Twenty Years of Growth

DOPPLER, a lift manufacturing company based in Polykastro, Greece, continually redefines its recipe for success.

submitted by DOPPLER Lift Manufacturers S.A.

DOPPLER Lift Manufacturers S.A. is celebrating 20 years of operation in the elevator and escalator industry this year. With more than 200 partners, 1,500 implemented public projects and 20,000 installed lifts around the world, the company feels its formula for success has been thoroughly verified.

History

DOPPLER was founded by Stavros Stavropoulos in 2000, when private and public construction activity in Greece experienced a remarkable recovery and contributed greatly to domestic development. At the National Technical University of Athens, Stavropoulos studied Shipbuilding Marine Engineering, a degree heavy in mechanical engineering and marine engineering, both of which fascinated him. He entered the elevator sector in 1982 when working for an installation company in Athens. He then established his own company in 1991 as a representative of Italian company FIAM. Over the next eight years, he became associated with KLEEMANN’s shareholding and executive operations, which helped him gain more industry experience and knowledge, both in production and business organizing/managing.

In 2000, Stavropoulos founded DOPPLER based on his own vision. The company started its operation in Polykastro, where it employed a few people in a small office. A few months later, the new factory in the city’s Industrial Area was fully operational. A year later, it opened its Athens office, then established offices in other countries, such as Cyprus, the U.A.E., Italy and Germany.

The company grew and flourished and maintained its success, even through challenging times for the industrial sector. Today, Stavropoulos’ daughter, Anthi Stavropoulou, is at the helm of DOPPLER and manages the company with fresh ideas and passion. Stavropoulou studied Mechanical Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Her thesis was on the introduction of the barcode system the company later used to optimize its processes and facilitate communication between departments. After completing her studies, she started working at DOPPLER, assuming different positions and duties. A rotation of tasks helped her gain an integrated knowledge of all company operations, as she held the positions of head of commercial management, production, business development and procurement.

Export Activity

DOPPLER is export-oriented, installing elevators and escalators around the world. Even shortly after its founding, its export activity was approximately 30% of its total sales. Its entry into the international market started in the U.K., where the first DOPPLER lift was installed in March 2003. More markets followed, such as Russia in 2006, the Middle East in 2007, Africa in 2008, Australia in 2010 and Latin America in 2014.

The global financial crisis and its impact on the industry and the construction sector made changing the company’s strategy imperative, so DOPPLER adjusted to the new conditions, redefined its goals and grew, quantitatively and qualitatively. In 2013, exports were covering 95% of the company’s total sales. This percentage has remained high, but the company also pays special attention to the Greek market, in which it seeks to strengthen its presence.

DOPPLER currently operates in more than 75 countries in Europe, Africa, Australia, South America, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Middle East. The company has a significant presence in Russia, Northern Europe and the United Arab Emirates, while it aims to enter new markets including North America, Asia and Central Africa, expanding its global portfolio.

Products

DOPPLER manufactures integrated elevator systems that can be configured according to the technical specifications of each project. Its products include:

• Passenger lifts
• Cargo lifts
• Car lifts
• Panoramic lifts
• Inclined lifts
• Dumbwaiters
• Accessibility systems
• Escalators
• Moving walks
• Parking systems

DOPPLER strives to adapt its products to the specific installation location via materials and/or colors usage. It also constantly evaluates new materials and implements new ideas for product improvement. So far, it offers the following cabin types, all of which can be combined with digital printing:

• INOX SERIES, a stainless-steel cabin with many color options
• GALAXY SERIES, a cabin with many Formica® or stained-glass options
• FOREST SERIES, a cabin with horizontal boards in various colors
• EPOXY SERIES, a cabin with epoxy paint in various options
• EASE Honeycomb, a cabin with double-sided cellular walls

DOPPLER can suggest, design and construct bespoke lifts for houses, hotels, hospitals, offices, shopping malls, museums, airports and other buildings. Additionally, it introduced the following pandemic-related additions earlier this year:

• A “Hygiene” package, which uses UV light in the cabin to sterilize surfaces
• An air-purifier system, which sterilizes the air and eliminates germs
• Touchless buttons for surface contact avoidance

Following these trends, DOPPLER proposes the installation of a specially designed Internet of Things (IoT) system for the remote management of the elevator by the installer, which is intended to save time and resources. The only item necessary to make this monitoring package functional is a SIM card. The IoT device provides not only the immediate, remotely received technical support, but also extra protection against COVID-19, as the application is developed for smartphones, tablets and laptops, and enables the end user to call the lift without touching a button.

Finally, DOPPLER provides a range of solutions related to Greece’s new subsidized “Save – Autonomous programme.” Participants have the right to request interventions in the common areas of residential buildings, including elevator upgrades. DOPPLER, therefore, proposes and implements either the replacement and upgrades of elevator components, or the elevator’s complete renovation.

Projects

DOPPLER’s most notable projects include installations at:

• The Athens Metro
• Athens International Airport and Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia
• The Fulgor plant in Italy, where an elevator was installed at a 55-story building
• Large Grecian retail chains, such as Sklavenitis and AV Vasilopoulos supermarkets, and ZARA stores, to facilitate transportation of both people and cargo
• The Maersk Reacher Oil Rig in the Northern Sea, off the coast of the Netherlands
• Trafalgar Square in London, where the elevator was designed to adapt to the surrounding area
• The Dubai Tram’s main line that runs through Dubai
• The Bentley dealership in Kuwait

Philosophy

Guided by its long-term commitment to facilitate safe, durable and quality infrastructures, DOPPLER offers integrated vertical- transportation solutions through a wide range of products and services. What differentiates DOPPLER is the provision of personalized proposals adequately adapted to each technical specification and aesthetic requirement. This is made possible by its R&D department that focuses on new technologies, materials and processes.

The company’s qualified electrical and mechanical engineers provide 24/7 technical support, as well as comprehensive and continuous training through live and online seminars. Considering adaptability and innovation key components of success, DOPPLER continually introduces new products and services. Examples include cabin designs, electromechanical adaptations and IoT-related technologies.