Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

THYSSENKRUPP MAKES SWEDISH ACQUISITION

thyssenkrupp is acquiring Stockholm-based Sdiptech AB, which has a maintenance portfolio of 9,500 units, the OEM announced on February 19. Companies operating under the Sdiptech umbrella employ 115 and generated revenue of EUR30 million (US$36 million) in fiscal 2020. Subject to approval by Swedish authorities, the deal is expected to close in April. The acquisition brings thyssenkrupp's total number of employees in Sweden to more than 250. "Sdiptech's Swedish elevator businesses belong to the most trusted and respected elevator companies in Stockholm, and we are thrilled that they will become part of [our] elevator family and contribute to our profitable growth in the Nordic region," thyssenkrupp CEO Peter Walker said.

Image credit: by Bruno/Germany for Pixabay

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

50 HUDSON YARDS TOPS OUT

New York YIMBY recently reported on the topping out of Foster + Partners and Oxford Properties' 50 Hudson Yards at 1,011 ft. The 58-story commercial supertall is the final building for Hudson Yards' first phase. At 2.9 million ft2, it is also the largest by volume and features the first installation of thyssenkrupp Elevator's TWIN system in NYC and second in the U.S. Major tenants, including BlackRock and Facebook (the latter at 1.2 million ft2) have been secured, and opening is still set for next year.

Image credit: via Hudson Yards Instagram

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

IAEC FORUM POSTPONED, MOVED TO ORLANDO

IAEC Forum 2021 has been rescheduled to June 29-July 2 at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando the International Association of Elevator Contractors (IAEC) recently announced. The new location will double the total meeting space from last year's iteration to provide extensive room for social distancing during seminars, dining/reception and tradeshow, organizers said.

Image credit: by Ralf Gruber for Pixabay

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

FINAL KPF DESIGN OF 5 WTC IN NYC REVEALED, APPROVED

A design by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) was selected for Five World Trade Center (5 WTC) by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey during a board meeting on February 11, New York YIMBY reports. The 900-ft-tall, 80-story structure at 130 Liberty Street is the latest piece of the redevelopment of the WTC site in NYC’s Financial District. The selection allows Silverstein Properties, Brookfield Properties, Omni New York LLC and Dabar Development Partners to secure a 99-year ground lease for the 1.56-million-ft2 tower. A departure from the sleek minimalist designs of the four other WTC towers, renderings show a floor-to-ceiling curtain wall with rounded corners and a large-scale grid of light-colored mullions. Residential amenities are indicated by a subtle setback at the middle. On the drawing board are 190,000 ft2 of office space, a 12,000-ft2 community area, 55,000 ft2 of public amenities, 7,000 ft2 of retail and 1.2 million ft2 of residential space for 1,325 apartments, 25% of which will be affordable. Construction is set to start in 2023, with completion anticipated in 2028.

Image credit: by KPF

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

OSHA UPGRADES, UPDATES COVID-19 SITE

OSHA recently revamped and has continually updated its COVID-19 webpage over the past few months. New resources include “Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace,” guidance on common COVID-19 citations, alerts on ventilation in the workplace and short video public service announcements on preventing COVID-19 transmission in the workplace for employers (English and Spanish) and workers (English and Spanish). A new poster on Keeping Workers Safe at COVID-19 Vaccination Sites, is available, along with a Polish version.

Image credit: by PIRO4D for Pixabay

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

OTIS BRAZIL SIGNS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR 88 UNITS

Otis Brazil has signed a maintenance contract with Gazit Group for 88 units across six properties, adding 51 units to Otis’ service portfolio and renewing a contract for an additional 37 units, including elevators, escalators, moving walks and platform lifts. With what Otis describes as focus on technology and safety, the company’s work at Shopping Light, a mall in São Paulo housed in a historic building, led to this contract. When it opened in 1929 as the headquarters of the first power distribution company in Brazil, the structure was one of the first in the country with Otis elevators. “After more than 90 years of caring for those six elevators and their countless passengers, we’re proud to have modernized three of them just last year,” stated Fernando Peiter, Otis Latin America sales and marketing director.

Image credit: courtesy of Otis Brazil

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

HITACHI ELEVATOR PROVIDING 201 UNITS TO SHANGHAI METRO

Hitachi Elevator (China) Co., Ltd. is providing 201 elevators and escalators to 14 stations along Shanghai Metro Line 15, which opened for trial operations in January. Starting at Gucun Park to the north and ending at Zizhu High-Tech Industrial Park to the south, the 42-km underground line is the longest (in kilometers) to open in China all at once. Hitachi's EX-BPG escalators, which the company states provides better braking than standard industry models, were used. This model is equipped with more than 30 safety devices. Hitachi has provided products and services to rail transit projects in 24 cities in China. It is also providing maintenance for Line 15 and "plans to deploy the latest technologies, including AI, cloud computing and Internet of Things."

Image credit: courtesy of Hitachi Elevator

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

IGV ADDS EXPORT MANAGER, AD HOC PM

IGV Group of Vignate, Italy, recently appointed Sabrina Colla as its new export area manager and ad hoc project manager (PM). Colla will support IGV’s expansion in the U.K., France, Eastern Europe and Russia and ad hoc project development. The latter represents "a new product range designed by renowned architects, where the lift becomes an extremely customizable design object," the company explained. Colla has triple nationality and speaks six languages. After graduating in Economy and International Affairs Management, she started her career in Russia's oil and gas sector. Her career then moved to Italy's elevator industry. Here, she has worked for Sercom Lift Group, Vipal and Omnia Lift, most recently as KONE Global and Switzerland accounts manager. She also served as IGV's export area manager and supported its strategic marketing in 2017-2019.

Image credit: courtesy of IGV Lift Group

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

DETAILS ABOUT NYC MIDTOWN EAST “COMMODORE” SUPERTALL

Developed by RXR Realty and TF Cornerstone, Project Commodore at 175 Park Avenue in NYC’s Midtown East includes a 1,646-ft-tall, 83-story tower that would become the tallest in the Western Hemisphere by roof height, New York YIMBY reports. Renderings by architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill reveal a façade featuring "an elegant lattice of tubular metal columns that symmetrically converge at the base" and angled setbacks rising to a lattice crown. Planned on the site of the 26-story Grand Hyatt New York, the structure would contain 500 Hyatt hotel rooms on the upper floors, 2.1 million ft2 of office space and 10,000 ft2 of ground- and cellar-level retail. The project also includes major renovations to the underground Grand Central subway station and aboveground public improvements such as a 22,000-ft2 outdoor area, cafés, art installations and a pair of Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant elevators connecting street and subway. Demolition of the Grand Hyatt is expected to commence in 2022, with completion of Project Commodore anticipated in 2030.

Image credit: courtesy of SOM

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

CTBUH ANNOUNCES BEST TALL BUILDING WINNERS FOR 2021

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) recently announced the best Tall Building Award of Excellence Winners for 2021. The buildings were evaluated across five height thresholds and three functions — under 100 m, 100-199 m, 200-299 m, 300-399 m and 400 m and above, and office, mixed-use and residential. Additional winners in engineering, construction, interior design, urban habitat and more, will be announced later. The winners now move on to the next stage of the awards program, in which the owners/developers and design/engineering teams compete in the CTBUH 2021 Tall + Urban Conference for best-in-category recognition. Taking place online on May 18-20, the event will conclude with the announcement of the 2021 overall best tall building worldwide. Winners hailed from countries including the U.S., Canada, China, Australia, France, Germany and the U.A.E.

Image credit: courtesy of Tom Roe

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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