Elevator World

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC LAUNCHES NEW COMPANY IN LAOS

Mitsubishi Electric Corp. announced that it has established a new company called MELCO Elevator Lao Sole Co., Ltd. (MLAO) to increase its elevator business in the Mekong regional market, which it calls “highly promising.” It is expected to strengthen Mitsubishi Electric’s sales of elevators and escalators. Annual sales in Laos are expected to rise 50% from the prior fiscal year. The new company will begin operations July 1. Mitsubishi Elevator (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (MET) has been distributing elevators and escalators in Laos through a local agent, Souvanny Home Center Public Co. (SVN). MET purchased and integrated SVN’s elevator and escalator business with MLAO after completing a number of successful projects in Thailand.

Image credit: Courtesy of HWKN

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

KONE PROVIDING 177 UNITS FOR GERMAN MIXED-USE PROJECT

KONE will deliver 177 elevators and escalators to Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier, a new, 14-building mixed-use development in Hamburg, Germany’s HafenCity district. KONE called it the largest urban renewal development in Europe. It will house about 650 apartments, offices with approximately 4,000 workplaces, three hotels, restaurants, retail and cultural space and a cinema. It also will include a cruise liner terminal with an underground bus station. KONE will provide 112 MonoSpace®, Transys™ and MiniSpace™ elevators. The order also includes 65 TravelMaster™ and TravelMaster 120 escalators. The office buildings will be equipped with KONE destination control systems.

Image credit: Courtesy of Eraclis Papachristou

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

IAEC ANNOUNCES NEW YORK FUNDRAISER

The 26th Annual International Association of Elevator Consultants (IAEC) New York Region Fundraiser is being held on August 22, again at Guastavino’s in NYC. Reservations are US$370 per person, and those who register before August 2 can enjoy the nearby Bentley Hotel’s discounted rate of US$189 per night for fundraiser attendees. As always, the event will benefit the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation.

Image credit: ABC11

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

COMPANY FORMED TO SERVICE MAJOR CALIFORNIA MARKETS

CIVC Partners has launched a company that will independently provide elevator maintenance, repair and modernization services in the three main metropolitan areas in California, PE Hub reports. Specialized Elevator Services Holdings (SESH) was formed by recapitalizing San Francisco Elevator, Ascent Elevator and Specialized Elevator and will serve the San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego markets. Donovan McKeever from San Francisco Elevator will serve as president of SESH, and Greg Goulette, former CEO of a CIVC company, will be the executive chairman. Robert Williams has been recruited to serve as CEO of the new company.

Image credit: Dezeen

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

THYSSENKRUPP SOLE PROVIDER FOR CHINA AIRPORT PROJECT

thyssenkrupp Elevator is set to provide 177 elevator and escalator units for the Beijing Daxing International Airport for China Southern Airlines. The airline is expanding to a two-hub base designed by Sir Norman Foster and Zara Hadid Architects. thyssenkrupp Elevator is the sole elevator supplier for the airport base and will supply 155 elevators and 22 escalators for the project. Despite the large size of the airport, it will reportedly take less than 8 min to get from security to the farthest gate. The new airport, which will be 7.5 million ft2, will support 45 million passengers when it opens later this year.

Image credit: Zaha Hadid Architects

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

KONE ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE BOARD CHANGES

Maciej Kranz has been appointed chief technology officer, executive vice president (EVP) and executive board member at KONE. Kranz will succeed Tomio Pihkala, who has been appointed EVP, New Equipment. Pihkala will succeed Heikki Leppänen, who has been with KONE since 1982 and a member of the executive board since 2005. Kranz joins KONE from Cisco Systems Inc., where he served for 20 years, most recently as vice president and general manager, Corporate Strategic Innovation Group. KONE CEO Henrik Ehrnrooth observes that, in previous roles, Kranz "demonstrated strong leadership in turning digital opportunities into clear business benefits." Pihkala, meanwhile, "has a proven track record of leadership in several business lines in Europe and China, most recently leading our Technology and Innovations unit." Ehrnrooth thanked Leppänen for his contributions, including being instrumental in the launch of MonoSpace® in 1996. The changes become effective on July 1.

Image credit: Wikipedia

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

THE KIMMEL TO GET ESCALATOR, THANKS TO 90-YEAR-OLD DONOR

The Kimmel, a large performing-arts venue in Philadelphia, will be getting a new escalator to accommodate patrons who struggle to use the stairs, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The project will cost US$3.8 million, but the majority of that (US$2.7 million) has already been donated by one patron: a 90-year-old woman who wishes to remain anonymous. The two-tiered thyssenkrupp unit will serve as an up-escalator before performances and will become a down-escalator when shows are complete and crowds are leaving. The Kimmel will remain open during the construction process. 

Image credit: courtesy Kieran Timberlake Architects.

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

NEII TARIFF UPDATE

The National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) reported that in mid-May, several List 1 product exclusion requests submitted by its member companies were granted by the Office of the United States Trade Representative. The exclusions are at the link titled “Initial $34 Billion Trade Action Index of Product Exclusion Requests and Review Status.” Exclusions apply to all imports for the item associated with the request — not just for the company or companies that filed the corresponding submittal. Only one out of every five submissions has been granted through this process thus far. NEII said it is currently researching the direct impact on the industry of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recently announced final list of tariffs on Chinese goods. These are comprised of almost all of the remaining imports from China not on the first three lists of tariffs.

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

WURTEC OPENS NEWEST BRANCH IN NYC

Wurtec, Inc. has opened its newest branch in the Long Island City part of Queens, NYC. Bill Popp is branch manager of the 15,000-ft2, 36-50 31st Street location, which will carry tools for elevator installation, modernization, service and repair, including Wurtec's popular V2 False Car, S3 Communicator phones and high-speed capstan hoist. The location may be reached by phone at (877) 225-3705. "In 2011, we established our first branch in Toronto, and after a couple of years, we knew we were on to something,” Wurtec Marketing Associate David Steingass says. “In 2018, we started receiving pressure from one of our largest customers to support their operation locally. So the culmination of a growing market, great distributors and customers, and pressure from a large customer allowed us to feel comfortable with an investment in NYC."

Image credit: Pixabay

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast.

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

IEES LAST CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: JUNE 14

The deadline for the second-annual International Elevator and Escalator Symposium’s (IEES) call for abstracts is June 14. The IEES Technical Committee will then review them and share their assessments on July 8. The technical and educational symposium, to be held at Bally’s Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas on December 3-4, is organized by Liftinstituut Solutions and Elevator World, Inc. This year’s theme is safety of elevators and escalators during their life cycle: maintenance and inspections. Papers can be submitted here; for more information, visit website.

Image credit: WikimediaImages from Pixabay

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

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher │TuneIn