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McARTHUR IS NEW NAEC MEETINGS AND EXPOSITION MANAGER

The National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) has named Alesa McArthur Meetings and Exposition manager, filling the position formerly held by Kerrie Rebmann, who is stepping down to focus on her family. McArthur has more than 20 years' experience in the hospitality and meeting-planning industry with an extensive skill set that includes sales and marketing, catering, event management and facilities management. While welcoming McArthur to the team, NAEC thanked Rebmann for her six years of "amazing" service.

 

MALAYSIAN STATE ADDRESSING LIFT, ESCALATOR SAFETY

The state of Kedah in northwestern Malaysia is addressing lift and escalator safety in light of recent accidents, various news outlets, including the New Straits Times and Sun Daily report. Efforts include formation of a committee to help educate the public and operators about safe use and operation. Failure on the part of operators to install anti-climbing devices and barricades are common, according to the government. The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) issued 123 directives and 23 notices to mall operators in February-June 2016. DOSH said units will be checked every 15 months and that operating permits will not be issued until units are deemed in good working order. There are 815 lifts and 35 escalators operating in Kedah.

 

EIGSC ANNUAL GOLF OUTING NEXT MONTH

The Elevator Industry Group of Southern California (EIGSC) is holding its annual golf outing at California Country Club in Whittier, California, on June 16. Registration begins at 12 p.m. with a shotgun start an hour later. The fee is US$135, and all proceeds will benefit the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation. For more information or to register, contact Ray Miller of EIGSC.

 

PLAYING ON ESCALATOR LEADS TO MISHAP IN ISTANBUL

A nine-year-old boy running up a descending escalator in Istanbul suffered minor injuries when he fell and his leg became trapped between steps, various news outlets, including the Daily Mail, reported on May 9. Security footage shows a woman running toward him in an unsuccessful effort to free him. Firefighters used a circular saw to free the child after several hours. Police are investigating the incident.

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Image courtesy of New Straights Times:

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2017/05/239150/spate-lift-escalator-accidents-prompts-kedah-form-special-committee

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ORACLE RECAPITALIZED WITH NEW PARTNER

L Squared Capital Partners, together with Longview Asset Management, has partnered with Oracle Elevator management to recapitalize the latter company. Founded in 2004 with 22 branches across 13 states, Oracle is one of the largest independent providers of elevator maintenance, repair and modernization services across all major brands of equipment. L Squared’s investment provides a long-term capital base to support Oracle’s national expansion strategy through both new branches and acquisitions. Oracle represents L Squared’s sixth platform investment over the last three years. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

 

IN MEMORIAM: GREGORY A. IRVIN

Gregory A. Irvin, who owned Irvin Elevator Group in Tennessee's Tri-Cities area with his wife, Julie, passed away on March 9 at the age of 45. Irvin grew up working with his father, Roger Irvin, on elevators. The younger Irvin joined Louisville, Kentucky-based Irvin Elevator Group in 1993, working his way up from helper to construction manager. When Irvin sold to Oracle in 2005, he transferred to Oracle's Tampa office, where he managed construction for Oracle's Florida operations. In 2010, he accepted a management position at Vertical Solutions in Tennessee, where he spent six years. He and his wife revived the Irvin Elevator name with the launch of their company in December 2016. Survivors include his wife of 22 years, Julie; son, Austin; daughter, Kaitlin; parents, Roger and Wanda Irvin; and brothers Tim and Todd, both of Executive Elevator. Services were held at Strong Tower Baptist Church. The family asks that donations of Gideon Bibles be made in his memory.

 

WMATA REPLACING CLEVELAND PARK ENTRANCE ESCALATORS

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) says it is replacing five 120-ft.-long escalators at the Cleveland Park Station entrance, noting the units have exceeded their useful life, as they opened at the same time as the station in 1981. The escalators, which carry riders 59 ft. from mezzanine to entrance landing, will be replaced one at a time to minimize disruption. The station’s east-entrance elevator will remain operational throughout the project, which is being done by KONE as part of a larger plan to replace 128 escalators. Work is expected to take one year, eight months.

TEEN COUPLE KILLED IN MADRID ELEVATOR MISHAP

A male and a female, both 17, died of multiple injuries on May 9 in Madrid when either the floor or a wall of the glass elevator in which they were riding gave way, and they plunged from the ninth floor down the shaft, various news outlets, including Agencia EFE, report. Authorities are investigating the incident, which took place in the upscale residential area Salamanca. Neighbors said the teens were a couple who were celebrating the end of exams. The Mirror quoted authorities as saying the lift “had been properly maintained according to safety regulations.”

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Image courtesy of Long & Foster Real Estate:

http://www.longandfoster.com/DC/Washington/Cleveland-Park

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THYSSENKRUPP INAUGURATES MULTIPURPOSE FACILITY IN INDIA

thyssenkrupp inaugurated its new, 20,000-m2 manufacturing, distribution and training center in the Chakan Industrial Area of Pune, India, on May 12. With an initial capacity of 6,000 units (10,000 in the near future), the plant allows thyssenkrupp to expand significantly in the region to support the growing Indian construction sector. thyssenkrupp India CEO Ravi Kirpalani observed the urban population in India is one of the fastest growing in the world, with 30% of its residents living in cities now and a projected 40% by 2030. Along with nurturing local talent, which thyssenkrupp described as "an essential element of its plans for India," the new facility will help support growth of India's housing, rail, airport and retail markets.

 

NEW ELEVATOR WORLD WEBSITE, PROGRAM

Elevator World, Inc. is happy to announce the launch of its redesigned website. It has a fresher look and faster navigation. It is also optimized for use on mobile devices. Its "Content Center" includes featured articles available for purchase or free for ELEVATOR WORLD subscribers, and new advertising opportunities are available. A new paid program called "EW Plus" grants access to more content, including bonus products, educational materials, market studies and more.

 

BLAIN SYSTEM GAINS RENEWAL

Blain Hydraulics GmbH has announced successful renewal of its quality-management system per the DIN ISO 9001-2015 standard. Blain said the certification demonstrates its policy of setting new benchmarks. The TÜV SÜD Management Service reviewed the service, particularly its service quality in manufacturing.

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https://www.thyssenkrupp.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/press-release-130720.html

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COLUMBIA APPOINTS THREE SENIOR EXECUTIVES

Columbia Elevator Products Co. Inc. has named three new senior executives. Jim Yates has been appointed chief administrative officer, after serving Columbia as president and in various other capacities since 2008. He will oversee the “back of the house,” including such areas as finance, human resources and safety. Marc Dinkes has been named chief customer officer, having previously served as Columbia’s vice president of systems, joining the company in 2004. He will oversee the “front of the house,” working with the sales, marketing, estimating and engineering departments. Kenneth D. Hendrickson has been appointed chief operations officer. He joins Columbia with decades of experience in the industrial/manufacturing field, most recently having served as general manager for Arens Controls. He will oversee the manufacturing process, purchasing, shipping and overall quality control.

 

MUMBAI METRO PROJECT DRAWS STRONG INTEREST

Mumbai Metro Rail Corp.’s (MMRC) invitation to vertical-transportation companies to submit pre-qualification bids to provide elevators and escalators at 27 stations on its under-construction Line 3 drew strong interest, with 15 companies responding (eight for escalators and seven for elevators), The Times of India reports. They include the Indian divisions of Otis, Fujitec, Schindler and KONE, as well as India’s Johnson Lifts. MMRC anticipates bid evaluation to be complete in approximately two months, at which point tenders of submission will be requested from shortlisted firms. Connecting the Cuffe Parade business district with southern Mumbai, Line 3 spans 33.5 km and is the city’s first underground metro line.

 

INDUSTRY LEADERS TO SPEAK AT CTBUH AUSTRALIA EVENT

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has released the initial speaker list for the CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference: Connecting the City: People, Density & Infrastructure on October 30-November 3. The list includes lift-industry leaders Michiel De Moel, CEO of Elevating Studio Pte. Ltd., “Take Control of Your Building’s Vertical-Transportation Function”; Vincent Hoe, business-development manager, Asia-Pacific (APAC), “Reducing Energy Consumption of Elevator Systems During Modernization”; Markus Jetter, head of Product Development, thyssenkrupp, “A Next Generation Vertical-Transportation System Under Test”; Jeffrey Montgomery, director, Major Projects APAC, KONE, “Maintaining the Life Cycle and Increasing Value of Highrise Buildings,”; and Michael Nilles, chief digital officer, Schindler, “Smart Urban Mobility.”

 

SLOVAKIA’S FIRST SKYSCRAPER ON DRAWING BOARDS

A 168-m-tall tower with 46 above-ground stories is planned by J&T Real Estate on the Danube River in Bratislava, Slovakia, The Slovak Spectator reports. Part of an expansion of the Eurovea mixed-use development, it would be the nation's first skyscraper. Eurovea 2 would have a total of six structures housing additional retail, residential, parking, public and office space. The tallest building would be close to the Apollo Bridge, with the overall expansion bringing Eurovea's footprint to 2.3 ha. Also planned is a connection to the planned New Lido riverfront recreation area.

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Image: The visualization of new Eurovea. Rendering Courtesy: J&T Real Estate

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ORGANIZERS PROJECT LARGEST INTERLIFT TO DATE

AFAG Messen und Ausstellungen GmbH, organizer of Interlift, planned at the Augsburg Exhibition Centre in Augsburg, Germany, on October 17-20, predict this year's event will be the largest ever with approximately 600 exhibitors. This represents a 10% increase from 2015. Approximately 430 exhibitors have registered so far. Big topics this year include new International Organization for Standardization norms and digitization. The VFA Forum will offer talks on topics such as "Turkey: The Gateway to the Middle East" and "Megacities: The Habitats of the Future.” The floor area is increasing by 2,000 m2 to approximately 44,000 m2. AFAG describes Interlift as a "must-attend event for all who have anything to do with lifts.”

 

500-FT.-TALL TOWER WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN NYC

Pending rezoning, the New York City (NYC) Economic Development Corp. is planning a 500-ft.-tall tower at 495 Eleventh Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen part of NYC, according to New York YIMBY, which cites a Wall Street Journal report. The city selected Radson Development and Kingspoint Heights Development as developers. The project is set to include approximately 230 apartments, 200,000 sq. ft. of office space, 80,000 sq. ft. of student housing, a supermarket and parking for the NYC Police Department. The site is between West 39th and 40th streets, and groundbreaking is anticipated in fall 2019 with completion in 2022.

 

TRAPPED BETWEEN WALL AND ELEVATOR, MAN DIES IN INDIA

A man died as a result of becoming trapped between a wall and an elevator in a shop in Indore, India, on May 5, The Times of India reports. The man pled for help for approximately 2 hr., but by the time responders were reached him by using electric cutters, he had died. Investigators believe he stuck his head out of what was described as a "makeshift lift" that was intended to move goods only. When the lift ascended, the man's head caught on the roof of the ground floor and he was dragged down between lift and wall. The shop owner was found culpable and charged. 

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Image: 495 Eleventh Avenue. Rendering Courtesy: Radson Development

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THYSSENKRUPP UNVEILS NET-ZERO ENERGY SOLUTION

thyssenkrupp unveiled its net-zero energy elevator solution for modernization, which generates more energy than it consumes, at the annual Energy Efficiency Global Forum in Washington, D.C., on May 9. Describing it as the first solution to enable conversion of existing elevators to net-zero energy units, thyssenkrupp said it was motivated by the lifecycle of typical elevators, which remain in operation for approximately 15 years. The company described how the solution goes a step further than the energy-generating elevators it installed at One World Trade Center in New York City by using controllers that trigger hibernation mode when an elevator is idle, which can be up to 70% of its working life. Required energy can be generated using solar panels “no larger than the footprint of an elevator shaft.”

 

FUJILIFT OPENS LEBANON PLANT

International OEM Fujilift tells ELEVATOR WORLD it has opened a 4,500-m2 manufacturing plant in Mkalles, Lebanon. BusinessNews reported details on the project, including that it represents a multimillion-dollar investment; uses products imported from Switzerland, the Netherlands and Japan; and has an annual capacity of 1,000 elevators. Sixty-five percent of the units will be imported to Arab, African and Eastern European countries. The factory created approximately 30 full-time jobs.

 

8-YEAR-OLD DIES IN HOME ELEVATOR ACCIDENT IN S.C.

An eight-year-old boy died in an accident in a home elevator authorities describe as “similar to a dumbwaiter” in Pageland, South Carolina, on May 5, WBTV reports. The boy, who was in the unit with another child, got his head trapped, presumably between the cab and shaft, as the elevator was descending, said authorities, who do not suspect foul play.

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OTIS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH CHENGDU METRO GROWS

Otis Elevator (China) Co., Ltd., has strengthened its relationship with China's Chengdu Metro with an order to provide 96 units to the expansion of Line 1, Phase 3. The 18.6-km north-to-south extension will help connect the capital of Sichuan Province with the growing Tianfu New District. The extension is set to become operational in early 2018. The order consists of 83 escalators and 13 energy-efficient, compact Gen2® elevators equipped with ReGenTM drives. President Luis Molina of Otis Elevator China stated the contract "reflects a good fit between Otis technologies and Chengdu Metro's fast growth and high standards of efficiency and passenger comfort."

 

LIFT ACCIDENT FATAL FOR MUMBAI GIRL

A 12-year-old girl in western Mumbai succumbed to injuries she received from being struck in the neck by a descending elevator as she looked through an uncovered window into the shaft, various news outlets, including the Mumbai Mirror, report. The incident occurred on May 5 at a residential building in Bandra where the girl lived with her family. She was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead several hours later. Although the girl's father said he has voiced concern about the open window, authorities ruled the mishap an accident.

 

LANDING ANCHOR TENANT BODES WELL FOR CHICAGO TOWER

Landing Bank of America as the anchor tenant in a 51-story office tower planned on the Chicago riverfront at 110 North Wacker Drive makes developers Howard Hughes of Dallas and Chicago’s Riverside Investment optimistic they will be able to get financing and break ground in the second quarter of 2018, completing the project in 2020, Crain’s Chicago Business reports. The Charlotte-based bank plans to occupy approximately one third of the tower’s 1.5-million sq. ft., or 15 floors. It will consolidate several thousand employees to the new downtown space, allowing the bank to better serve local customers, bank Chicago Market President Paul Lambert said.

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Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn; courtesy of ChinaDaily.com

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ELEVATORS TO BRING PATCO INTO ADA COMPLIANCE

PATCO, the high-speed commuter rail service between Philadelphia and Camden County, New Jersey, plans to install elevators at six remaining stations that lack them, bringing the service into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), The Courier-Post reports. Sownski Sullivan Architects handled the redesign, and a US$3-million construction-oversight contract has been awarded to Burns Engineering of Philadelphia. Construction, which could start by the end of 2017, is estimated to cost more than US$15 million and take four years. Stations to get elevators are Collingswood and Haddonfield, New Jersey, in phase one; Westmont in Haddon Township, New Jersey, and Ashland in Voorhees, New Jersey, in phase two; and Camden City Hall and 12th and Locust Street in Philadelphia in phase three.

 

AVIRE LCD DISPLAYS FOR U.K. CITY’S TALLEST BUILDING

Thirty-three Avire E-Motive C1L displays have been installed in St. Paul's Tower, the tallest building in Sheffield, U.K., at 33 stories. Curti Lifts advised property manager Premier Estates Ltd. and installed the color LCD displays, which support text and picture content. Residents of City Lofts in the tower are now able to see a lift's location while they wait. Part of an ongoing refurbishment, the displays include a power-saving feature that turns off the backlight when the lift is idle.

 

NAESA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE BY MAY 31

NAESA International is offering two US$3,000 scholarships in honor of Floyd J. Rommel to children and grandchildren of members in good standing. NAESA’s Canadian Region is offering three, CAD$1,000 ($US729) scholarships to children and grandchildren of Canadian members in good standing. Recipients must be seniors in high school and have applied to at least one college. Applications are due by May 31 and can be found by clicking on “Scholarship Opportunities” under “Member Benefits” on the NAESA website.

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MIAMI TOWER NEARS COMPLETION WITH STRONG SALES

Aria on the Bay, a 53-story tower with nearly 650 condominiums and lower-level office and retail in Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood, has topped off with 80% of its condo units sold, Curbed Miami reported. Developed by Melo Group and designed by Arquitectonica, the property has a rounded-rectangle footprint and amenities including pools, a lounge, a screening room and a fitness center on the 14th floor. The address is 1770 North Bayshore Drive. Melo reported buyers are from more than 40 countries, and the company has lowered minimum deposits in an effort to attract more domestic buyers. Delivery is anticipated in early 2018.

 

TORONTO CONTINUES SURGE WITH 40-STORY PROPOSAL

Midtown Toronto, specifically the area around Yonge and Eglinton streets, is continuing its hot streak with a 40-story, 122-m-tall residential tower proposed at 75 Broadway Avenue by Timbercreek Communities, Urban Toronto reports. The plan involves partial demolition of a 10-story apartment building and construction of a two-level, underground parking garage. Designed by WZMH Architects, the building would contain approximately 580 rental units, including those in the preserved portion of the existing building, landscaping along Broadway and significant outdoor and indoor amenity space.

 

GRAND VISION FOR SAIGON RIVERFRONT

A 15-ha site along 2 km of the historic riverfront in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is envisioned with plazas, cafés, promenades and what would be the city's tallest building at 350 m, Saigoneer reports. Boston-based Sasaki Associates presented the plan, which also entails preservation of historic structures and flood-prevention infrastructure. It is unclear which company would be heading up the project, but construction is expected to get underway in early 2018.

Photo By: Caleb Givens, Elevator World, Inc.

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THYSSENKRUPP’S HIGHEST-EVER ESCALATORS FOR BAKU METRO

thyssenkrupp has won an order to supply 25 escalators to the Baku Metro in Baku, Azerbaijan. The order includes the highest escalators ever produced in Germany with a 48.7-m rise. Describing the order as a confirmation of its new distributor's network strategy, thyssenkrupp noted the escalators — eight high-rise units for the Sahil and Khatai stations and 17 for a new station — will increase the stations' handling capacity by 30% and help ensure the efficient flow of nearly 222 million passengers per year.

 

NYC SUBWAY GIVEN HARSH CRITIQUE FROM AUDIT

According to the audit by New York City (NYC) Controller Scott Stringer, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is failing to maintain the subway system’s escalators and elevators. The New York Daily News quoted Stringer saying, "We have a complete maintenance mess." The audit indicated the agency did not perform all scheduled maintenance on 78% of the escalators and elevators investigators checked, cited as a reason for the units often being broken down. The MTA said the audit’s findings are misleading and that its elevators are operating 96% of the time. It added that NYC Transit is spending more than US$1 billion to increase the number of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant subway stations and replace existing elevators and escalators.

 

EGYPTIAN/SAUDI PLAN TO PRODUCE ELEVATORS, ESCALATORS

Egypt's National Authority for Military Production and Gulf Elevators and Escalator Co. (GEEC) of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, have agreed to manufacture a range of elevators and escalators in Egypt for both domestic and foreign markets, Daily News Egypt reports. Egypt Minister of Military Production Mohamed Al-Assar said the intent is to start with the manufacture of components, then gradually ramp up to full unit production. Al-Assar said Egypt's location on the Red and the Mediterranean seas makes it a prime production base for products intended for Arab, African and European countries.

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