Vantage (GAL)

Bronx-based manufacturer brings together business units, taps regional VP.

GAL Becomes Vantage Elevator Solutions

GAL Manufacturing Corp., headquartered in Bronx, New York, announced in September it has brought together its six business units — GAL Manufacturing Corp., GAL Canada, Hollister- Whitney Corp., Courion, Bore-Max and Elevator Controls — under a newly formed operating company, Vantage Elevator Solutions. Vantage will continue to be led by CEO Mark Boelhouwer and the current management team. As part of the announcement, Vantage has a new website, vantageelevation.com, as well as a new logo, advertising program and tagline: “The Power to Move,” which the company said reflects its core value of enabling the safe and reliable movement of people. The announcement is the latest in several big changes for GAL, following the acquisition of GAL, GAL Canada and Hollister- Whitney by San Francisco’s Golden Gate Capital and the addition of executives such as Boelhouwer in June 2017 (ELEVATOR WORLD, August 2017). The company stated:

“Customers will benefit from new enhancements, including easy ordering, simplified scheduling, labor efficiencies and increased uptime, as well as the flexibility to work with one or all six of Vantage’s brands.”

Lazear Named VP, Northeastern Region

Eric Lazear has been appointed vice president, Northeastern Region, for GAL Manufacturing, LLC. With more than 35 years’ experience in the elevator industry, Lazear most recently served as director of sales for Draka Elevator, overseeing the company’s sales and distribution activities throughout North and South America. Prior to joining Draka, he was president of Amtech Elevator Services before orchestrating its sale to Otis in 2003. Lazear earned an MBA from Portland State University and a BS in Business Administration from San Diego State University. He resides in New York City. GAL CEO Mark Boelhouwer stated:

“Lazear is a strong addition and will play a key role in defining our market position in the Northeast, as well as working with the rest of the business-development unit to develop wider business opportunities throughout North America.”

Honolulu Condo High Rise With Schindler Elevator System

Anaha tower, part of the Ward Village® development in Honolulu, is open, boasting Schindler elevators and a host of amenities for residents of its 311 condominiums, Intelligent Glass Solutions, among other outlets, reported. The 40-story tower was designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz and Benjamin Woo Architects to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver standards. Curved, interlocking floorplates covered in a glass curtain wall evoke island waves. Located in the Kaka’ako district of Oahu, the structure includes a podium along Auahi Street housing retail and townhomes connected to the condo portion by a “living wall” with thousands of indigenous plants and a waterfall.

thyssenkrupp Announced as Hudson Yards VT Provider

thyssenkrupp Elevator has been contracted by Hudson Yards, the largest private development in U.S. history and the largest development in New York City (NYC) since Rockefeller Center, to design and install up to 40 TWIN elevator systems for the 300-m-tall office building 50 Hudson Yards, 27 elevators for the 51-story office building 55 Hudson Yards and 12 elevators and escalators for arts center The Shed. The 50 Hudson Yards TWIN installation will be the first in NYC and the second in the U.S., following the Coda Building in Georgia Tech University’s Technology Square in Atlanta (ELEVATOR WORLD, June 2016), where thyssenkrupp is building a new headquarters and test tower (EW, September 2018). Featuring two cars operating independently in the same shaft, TWIN transports up to 40% more passengers than conventional elevators. As Hudson Yards’ official vertical-transportation (VT) provider, the company will also deliver VT solutions to the 1.3-million-sq.-ft. Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards. More than 100 thyssenkrupp units featuring thyssenkrupp’s predictive-maintenance technology MAX will be installed at Hudson Yards, which will include more than 18 million sq. ft. of commercial and residential space in multiple towers, more than 100 shops and approximately 4,000 residences.