Elevator World

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OTIS TO CONSOLIDATE R&D, PRODUCTION IN SOUTH KOREA

Officials from Otis signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Incheon Metropolitan City and Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority on June 13 to build a 15,600-m2 R&D and production facility in the high-tech Industrial Center of the Songdo International Business District in Incheon, South Korea. Construction is set to start in September, with anticipated completion in 2018. The move will bring existing R&D and production facilities in Seoul, Incheon and Changwon under one roof. Otis Korea's modernization-system and quality center will move from its headquarters near Seoul to the new facility, which will serve as an R&D hub for South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

 

INDIAN CITY AMENDS LIFT RULES TO ALLOW PRIVATE INSPECTORS

The Delhi Lift Rules of Delhi, India, have been amended to allow private individuals or agencies to test and certify elevators, which city officials hope will help address an inspector shortage, various news outlets, including The Hindu, report. There are only approximately 12 inspectors for thousands of elevators. Under the new rules, inspectors must have a degree or diploma in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or the equivalent, have at least five years' experience, be younger than 65 and provide a copy of their Aadhaar number (government-issued Indian ID) and proof or residence or office location in Delhi.

 

IN MEMORIAM: ARUN N. “BOBBY” GOKHLAY

Arun N. "Bobby" Gokhlay passed away on April 4 at age 80 at a hospital in Pune, India. He held a Master of Commerce from Mumbai University and had stints in the attorney general's office and at Rashtriya Metal Industries and XLO Ltd. In 1965, he joined Otis India as cost accountant at Otis' Bhandup factory, rising to chief financial officer in 1990. He later served as director of Quality and Safety until his retirement in 1995. Described as an extremely intelligent analyst and decision maker, Gokhlay "exhibited cool composure even while facing explosive situations in industrial relations." He is survived by wife, Asha; daughter, Abha; son, Anukool; and grandchild, Sanjana.

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This week’s featured product is: Elevator World’s Source and eDirectory

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MITSUBISHI INDIA WINS BIG ORDER IN BENGALURU

Mitsubishi Elevator India Pvt. Ltd. (IMEC) has won an order for 178 units at a technology business park in Bengaluru, India, the company announced on June 13. The order includes both passenger and service elevators. The passenger elevators will employ eight-car group operation with destination-control systems and access control in the elevator lobbies. The elevators, which will be sourced from Mitsubishi factories in Japan and Thailand, will include touchpad panels, LED light fixtures and Mitsubishi’s patented “MelEye” monitoring system. The park is being developed by M/s Bagmane Developers Pvt. Ltd. IMEC says the deal represents the largest-ever single order for an information technology park in India, though the company has previously installed about 200 units at the same developer’s various projects around Bengaluru.

IMPERIAL ELECTRIC NAMES NY/NJ REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Imperial Electric, headquartered in Akron, Ohio, has named Gabe Capozzi regional sales manager, based in the New York (NY)/New Jersey (NJ) area. Capozzi has previous experience in the elevator industry with small and large customers and has numerous elevator-consultant contacts. He graduated from the NJ Institute of Technology with a degree in Business. Imperial Vice President of Marketing and Sales Gary Ward said he is confident about Capozzi’s ability to help grow the company’s elevator-product sales through face-to-face customer meetings and followup.

DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND APARTMENT HIGH RISE ENVISIONED

The nonprofit Playhouse Square Foundation plans to build a 34-story, 378-ft.-tall tower containing more than 300 apartments on the edge of the theater district in downtown Cleveland, The Plain Dealer reports. The organization also plans a six-level parking garage topped by resident amenities at the site, at East 17th Street and Euclid Avenue. Global real-estate firm Hines would serve as development manager. A market study Playhouse commissioned showed occupancy is still low and demand high for downtown Cleveland, which will be able to accommodate at least 500 new apartments each year for the next five years. Groundbreaking is anticipated by the end of the year, with the project opening by 2020.

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This week’s featured product is: Elevator World’s Source and eDirectory

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SDIPTECH BUYS AUSTRIAN ELEVATOR COMPANIES

Sdiptech AB has announced the acquisition of controlling interest in two Austrian elevator companies, ST Liftsystems GmbH and Aufzüge Friedl GmbH. The deals give Stockholm, Sweden-based Sdiptech 51% ownership in each company, with options to buy the remaining 49%. ST Liftsystems manufactures compact elevators suitable for small spaces in existing buildings, as well as new construction. Aufzüge Friedl installs and services elevators in Vienna and nearby areas. The total amount Sdiptech paid for its shares of both companies was EUR6.5 million (US$7.28 million). The company focuses on urban infrastructure, offering niche products and services for fast-growing metropolitan areas. With the acquisitions, it projects annual revenue of about SEK1 billion (US$116.5 million).

 

H&B CEO EISON NAMED 'ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR'

H&B Elevators CEO Jashan Eison (who was profiled in ELEVATOR WORLD, April 2014) has been honored as "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA), a Minneapolis-based organization that promotes minority business ownership, FOX 9 reports. Eison went to work for H&B in 2007 as a project manager but, four years later, was told the company was being put up for sale. Though he'd never run a company, he took the plunge and, with a partner, bought H&B in 2013. He moved the company to North Minneapolis, where he employs approximately 50. Eison said the company has seen 40% revenue growth since he took over. Among H&B's offerings are cabs and interiors, and their products can be found in such prestigious locations as US Bank Stadium, home of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, and Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest building.

 

SEVERAL HURT WHEN KOLKATA ESCALATOR SUDDENLY REVERSES

An escalator at Kavi Subhash Metro station in Kolkata, India, suddenly started moving in reverse during the morning rush hour of June 6, resulting in minor injuries to several commuters, The Times of India reports. Commuters on the escalator tumbled down the metal staircase, and about five people were treated on the scene for cuts and bruises. Metro officials said the escalator had last undergone maintenance on May 14. The cause of the reversal was under investigation.

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This week’s featured product is: Elevator World’s Source and eDirectory

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THOMPSON, HR GREEN ALLIANCE PROVIDES CODE HELP IN CHICAGO

Thompson Elevator Inspection Service, Inc., serving the Chicago area since 1975, has formed a strategic alliance with HR Green, Inc., which has offices nationwide and has had a Chicago presence since 1913, aimed at better serving area municipalities. According to HR Green, the alliance provides fire and elevator code compliance that will allow for quicker building occupancy. HR Green observes the team can quickly mobilize International Code Council- and QEI-certified professionals, including experienced QEIs who are also State of Illinois licensed.

 

TECHNICIANS SUSPENDED AFTER ESCALATOR ACCIDENT

The Hong Kong government has suspended the licenses of two technicians for six months in connection with a March 25 escalator malfunction that left 17 people injured, the Hong Kong Free Press reports. The escalator, which carries people between the fourth and eighth floors of a shopping mall, suddenly reversed and began descending rapidly, sending riders tumbling. During a June 9 news conference, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department spokespeople blamed the accident on metal fatigue, which caused the main drive chain to break. In addition, a safety system failed to engage. The two technicians are suspected of not conducting proper inspections and maintenance. An investigation was continuing. Two other technicians were arrested shortly after the accident on charges that they improperly handled mechanical parts of the escalator.

 

CECA GOLF CLASSIC ANNOUNCED

The Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA) announced its Sixth Annual Golf Classic at its convention last week. It will follow a CECA Western Region meeting with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. on September 28 at the Lynx Ridge Golf Club in Calgary, Canada. The CAD200 (US$149) fee includes 18 holes, a golf cart, practice facilities, lunch and drinks. For more information on the event, visit the CECA website.

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This week’s featured product is: The Elevator Agency

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JOHNSON LIFTS ENTERS HEAVY-DUTY PUBLIC ESCALATOR MARKET

India’s Johnson Lifts Pvt. Ltd. has set up a heavy-duty escalator factory in Oragadam near Chennai, India, The Hindu reports. Johnson officials held a media event on May 31 to announce the move, prompted by the announcement of metro projects and construction of foot overbridges across India. The new facility is equipped to test all equipment before it’s shipped, enabling customers to inspect their products before they leave the factory. Johnson Lifts bought the technology from SJEC of China, and funded the project in-house. Approximately 80 percent of components will be produced domestically.

 

WORKER HURT IN CONSTRUCTION ELEVATOR

A worker at a building site in New York City (NYC) suffered life-threatening injuries June 7 when a construction elevator malfunctioned and pinned him against a wall, DNAinfo reports. The man was on the job at Pier 57 when the elevator malfunctioned, ejecting him and pinning him against the wall, the NYC Fire Department said. He was freed from the wall and taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. Pier 57 is undergoing a major renovation that, when finished, will include 480,000 ft.2 of offices and retail space, including a market planned by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.

 

RESIDENTIAL SUPERTALL BY MOSCOW FIRM FOR NYC

Moscow-based architecture firm Meganom has designed its first U.S. project, a 1,001-ft.-tall, skinny residential tower at 262 Fifth Avenue in the NoMad (north of Madison Square Park) neighborhood of New York City (NYC), dezeen reports. Demolition of two vacant structures is underway. A historic, 12-story limestone building will be incorporated into the building's base. According to the architect, the structure will be unique with its "forward-thinking contemporary design" featuring an aluminum and glass façade, floor-to-ceiling windows in some units and a mechanical core running up the west side, allowing for column-free living spaces. The tower is being developed by Five Points South, with New York City's SLCE as the architect of record.

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This week’s featured product is: The Elevator Agency

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LARGEST TWIN ORDER IN CHINA FOR THYSSENKRUPP

thyssenkrupp received its largest TWIN order in China to date, eight TWIN elevators for Sunshine Insurance Group's new 49-story, 243-m-tall headquarters in Beijing. In addition to TWIN, the order includes 17 elevators and 16 escalators. thyssenkrupp observed space efficiency was Sunshine Insurance's top priority, and TWIN, with space savings of up to 30 percent, fit the bill. TWIN allows one cab to be parked while the other stays in operation, and no energy is consumed by empty moving cars. The system can transport up to 40 percent more passengers than a traditional elevator system. Installation of the TWIN elevators is set to commence this year.

 

IN MEMORIAM: JOHN VINCENT BARNES, JR.

John Vincent Barnes, Jr., who spent close to half a century as a sales engineer in the elevator industry, passed away in early April after a brief battle with cancer. He was 80 years old. A husband of 53 years, father and grandfather, Barnes lived in Norwood, New Jersey. He worked for O. Thompson, Otis and, for 28 years, GAL Manufacturing Co., described as a job and company he loved. Services were held in early April, and memorial donations may be made to the American Legion College Scholarship Fund, 480 Broadway, Norwood, N.J. 07648.

 

SINGAPORE SAFETY CODE LAUNCHES DECEMBER 1

A new code for escalator safety in Singapore will become mandatory on December 1, the Straits Times reports. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) reported that in the last two months of 2016, there were 63 escalator accidents, about one a day. While 95% of all accidents were determined to have been the result of "user behavior," BCA said, the new standards will include signage for the country’s 6,000 installed escalators, as well as technical improvements for new installations. The code was published in April by Spring Singapore, the national standards board. It requires signs warning riders to hold onto small children, use the handrail and not bring strollers onto the escalator. It also requires new escalators to include safety devices, including sensors to monitor handrail and step speed, and to stop the escalator if a step is missing or improperly installed.

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This week’s featured product is: The Elevator Agency

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KONE WINS ORDER FOR 69 UNITS AT SINGAPORE DEVELOPMENT

KONE has won an order to supply 69 elevators and escalators to Funan DigitaLife Mall, a mixed-use development in Singapore, the company announced June 6. The mall is designed as a unique lifestyle destination, and will follow a live-work-play model. The integrated development will include two premium Grade A office towers, a residential block and a retail component. KONE will supply 28 S MonoSpace® elevators, one Transys® elevator with a maximum travel speed of 2.5 mps, and 40 TravelMaster™ 110 escalators. Funan, owned by CapitaLand Mall Trust, was closed in July 2016 for redevelopment. The project is slated for completion at the end of 2019.

 

GIRL KILLED AFTER BECOMING STUCK IN ELEVATOR DOOR

A 10-year-girl was killed June 4 in Visakhapatnam, India, after she got stuck in the door of an elevator at an apartment building, thenewsminute.com reports. The girl was reportedly playing in Kota's Residency, an apartment building where her uncle was the watchman. Reports said she got stuck between the elevator door and grill when the car was called to another floor. She was crushed between the elevator and the interior wall, reports said. A police investigation was ongoing.

WMATA COMPLETES WORK ON WOODLEY PARK ESCALATORS

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has completed a major project to replace six escalators at Woodley Park Station, including the three longest escalators in the District of Columbia, masstransitmag.com reports. KONE, contractor for the job, replaced the escalators two at a time in succession. The overall project took more than two years to complete, including site preparation, demolition and removal of the old escalators, installation of complex gantries and cranes to move the new escalators and supporting structures into place, as well as testing and tuning. With the completion of the Woodley Park station, construction was begun June 5 to replace five entrance escalators at Cleveland Park Station. That project is expected to take 20 months to complete. The station's elevators will remain in service for the duration of the project.

BOY'S ARM REATTACHED AFTER ESCALATOR ACCIDENT

A 4-year-old boy in China had to have his arm surgically reattached after a June 1 accident in which he fell, apparently while trying to go in the wrong direction on an escalator, the Daily Mail reported. According to the report, the boy's mother was watching when the accident occurred. Bystanders stopped the escalator at the Rainbow Shopping Center in Jingdong, Jiangxi Province, but his arm had already gotten trapped and torn off. Doctors reattached his arm after several hours of surgery, but his recovery will have to be closely monitored.

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This week’s featured product is: The Elevator Agency

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BELARUSIAN COMPANY LAUNCHES ESCALATOR PRODUCTION

Belarusian lift company Mogilevliftmash has launched production of escalators, BelTA is reporting. The news agency said the first two escalators have already been delivered to a retail center in Moscow, and two more are being installed in the city of Orel, Russia. Mogilevliftmash, working with a Chinese partner, set up a new production site to produce the escalators. Agreements have been reached on the installation of more escalators in Russia and Belarus, and the project is receiving interest from Kazakhstan.

 

IN MEMORIAM: GEORGE A. LATTARI

George A. Lattari, an elevator starter for property service worker union Local 32BJ for 25 years before his retirement in 1992, passed away peacefully on March 31 at age 90. A husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Lattari lived in Staten Island, New York City, where he was a truck driver before entering the elevator industry. Lattari enjoyed cars, cooking Italian food and sports, and counts among his sporting experiences sparring with boxing champ Rocky Marciano when Lattari was in his younger years. Services were held in Staten Island in early April.

 

ITV CONSIDERS LONDON HEADQUARTERS WITH RESIDENTIAL TOWER

ITV is considering replacing its 1970s-era, 25-story London Television Centre between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges with a development that would include a 38-story, 270-unit apartment building, Building Design reports. The tower would be joined by a six-story podium and nine- and 14-story buildings. Environmental impact and feasibility studies were underway in June, with Building Design quoting ITV as telling local lawmakers there is a "great need to invest in its currently outdated facilities" to keep pace with the way people live and work. The move would mean the closure of three historic studios and would bring all London ITV employees under one roof.

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This week’s featured product is: The Elevator Agency

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HITACHI’S WORLD’S FASTEST ELEVATOR ACHIEVES 1,260 MPM

Hitachi, Ltd. announced on June 2 its world's fastest elevator, in the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre in China, achieved a speed of 1,260 mpm, compared with its rated speed of 1,200 mpm, reached in May 2016. The new speed was recorded by public accreditation body the National Elevator Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, and will be used for future product development. When it goes into service, the elevator will run at its rated speed. Hitachi observed the feat was achieved thanks, in part, to advanced drive and control technologies, compact traction machine with stronger, lighter ropes and a single governor corresponding with different rated speeds for ascending and descending.

 

FIERCE SKYSCRAPER DEBATE IN BULGARIAN CAPITAL

New and proposed skyscrapers in the city center of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, are sparking fierce debate over the structures' suitability for their surroundings, BalkanInsight reports. Opponents contend the buildings mar the city's appearance and are being moved forward with little to no oversight. After two striking skyscrapers, Capital Fort and Sky Fort, rose at the city's entrance, several additional projects have been proposed. The most controversial of these is the 215-m-tall, 55-story Paradise Tower, a Russian-Georgian development approved by the local government in April. Contending the project is illegal, more than 4,300 people have signed a petition against it.

 

NEW TALLEST FOR PARIS’ LA DÉFENSE DISTRICT

In 2021, Paris' La Défense business district could have a new tallest structure in the form of The Link, 51- and 34-story office towers linked by 30 stories of elaborate sky gardens with workspace and amenities, SkyRise Cities reports. One of three sites being considered by gas giant Total SA, The Link was designed by PCA-STREAM and would be developed by Groupama Immobilier. Its most remarkable feature is the series of sky gardens, each at least 8-m wide with terraces and hanging gardens, interspersed with features such as a fitness center, business center and restaurants. The Link would replace three midrise buildings built in the 1980s.

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This week’s featured product is: Elevator & Escalator Maintenance for Building Managers:

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WITTUR: MARX INTERIM CEO AS WOHLHAUSER STEPS DOWN

Patrik Wohlhauser and the supervisory board of The Wittur Group have mutually agreed to part ways, with Gerrit Marx, an operating partner at Bain Capital, filling the CEO role held by Wohlhauser since Wittur's merger with Sematic. Marx has been responsible for Wittur since Bain Capital invested in the company more than two years ago. He has been released of his duties at Bain as it searches for a CEO. Marx held top positions at Volkswagen and Daimler Trucks prior to joining Bain, and boasts a wealth of management experience and elevator-industry expertise. Wittur stated it "remains fully committed to its strategy and future expansion plans following the successful integration of Sematic."

 

NYC FIRM DESIGNS PAIR OF TOWERS FOR PERTH

A pair of 54- and 19-story towers, Perth+, designed by New York City's (NYC) REX Architecture and developed by Brookfield Properties, has been proposed in the Elizabeth Quay precinct of Perth, Australia, Architecture AU reports. The city's Metropolitan Development Authority plans to have the proposal out for public comment through early June. The taller structure boasts a cantilevering "+"-shaped section spanning three levels containing publicly accessible areas, with the shorter tower's height corresponding with the top of the "+." The façade would be an aluminum curtain wall, and the plan includes a public plaza fronting The Landing and Elizabeth Quay Inlet.

 

EW PROJECT OF THE YEAR 2018 CONTEST OPEN

Submissions are now being accepted for the ELEVATOR WORLD Project of the Year Awards 2018. The contest recognizes excellence in vertical, horizontal and inclined transportation. As the new deadline for entries is September 30, no deadline extensions will be made. Winners in each of nine categories, “Elevators, New Construction”; “Elevators, Modernization”; “Escalators, New Construction”; “Escalators, Modernization”; “Moving Walks”; “Inclined Elevators”; “Platform Lifts & Stairway Chairlifts”; “Private-Residence Elevators”; and “Special-Purpose Lifts,” will receive an award and be recognized in a feature story in the January 2018 issue. The contest is open for projects that have been completed within the past two years, and both text and photos must be submitted, along with a completed entry form, via electronic file sharing, or a mailed disc and/or flash drive. To simplify the process, hard copies are no longer required. To download the form and obtain more information, visit website.

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