India's Johnson Lifts Seizes Domestic Opportunities

Johnson Lifts, which holds an approximately 20% share in India's roughly 1.5 lakh (150,000)-unit vertical-transportation (VT) market, sees home elevators, public infrastructure and high-speed, high-rise elevators as growth opportunities domestically, DT Next reports. Based in Chennai, India, Johnson Lifts began as a manual lift manufacturer in Chennai's Vyasarpadi neighborhood in the early 1960s and emerged as a pioneer in escalator manufacturing — a daring move that is now paying off in the form of VT work for metros and railways. The source observed Johnson Lifts is currently involved in approximately 40 such projects nationwide. For home elevators, in 2025 the company launched Eazy Ride Plus, a customizable compact lift that has already seen 20 sold in Chennai. As high-rise construction increases in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, Johnson Lifts is expanding its facility near Chennai to include a 150-m test tower for high-speed elevators. The company produces approximately 18,000 lifts annually and employs between 10,000 and 11,000 people.