Elevator World

OTIS WINS LARGEST ORDER IN INDIA TO DATE

Otis has been awarded its largest order in India to date. It will provide Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd. with more than 1,000 elevators and escalators for residential, commercial and retail projects throughout the country. Otis India President Sebi Joseph said Otis is confident that its vast Indian network, consisting of 80 service centers and locations in 300 cities and towns, will ensure customer satisfaction. As part of the "Make in India" initiative, Otis has expanded its Bengaluru manufacturing facility, which is where the units for Mantri will be produced.

LIFT JOURNEY SURVEY UNDERWAY

A Peters Research Ltd. online survey on waiting time and traveling time titled “Your Lift Journey” asks, among other things, “How long will you wait?” The company considers it a first step toward looking at how lifts can be better tailored to how people actually feel about waiting for and traveling in them. Its results will be published at the Sixth Symposium of Lift and Escalator Technologies on September 21-22 at Highgate House in Northampton, U.K. and freely available as part of a university research project.

PME TO PRESENT AT WORLD OF MODULAR IN SAN DIEGO

Phoenix Modular Elevator (PME) of Mount Vernon, Illinois, plans to host a booth and make a presentation at the 2016 World of Modular Annual Convention & Tradeshow, taking place on March 17-20 in San Diego. In booth no. 309, PME plans to show how modular elevators are easy to install and suitable for modular, new-construction and retrofit projects. PME’s presentation will cover business-to-business marketing. World of Modular is sponsored and produced by the Modular Building Institute.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-22-2016/

Image by Arup Malakar (Some rights reserved), https://www.flickr.com/photos/amalakar/5054317051

THYSSENKRUPP TEST TOWER PENDULUM SYSTEM UNVEILED

thyssenkrupp has installed a 240-T. pendulum/linear motor system in its test tower in Rottweil, Germany, that offsets the movements of the tower and simulates natural conditions to provide realistic elevator tests. The system was designed by GERB Schwingungsisolierungen GmbH and features electromagnetic linear motors -- the same technology employed by thyssenkrupp's MULTI -- holding the pendulum. thyssenkrupp notes the device "is the first in the world to combine active and passive movement" and promises to be a game changer for elevator testing.

SEOUL: TWO-ELEVATOR MINIMUM FOR 30-STORY BUILDINGS

On February 17, the City of Seoul notified architecture and construction firms that it recommends buildings 30 stories or taller have at least two elevators, The Korea Herald reports. The move promises to improve both convenience and safety, according to the city, which is responsible for reviewing and approving construction plans for buildings at least 21 stories tall or cover at least 100,000 m2.

33-STORY RESIDENTIAL TOWER PLANNED IN OAKLAND

Lennar Corp. plans to break ground by the end of 2016 on a 33-story, 380-ft.-tall residential tower across the bay from San Francisco in Oakland, California, San Francisco Business Times reports. Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, the building would be among the tallest in Oakland and contain approximately 250 market-rate residences, retail and parking. It is part of a wave of residential construction underway in the city and would be located at 1640 Broadway, a mere half block from a Bay Area Rapid Transit station.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-19-2016/

ORONA ACQUIRES FRENCH, NORWEGIAN COMPANIES

Orona has acquired EST Ascenseurs of France and Heis 1 Group of Norway. EST has more than 2,000 maintenance contracts and more than US$7.8 million in annual revenue. Heis 1 Group has been Orona's distributor for 14 years and has locations in six Norwegian cities. Orona's French presence now consists of eight companies generating nearly US$100 million in revenue and employing more than 450 people. Its Norwegian presence now consists of eight companies and a workforce of almost 80. Orona is based in Spain and operates globally.

RESIDENTIAL TOWER OVERLOOKING NYC WOULD BE 79 STORIES

Developer Chris Jiashu Xu hopes to break ground in 2017 on the 79-story, 778,000-sq.-ft. Court Square City View Tower at 23-15 44th Drive in Long Island City overlooking New York City (NYC), The Real Deal reports. Goldstein, Hill & West is the architect of record for the project, which would include nearly 775 apartments and ground-level retail. Renderings show a sleek, glassy, square design with a stepped top and a large, multilevel podium.

LAWMAKER: CAYMAN ISLANDS NEED ELEVATOR SAFETY LAWS

As high-rise buildings multiply in the Cayman Islands, the need for elevator safety laws is intensifying, according to one lawmaker there, The Cayman Reporter says. There are currently no laws regarding elevator installation or maintenance in the islands, and this could become a public-safety issue, says Member of the Legislative Assembly Ezzard Miller, who plans to ask fellow lawmakers to write the legislation. Among buildings going up is the 12-story Kimpton Seafire Resort, scheduled to open in November.

http://elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-18-2016/

KONE WINS CONTRACT TO OUTFIT CRUISE SHIP

KONE has been awarded a contract by Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, to outfit a new Norwegian Cruise Lines Breakaway-Plus class ship with 32 elevators and two escalators. The elevators will feature KONE's Monospace® and MiniSpaceTM technology. Meyer Werft is scheduled to deliver the 4,000-passenger cruise ship in 2018. With the order, KONE strengthens an already-strong relationship with the cruise-ship industry.

NEW NYC DOOR/CAB COMPANY

Building Supply & Installation Services, LLC (BSIS) is a new Long Island, New York-based company primarily serving Greater New York City (NYC) with a goal to partner with customers' operation teams to ensure high-quality service and timely delivery of products and installations. It offers passenger and freight door and cab installations, as well as installer-friendly passenger entrance and cab materials. President Chris Peelle left The Peelle Co. and employs Rachel Smith, vice president of Operations, who brings more than 17 years of high-profile project-management experience. Smith is formerly senior project manager of the thyssenkrupp New Construction project management team.

EW FOCUSES ON FIELD AND TESTING EQUIPMENT

ELEVATOR WORLD will focus on Field and Testing Equipment (including construction tools, hoists and scaffolding) in its May issue. It will also receive bonus distribution at the World Elevator Escalator Expo in Shanghai, LIFTEX in London and Elevators & Access Control in Dubai. The deadline for submissions is March 16. To participate or for more information, contact the EW Editorial Department at phone: (251) 479-4514, ext. 30 or email: [email protected].

ESCALATOR ACCIDENT SPURS SAFETY PUSH IN MALAYSIA

An accident on a rail station escalator in Kuala Lumpur on February 8 in which a young boy suffered a partially severed foot has renewed calls for better escalator safety and inspection in Malaysia, The Star reports. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health urged greater supervision of children on escalators, while the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) reminded riders to not place their feet on the yellow lines, and use extreme caution when wearing soft, rubber shoes and long skirts. According to The Borneo Post, the Malaysian government is calling for added safety features, such as buffers between escalator sides and steps. DOSH observed there have been 31 escalator-related accidents in Malaysia since 2011.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-17-2016/

OTIS STRENGTHENS BOND WITH CHINESE METROS

Otis Elevator China Co. Ltd. is continuing an already strong relationship with metros in China with contracts to supply 129 escalators and 31 Gen2® elevators to the expansion of Chengdu Metro Line 4 and 63 elevators to the new Line 6 of the Wuhan Metro. The Chengdu Metro expansion will add 21.3 km of track and is scheduled to open in March 2017. The Wuhan Metro will add 36 km of track and is scheduled to open later in 2016. Both contracts include the Otis Metro Maintenance Management System.

PORTLAND EYED FOR MAJOR MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

The Goodman family, through the Downtown Development Group, has its eye on building a mixed-use project consisting of 11 buildings, five up to 460 ft. tall, in downtown Portland, Oregon, between the Burnside and Morrison bridges, The Oregonian reports. The US$1.5-billion project would be called Ankeny Blocks, and include office, residential and retail space. The family said it intends to preserve the grit and character of the original neighborhood, and that the construction timeline will depend on the market and nailing down major tenants.

BIG-DESIGNED “SPIRAL” FOR NYC’S HUDSON YARDS DISTRICT

With US$1 billion in financing, Tishman Speyer, the portfolio of which includes Rockefeller Center and the Chrysler Building, hopes to build a 65-story, 1,005-ft.-tall office tower, The Spiral, at 66 Hudson Boulevard in New York City (NYC), Real Estate Weekly reports. The design by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) features landscaped terraces winding around the façade opening to each floor. Plans include a six-story base with retail and a lobby with a soaring ceiling. No construction timeframe was given for the Hudson Yards district project.

60-STORY CONDOMINIUM TOWER PLANNED IN MIAMI

The Related Group is planning to build a 60-story, 290-unit condominium tower, Auberge Residences & Spa, on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami and has priced the units to sell in light of a weakening luxury residential market, the South Florida Business Journal reports. The project was designed by Architectonica and will be the first of a three-tower, 1,430-unit development with 13,280 sq. ft. of retail if all goes well.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-16-2016/

THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR KOREA HOSTS EVENT

The thyssenkrupp Elevator plant in Cheonan, South Korea, was the setting for an event on February 2 that featured a speech by thyssenkrupp AG CEO Dr. Heinrich Hiesinger titled "Transform to Innovate -- Innovate to Transform." The event was presented in cooperation with the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Wayne Park, CEO of thyssenkrupp Elevator Korea, was on hand to lead Hiesinger and fellow officials on a tour of the factory. thyssenkrupp has invested approximately US$15 million into new technologies in South Korea in the past five years, strengthening a business relationship that is more than 100 years old.

KONE’S POLARIS HONORED BY TRADE MAGAZINE

KONE's destination-management system PolarisTM has been honored with a 2016 Readers' Choice Award by Facility Executive magazine in the Elevators category. Comparing a typical elevator system to riding a train where every passenger is forced to make every stop, Facility Executive said Polaris makes a system "more like a limousine ride that takes you swiftly and comfortably to where you want to go." Polaris can improve the look and feel of office, hotel and business facilities, the magazine observed.

LAWMAKER WANTS MTA FUNDS FOR BROOKLYN SUBWAY ELEVATORS

New York Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz says he has secured US$1.3 million in Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) funds he wants used to install elevators in subway stations in his district, which includes the New York City borough of Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reports. The district has a high number of senior citizens and very few subway station elevators, he notes, pointing out that in the southern part of his district, only one of 14 stations has an elevator. Cymbrowitz wrote a letter to MTA expressing his concerns.

NAEC SPRING CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN

The National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) is holding its 2016 Spring Educational Conference in Savannah, Georgia, on April 9-12 at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa. All four days present education and networking opportunities. For more information, including agenda and registration, visit the conference webpage.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-15-2016/

ICE DISTRICT SETTING EDMONTON CONSTRUCTION ON FIRE

Construction is booming in downtown Edmonton, Canada, thanks to a new stadium being built for the Edmonton Oilers National Hockey League team and the Ice District, the massive, mixed-use development taking shape around it, the Edmonton Sun reports. The first phase includes the 27-story City Tower, the 62-story Stantec Tower, a 25-story Marriott hotel with 30 floors of residences above, a casino and a movie complex. The stadium and casino are scheduled to be complete in September, with the first towers coming online by 2019. Oilers Entertainment Group and Oilers owner Daryl Katz are behind the multibillion-dollar development and say there will be additional phases.

LUXURY RESIDENTIAL HIGH RISE ON EDGE OF BEVERLY HILLS

Ten Thousand, a 40-story luxury residential high rise at 10000 Santa Monica Boulevard on the edge of Century City and Beverly Hills, California, is expected to open in summer 2016, Real Estate News Television reports. The glittery building was designed by Handel Architects and will offer not only floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies for its residents, but also amenities such as a designer gym and concierge services. Crescent Heights, which has done other projects in cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco, is the developer.

ELEVATOR U 2016 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN

Registration, exhibitor space and sponsorship opportunities for the 2016 Elevator U conference, planned on June 20-23 in Quincy, Illinois, are now available online. The event will be hosted by Illinois State University and Hollister-Whitney Elevator Corp. The complete agenda, including educational presentations, is in the process of being finalized. Those planning to attend are encouraged to book rooms as early, as another event is being held during the conference. Elevator U has also announced future hosts: University of Virginia in Charlottesville in 2017 and University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2018.

US$1.7 BILLION IN NYC SUBWAY ELEVATORS RECOMMENDED

The U.S. federal government wants the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) in New York City (NYC) to go beyond its current plan to bring the number of subway stations with elevators to 144 by 2020, which could mean an investment of US$1.7 billion on top of an already stressed MTA budget, Curbed NY reports. Now, 22% (103) of the MTA’s 469 stations have elevators, compared with cities such as San Francisco, which are 100% accessible by elevator. San Francisco, however, has far fewer stations than NYC.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-12-2016/

IN MEMORIAM: HAROLD C. CRESWELL, JR.

Harold C. Creswell, Jr., who retired from Haughton Elevator in Toledo, Ohio, in 1989 as vice president of Manufacturing, passed away on February 5 at the age of 84. Creswell was a U.S. Marine who fought in the Korean War. Despite lacking a high-school diploma, he worked his way up at Haughton from floor sweeper to the vice president position. He spent 38 years with the company, retiring after it had been acquired by Schindler and manufacturing moved from Toledo. Creswell is survived by his wife, Donnajean; sons, Jeff, Mike and Cris; daughters Susan and Cathy; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Church of St. Andrew United Methodist or Faith Community United Church of Christ.

THOUSANDS OF ELEVATOR-SAFETY VIOLATIONS IN N.C. COUNTY

A Channel 9 Eyewitness News investigation of the nearly 5,000 elevators in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, where Charlotte is located, found thousands of elevators with at least one safety violation and several with issues so severe that the state threatened to shut them down. Further, emergency responders performed 325 rescues of entrapped passengers in the county in 2015. The state has six elevator inspectors, and each unit is inspected once a year before being issued a certificate of operation. Unsafe elevators do not receive certificates, the state inspector said.

CARLO GAVAZZI APPOINTS TRI-STATE SALES MANAGER

Carlo Gavazzi, Inc., has appointed David Benes Area Sales manager for Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. Benes has extensive experience in the industrial automation industry, having worked with OEMs, distributors, systems integrators, panel shops and end users as both a manufacturer's representative and factory-direct liaison. The company noted that Benes brings both knowledge of the geographical area and appropriate skills to the Carlo Gavazzi team.

NFPA LAUNCHES FORUM

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has launched NFPA Xchange™, a free online community. NFPA considers it the latest way to stay up to date on fire-protection-related codes and standards information. It allows users to search or browse information on topics ranging from fire-protection systems, electrical, building and life safety, emergency response and more. Content is submitted by both community users and NFPA staff and subject-matter experts. NFPA members can find additional benefits in an exclusive "Members Only" section of the forum.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/indsutry-news/february-11-2016

IN MEMORIAM: CARL OSBORNE

Carl Osborne was born on August 19, 1939 and passed away on February 4, 2016, at the age of 76. Osborne was an industry leader and decades-long member of the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC), serving as its president in 1996-1997 and on its committees. He was also involved in the NAVTP (now International Association of Elevator Consultants) and promoted safety, fair labor relations, emergency operations improvement and education throughout his career. Osborne served as vice-president of Urban Elevator Service, one of the largest independent elevator companies in Illinois. He was husband to Sandra Osborne. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the American Parkinson Disease Association are requested.

MAJOR MIXED-USE PROJECT UNDERWAY IN BOSTON

Construction crews broke ground in late January on The Hub on Causeway, which will consist of a 38-story, 495-ft.-tall residential building, a 21-story, 487-ft.-tall office tower and a 260-room hotel atop a multilevel retail/entertainment podium, the Boston Business Journal reports. Part of a wave of development in the North Station area, the Hub on Causeway was designed by Gensler and inspired by the city's shipping and industrial heritage. The glass-and-steel podium is set to be finished in 2018, followed by the office and residential towers. Boston Properties is the developer.

NEW NYC ELEVATOR SAFETY ACT GAINS TRACTION

New York City (NYC) Council Member James Vacca has introduced new elevator safety legislation LABORPRESS states is "aimed at improving elevator safety throughout the city. . . because he is tired of waiting around for the state to do something about the alarming surge in building accidents." According to the Fire Department of New York, building accidents are up 160% from 2009 to 2014. The bill would formalize licensing and certification requirements in the city, requiring that one individual per contractor be licensed. Its hearing is expected to take place in April.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-10-2016/

TALLEST FRENCH TOWER OUTSIDE OF PARIS OPENS

Office tenants have moved in to France's new tallest building outside Paris, the 202-m-tall, 39-story Tour Incity in Lyon, Skyrise Cities reported. Designed by Valode & Pistre Architects, the building has a 50-ft. spire and rises above the 165-m-tall Part-Dieu Tower, which formerly dominated the Lyon skyline. thyssenkrupp tells ELEVATOR WORLD it supplied four TWIN systems, serving 37 floors and with a speed of 4-5 mps; a "half" TWIN that could be updated with another cab at a later date; five additional elevators and two escalators for the project.

LIFTBALKANS POSTPONED

Organizers of LiftBalkans, a Southeast European industry exhibition planned for April 5-7 in Sofia, Bulgaria, have postponed the event indefinitely. The Expo Team of Via Expo Ltd. cited “the difficult economic situation” and “insufficient number of participants.”

ELEVATOR WORKER WAS DRAGGED UPWARD IN FATAL N.J. ACCIDENT

A 44-year-old elevator repairman died as a result of being dragged upward by the elevator on which he was performing monthly maintenance on February 2 in Guttenberg, New Jersey, NJ.com reports. Initial reports stated he fell down a shaft, but further investigation revealed he became trapped between the door and the top portion of the cab and was then dragged. The incident occurred in a 415-ft.-tall luxury condominium building.

NEW EXECUTIVE POSITIONS AT COLUMBIA ELEVATOR

Columbia Elevator Products Co. Inc. has announced that Louis “L.J.” Blaiotta, Jr. will assume the position of CEO of the company. Blaiotta will continue to focus on Columbia’s strategic direction and future alliances. His former role as president will be assumed by Jim Yates, who will be responsible for all day-to-day operations. Furthermore, as part of Columbia’s executive restructure, Grace Y. Greco has been named director of marketing and business development and Tom Birdsall as director of engineering. Yates has a 30-plus-year background of finance experience in a manufacturing environment and has been chief operating officer at Columbia. Greco came to Columbia in 2010 and has performed customer service, construction project management, service sales, new equipment sales and national accounts. Birdsall has been working at Columbia for more than 20 years as facilities manager and in various other capacities.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/february-9-2016