ThyssenKrupp makes a major investment in India, and companies join forces to expand reach.

ThyssenKrupp Selects Chakan for First Elevator Plant in India

ThyssenKrupp broke ground on October 13 in Chakan, India, on what will be its first elevator plant in India. Upon completion, the US$50.3-million plant is expected to have a capacity of 6,000 elevators per annum. ThyssenKrupp cited India’s robust and growing elevator market as the reason for the move, adding the plant could also become a point of export for countries in Southeast Asia and Africa.  

Indian Company Partners with Italian Machine Manufacturers

MAS Industries Pvt. Ltd. of Mumbai has partnered with two Italian drive manufacturers: SICOR S.p.A. of Revereto and Eco Traction SRL of Parma. The former will provide geared traction machines for the Indian elevator market, where MAS plans to target the premium segment. Sicor will utilize MAS’ sales and marketing channel, and aftersales service. According to Marco Baroncini, managing director of Sicor, India is a key market for Sicor global expansion plans, as the company expects the country’s economic growth is set to outstrip that of China.

Eco Traction will provide gearless machines for use in MAS equipment, with manufacturing of the units to start in December. Furthermore, Eco Traction will expand its market in India by utilizing MAS’ sales and marketing channel, aftersales service and manufacturing technologies. MAS industries has factories in Mumbai and Gujarat, India, for manufacturing elevator components, and its distribution and service channel stretches across the country.

ERM Becomes Avire’s Janus Distributor in North America

Avire and Elevator Research & Manufacturing (ERM), based in Los Angeles, have signed an agreement for ERM to be the distributor of Janus safety edges and emergency telephones in the North American market. George Foleanu, vice president of North American Operations at ERM, observed:

“ERM has been a customer of Avire for many years, and we are very pleased to be entering into this new partnership. By adding the option to purchase products from one of the global leaders in door protection, along with our line of . . . cabs, fixtures, car stations and doors, we are providing our customers the convenience and flexibility of a one-stop shop.”

Schindler CLIMB Lifts Enter China with 67-Story Edifice

Two Schindler CLIMB Lifts have been installed in Shenyang Forum 66 in northern China, marking the debut of the product on the country’s mainland. Climb lifts – also known as “jump lifts” in the industry – grow with the building and can be used during construction. One of the Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed buildings is to be complete at the end of the year. The main buildings of the mixed-use, twin-tower development are to stand 350 and 380 m tall, respectively. Schindler has provided a total of 31 Schindler 7000 elevators to this project, two of which are Schindler CLIMB Lifts.

Schindler first developed and implemented the CLIMB Lift technology more than 20 years ago and since then continuously improved the technology to both simplify the design and maximize customer benefits. The Schindler CLIMB Lift is based on the Schindler 7000 elevator and its technology, and serves as vertical transportation during high-rise construction. The product consists of a movable machine room that moves upward with construction progress. In self-climbing mode, the lifting platform provides independence from tower cranes.

The Schindler CLIMB Lift has been used in the construction of many landmark projects in America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia, and has been praised for shortening construction time by providing fast, efficient and weather-resistant transportation of workers and materials.

Contracts

Projects in Switzerland, China and Greece generate work.

Schindler Supplying 30 Escalators to CEVA Rail Line

Schindler has been hired to supply 30 9300AE escalators to the new 16.1-km Cornavin Eaux-Vives Annemasse (CEVA) rail line that will connect the main Cornavin station to the d’Annemasse station in Geneva. Work on the project started in 2011 and is expected to reduce travel time between the two stations from 30 to 17 min. Schindler anticipates escalator delivery to begin in spring 2016 and continue through 2017. The new rail line is expected to commence operations by the end of 2019.

KONE Wins Orders in Tianjin and Nanjing, China

KONE has been hired to provide 58 units to Tianjin Luneng Lvyinli in Tianjin, China, a mixed-use development consisting of a 40-story office tower and five apartment towers ranging from 34 to 48 stories with a five-star hotel in their podium. KONE is set to deliver 31 MinispaceTM and 23 Monospace® elevators, and four TravelMasterTM escalators. The elevators in the office tower will have a maximum speed of 5 mps. Developed by Tianjin Luneng Property Co., Ltd., the project is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2017.

The company has also been hired to supply 27 elevators to Nanjing Qing Ao Center Tower 2 in the Hexi New Town part of Nanjing, China. The contract includes the PolarisTM destination-control and E-LinkTM remote-monitoring systems and three years of maintenance. Thirteen MiniSpaceTM, six MonoSpace® and eight MiniSpaceTM double-deck elevators are expected to be installed by December 2016. Nanjing Qing Ao Center Tower 2 houses a hotel and offices and is being developed by Nanjing Hexi Engineering Project Management Co. Ltd.

Athens Medical Facility Gets Retrofit

Invertek’s sales partner in Greece, Automation Experts, was approached by fellow Greek company DC-Services for assistance with a project for Athens Medical Group. A constantly used lift in one of its buildings required modernizing as part of a renovation project to ensure it could continue to meet the daily demands of carrying vulnerable passengers in a high-traffic environment. An Otis MCS 321 system designed to modernize UMV-geared and servo-drive elevators had already been installed, so to ensure the lift offered the levels of functionality required, DC Services retrofitted the MCS 321 with a 37-kW Optidrive Elevator variable-frequency drive in closed-loop mode to control the 18ATF motor.

The dedicated drive includes a number of features for geared and gearless applications with a fully programmable travel curve and dedicated motor holding brake control algorithm for comfortable starting and stopping. Automation Experts Technical Director Theodore Amiridis explained:

“Combining the Otis motor with the drive from Invertek gives us excellent results. . . . Installing the Optidrive Elevator has resulted in a high-efficiency lift with very low energy consumption – this is especially important for a lift that will be used for thousands of journeys over the course of its lifetime.”

MRL Elevators in Turkey’s Royal Taj Mahal Hotel

Mitsubishi Electric has installed 15 machine-room-less (MRL) elevators in Antalya, Turkey’s Royal Taj Mahal Hotel. The company described the units as “environmentally conscious” with 1000-1600 kg capacities and 1-1.75 mps speeds. They also feature variable-voltage, variable-frequency, permanent-magnet gearless motors produced by the company; noise below 50 dB; and no need for lubrication. In the event of power failures, earthquakes or control-panel problems, passengers will be let off at the closest floor via a secondary backup system. Energy savings are facilitated by automatic (all-LED) lighting and fan shutoff.

Tower for Fast-Food Giant to Rise in Philippines

Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) has signed an agreement with DoubleDragon Properties Corp. to build a 40-story, mixed-use tower in the Ortigas Central Business District, Philippines, ABS-CBN News reported. Construction is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2015 and be finished in 2018. The building is set to include ground-level commercial and a fast-food drive through, an events center, JFC offices and leasable space for other offices. DoubleDragon, which has built numerous malls, said it expects the property to generate significant revenue.

Transitions

New managing director at OEM and a change at the top at NAESA

Gossain Appointed KONE India Managing Director

Amit Gossain has been appointed managing director for KONE India, fulfilling the role previously held by Neeraj Sharma, a member of KONE’s board and executive vice president (EVP) of KONE Asia Pacific & Middle East. Gossain has more than 25 years’ experience in sales, marketing, business development, product management and corporate affairs. He most recently served as EVP of JCB India, where he was responsible for India and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries. Under Gossain’s leadership, JCB was twice recognized as one of India’s most impactful brands. He is immediate past president of the Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association.

Top NAESA Staff Position Vacated

NAESA International has announced that Dotty Stanlaske, executive director of the organization since 2004, left NAESA to pursue other opportunities. The association appreciates Stanlaske’s 11-year stewardship of NAESA’s operations and extends its good wishes to her in her future endeavors. Douglas Warne, president of NAESA, is the interim contact person and can be reached at email: doug@naesai.org.

Niagara Belco Welcomes New General Manager

Niagara Belco Ltd., headquartered in Hamilton, Canada, welcomes its new General Manager Derek Moorse. Moorse began his career in the industry with Cambridge Elevating Inc. in 2003, holding key management positions, including vice president, as the company grew over the next 11 years. He has a diverse background that includes operations, installation, sales, marketing and business management. Niagara Belco believes he will bring new ideas and strategies to the team.

Otis Activity

OEM eyes cruise ships, adjusts Malaysian outlook and unveils new offering.

Opportunity in Maritime Work

The cruise ship industry presents growth opportunities for Otis, Bart Otten, president of United Technologies’ (UT) Fire & Security Europe, the Middle East and Africa, recently told Maritime Reporter. UT purchased Spanish marine-elevator company Enor in 2012 with an eye toward building that arm of the business. UT made its Otis and Carrier units separate after a two-year stint of having them under the same umbrella (ELEVATOR WORLD, November 2015), but Otten says marketing UT’s various offerings as a package deal to maritime customers still makes sense. He also does not rule out further marine-elevator acquisitions.

Slower Growth Projected

Otis expects to see slower growth in Malaysia in 2016 as a result of the weakening Malaysian ringgit in relation to the U.S. dollar putting the brakes on construction, The Malaysian Insider reported. Malaysia is a market driver for Otis, which, according to company officials, has enjoyed double-digit growth in the country for the past five-plus years. The value of Otis’ Malaysian market is slightly less than US$100 million. Otis is confident in the market over the long term, to the point it plans to build a training center in Bangi, Malaysia, that will train approximately 200 people per year. The company did not give a timeframe for construction.

Next Generation of eService

Otis has unveiled the next generation of its eService platform, which employs Microsoft Azure cloud technology. The platform provides elevator, escalator and moving-walk maintenance information in real time to customers via computer, tablet or smartphone. The eService app is available for Apple, Android and Windows smartphone devices. With eService, customers can review a system’s service history and performance, place a service call, review contracts and other documents, check and pay invoices, preview the latest upgrades and book appointments, among other things. Robin Fiala, vice president of Worldwide Marketing and Field Support for Otis, states:

“Our redesigned eService provides the most comprehensive upgrade since its initial launch. It makes life easier for our customers by helping them manage their building, and with added system flexibility, customers can tailor eService to meet their own needs.”

Progress in the U.K.

Work is being done in London and Brighton.

AL Reports on U.K. Projects

Amalgamated Lifts (AL) in London recently reported on several jobs within its growing portfolio. First, the company was hired by the University of Brighton to perform preventative and reactive maintenance on 63 lifts throughout the campus. The contract includes monthly maintenance visits, callout and repair services for passenger, goods and disabled-accessible lifts.

The company also recently modernized the duplex lifts at the Biscuit Building in the Shoreditch section of London, home of marketing agency Mother London. The work included a new traction variable voltage/variable frequency machine, control panels, door operators and landing signals. It also recently completed a 12-week project involving the triplex lifts at the CBRE offices in London. That job entailed installation of thin-film-transistor Clear View indicators, a new control panel with an absolute shaft encoder, reskinned cab walls, new landing doors and an integrated card-swipe system incorporated into the control panel to enhance security.

Brighton Observation Tower Reaches Full Height

A 162-m-tall observation tower, i360, being built in Brighton, U.K., recently reached its full height after only 10 weeks thanks to a technique involving the stacking of large steel sections, Gizmag reported. Inspired by the London Eye Ferris wheel, i360 will have a 200-person capacity, clear viewing pod that will rise like a glass elevator up a 18-m-wide tower to a height of 138 m, using a counterweight for leverage. A trip will take 20-30 min. Offering 360° views of the coastline and out to sea, the tower is scheduled for completion in mid 2016. Architects were David Marks and Julia Barfield.

Australia Action

Continent’s tallest takes shape, rack-and-pinion specialist wins work, and city gets a bold proposal.

Future Tallest Starts to Take Shape

Foundation work is underway at Melbourne’s Australia 108 (ELEVATOR WORLD, September 2014), which, at 319 m and 100 stories, will be the tallest building in Australia once completed, The Age reported. Housing luxury residences, it also promises to be the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere. Singaporean developer Aspial is planning to complete the building and its lift system in phases, with the first residents expected to move in to floors below 41 in fall 2018. The entire project is expected to be complete by late 2020, with additional time factored in for severe weather conditions that are typical at high altitudes. 

US$1.8-Million Order for Alimak

Alimak Group has landed a US$1.8-million order for construction hoists for various projects in Australia. The single- and twin-cage hoists are to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2015 and first quarter of 2016. Primarily based on a modular design, Alimak’s hoists have flexible size and capacity for use in a variety of applications, such as new-building construction and refurbishment of high-rise buildings, bridges, chimneys and façades.

90-Story Tower a “Bold Proposal” for Melbourne

Crown and Schiavello are proposing a 90-story, 317-m-tall hotel/residence, Queensbridge Hotel Tower, in downtown Melbourne, Australia, political leaders describe as a “bold proposal,” the Herald Sun reported. British architecture firm Wilkinson Eyre beat out several other globally known firms in a design competition for the project, which consists of the main tower flanked by two others. Proponents point to significant job and revenue creation, and the fact it would provide nearly 400 much-needed hotel rooms. Opponents feel it would mar the character of downtown Melbourne, particularly with a proposed airwalk connecting the tower to an existing Crown property. If it is approved, the project is scheduled for completion by 2020.

“Vertical Village” Proposed in Brisbane

World Class Land of Singapore wants to build a 274-m-tall, 91-story apartment building at 30 Albert Street in Brisbane, Australia’s Central Business District, the Brisbane Times reported. It would be the third residential tower built at the city’s maximum allowed height. Described as a “vertical village,” the building is set to have more than 730 apartments, recreation areas and podium-level retail and commercial space. No timeframe was given for the project.

Cliffside Elevators in Chinese National Park

A set of 475-ft.-tall glass elevators on the side of an almost vertical cliff standing 3,543 ft. above sea level went into service recently at Tiantangzhai National Park in central China, the Daily Mail reported. Providing passengers stunning views of the park’s mountains and waterfalls, the units have a speed of 2.5 mps, and each has a capacity of approximately 18 people. The system can carry up to 3,000 visitors per day. Like the panoramic elevators in Zhangjiajie National Park (ELEVATOR WORLD, October 2014), they have garnered some criticism from those who feel the system mars the natural beauty of the land.

EW 2016 Media Planner, Editorial Calendar Available

The 2016 editions of the ELEVATOR WORLD Media Planner and Editorial Calendar are now available at website: www.elevatorworld.com/advertise. In addition to facts about Elevator World, Inc. and its products, the planner includes advertising rates for print, digital and online options. The Editorial Calendar is an integral part of the kit. It consists of a schedule of each monthly EW issue and includes submission deadlines, bonus distribution plans and specified content, such as each month’s Focus Topic and other special sections.

Kudos      

A Beijing landmark and technological innovation are honored.

Emporis Skyscraper Award Goes to Wangjing SOHO

International data provider Emporis has awarded Zaha Hadid-designed Wangjing SOHO, a trio of 118-, 127- and 200-m-tall buildings on the outskirts of Beijing, its 2015 Skyscraper Award. Emporis cited the complex’s energy efficiency and soft, fluid shape as reasons for its selection. Sustainability, energy efficiency and unique design are more significant than height in determining winners, Emporis noted.

Runners up, in order, are: 105-m-tall Bosco Verticale in Milan, by Boeri Studio; 171-m-tall Tour D2 in Courbevoie, France, by Agence d’Architecture Anthony Béchu and ATSP; 541-m-tall One World Trade Center, New York City (NYC), by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; 224-m-tall Leadenhall, London, by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners; 382-m-tall Burj Mohammed bin Rashid, Abu Dhabi, by Foster + Partners; 169-m-tall Soyak Kristal Kule, Istanbul, by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, Has Mimarlik; 306-m-tall One57, NYC, by Atelier Christian de Portzamparc and Frank Williams & Partners; 248-m-tall Infinity, Brisbane, Australia, by DBI Design; and 175-m-tall KKR Tower, Kuala Lumpur, by GDP Architects.

CEEI Awards Nayar Systems Again

The European Center for Innovative Companies (CEEI) in Castellón, Spain, has awarded elevator-industry telecommunications company Nayar Systems with its seal for a “Technological Innovative Company.” The prize is for Spain’s most innovative companies. The company stated:

“Nayar Systems team is [filled] with satisfaction with this achievement. After eight intense years of [following a] professional path and significant reinvestment in R&D – which allows Nayar Systems to mark new tendencies in innovation – the company has been awarded [on] numerous occasions. Among others, Nayar Systems was named company of the year in 2011 – again by the CEEI – and in 2012 won the prize for ‘Best Company in Innovation.’ Also, the company was selected by ICEX, Santander and red.es to visit Silicon Valley and be a part of [the] Spain Tech Center Immersion Program, which allowed Nayar Systems to reach important agreements right in the cradle of world technology.”

Nayar Systems has also seen constant growth in its R&D and sales teams. This has allowed it to reinforce international expansion as it has pursued new markets in different continents.

ThyssenKrupp Layoffs in Canada Due to Consolidation

ThyssenKrupp plans to close its Toronto manufacturing facility by summer 2016 and will consolidate manufacturing activities in Middleton, Tennessee, resulting in the loss of approximately 165 jobs. ThyssenKrupp Elevator will continue to employ more than 1,600 in Canada. Rich Hussey, president and CEO of ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas, stated:

“This was not an easy decision and comes after an extensive review of our business. By consolidating operations, we can more efficiently provide high-quality products and customer service while expanding our engineering focus. Our customers asked us for enhanced technical support and field operations assistance in the region. By restructuring, we can meet their needs.”

KONE Shifts to Maintenance in China

KONE CEO Henrik Ehrnrooth said during a recent investor event in Shanghai that the company plans to shift its focus in China from new-unit sales to maintenance as growth in the world’s largest elevator market slows, Bloomberg News reported. The 20% annual growth rates OEMs have seen in China will not continue, Ehrnrooth noted. KONE is the largest vertical-transportation company in China, with 18% of new installations. Now, KONE hopes to see the same success with maintenance as it has enjoyed with new installations. It is investing in its service business and digital technology, efforts which are expected to lead to greater business opportunities as the number of installed units in China grows.