishing House. Held in conjunction with EURO-LIFT was the LOKUM Expo, an event for property managers, housing cooperatives and tenants’ associations. The next EURO-LIFT Expo will be held in 2020.