| ELEVATOR WORLD's May 2025 Issue
 On the Cover: U.S. Bank Tower
Feature: Family Ties
Focus on Succession Planning: Lessons From Personal Experience; Passing the Torch... Columns: Destination: interlift; Building MAD USA; Elevated Banking in the 1950s Subscribe or log in here to read more than 5,000+ searchable articles, news briefs, blog posts and more. | | EW JULY TO FOCUS ON CABS AND CAB ACCESSORIES
ELEVATOR WORLD's July 2025 issue will focus on Cabs and Cab Accessories The article submission deadline is May 15, and the advertising deadline is June 2. To participate or for more information, contact the EW Editorial Department at phone: 251-479-4514, ext. 130 or editorial@elevatorworld.com. To advertise, contact ext. 131 or advertising@elevatorworld.com.
13TH ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST OPEN, NOW ACCEPTING VIDEOS
Submissions are open for ELEVATOR WORLD's 2025 Photo Contest until May 30. This year's contest offers video submissions, which can be submitted for any category. Video links can be shared from any of the following platforms: YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitch, Wistia, Vidyard, BitChute and Mixcloud. This year's categories include Projects In Action, Elevators/Lifts (Commercial), Elevators/Lifts (Private Residence), Escalators & Moving Walkways, Machines & Components, City Skylines and Tall Buildings, Historical/Legacy Equipment (pre-1965), Who Reads Elevator World?, Elevator Company Factories/Facilities, Hoistways, Inclined Lifts and Illustrations. The nomination period will be followed by public voting, and winners will be featured in our August 2025 issue. Send us your best shots, and you could win one of many great prizes and be published in EW! We look forward to viewing the elevator world through your unique lens. Please email with any questions. | | Draka EHC, a brand of Prysmian, is a global manufacturer and supplier dedicated to sustainability and developing innovative solutions for the vertical transportation industry. Our diverse portfolio of high-quality elevator products includes travelling cable, compensation cable, hoistway cable, wire rope, coated steel rope, rope brakes, wireway, harnessing, and lubricants. For escalators and moving walks we offer essential handrail solutions, field splicing services, skirt brushes, rollers, replacement parts and more. DrakaEHC.com Advertisement | | | SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT FOR THE EW PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Submissions are now being accepted for the ELEVATOR WORLD 28th Annual Project of the Year Awards. We are seeking submissions of projects featuring vertical, horizontal or inclined transportation systems with an innovative design, special application or approach that solved a major problem or overcame a unique challenge. Projects will be judged on innovation, originality and creativity, challenges overcome, installation methods and techniques and use of advanced technology, as well as overall quality of presentation. This year's categories are 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. All entries will be judged and categorized as received by an impartial panel of experienced industry experts and professionals. Winning entries will be published in the January 2026 issue of ELEVATOR WORLD. Winners in each category will be acknowledged with an award of recognition. The submission deadline is September 2.
ALVARADO NAMED GM OF MEGA ELEVATOR U.S. FACILITIES
Diego Alvarado has been named the general manager (GM) of the U.S. facilities for MEGA Elevator Parts and Electrical Supply, a top elevator parts supplier in the nation headquartered in Queens, NY, with a new office opening soon in Florida. Alvarado will lead MEGA nationally in their recent expansion. Read more here | | Lift Business Advisors in the last 3 years has successfully represented the sellers of more than 25 elevator contractors and suppliers in the elevator industry to a broad range of acquiring companies. Since our inception in 1998, we have provided hands on support to help improve profitability and optimize value for an eventual exit. Contact Jeff Eaton for a confidential discussion and complimentary strategic review. www.liftbusiness.com, jeff.eaton@liftbusiness.com Advertisement | | | | MEI ACQUIRES ARCHI-TREAD
Minnesota Elevator, Inc. (MEI), a Mankato, Minnesota-based manufacturer of custom-engineered, made-to-order elevator packages, announced its acquisition of Archi-Tread, Inc., founded in 2014 by Scott Akin, on April 30. Archi-Tread offers a variety of stock sill options in addition to custom-fabricated sill solutions in a range of finishes to meet virtually any need, MEI observed in its announcement. Akin will continue to be involved in business as MEI integrates Archi-Tread into its ongoing operations, ensuring continuity and maintaining the high level of service customers have come to expect. MEI-Archi Tread's address is 5010 Business Park Drive, Suite 190, Rosenberg, Texas, and it can be reached at phone 888-602-7977. Congratulating Akin on the sale, CEDES Senior Account Executive Robert Schram said Archi-Tread's "Sillskins® product line is a great enhancement for properties, especially when transitioning from bronze to stainless steel."
OTIS INTEGRATES ROBOT AND ELEVATORS IN NEW ZEALAND
For the first time, Otis has integrated a service robot with elevators at a hotel in New Zealand with Otis Integrated DispatchTM Application Programming Interface (API) technology that allows the autonomous robot to call an elevator, select destinations and navigate without human assistance, Otis announced on April 30. The Otis Integrated Dispatch API enables autonomous robots to work with any brand or model of elevator capable of using APIs. Read more here | | SCHINDLER EXPECTS U.S. TARIFFS TO COST MILLIONS
Swiss elevator maker Schindler expects U.S. tariff costs to be "in the millions" as it faces an anticipated decline in new installation business in the Americas, outlets including Blue News report. Overall, though, Schindler's orders and margins increased for the first quarter, with group sales rising by 2.2% to CHF2.73 billion (US$3.30 billion). New installation order intake rose by 5.7% to CHF2.95 billion (US$3.26 billion). Read more here
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC ACQUIRES IRELAND'S ASCENSION LIFTS
Through Stockholm, Sweden-based subsidiary Motum AB, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. acquired Dublin, Ireland-headquartered Ascension Lifts, Mitsubishi Electric announced on April 30. Mitsubishi Electric and its Tokyo-based subsidiary, Mitsubishi Electric Building Solutions Corp., are expanding their worldwide presence in elevator maintenance and renewal, which is expected to enjoy growing demand in the building systems sector — one of Mitsubishi Electric's priority growth areas. Read more here | | Mongrain Vertical Transport current products include the complete range of hydraulic elevators as well as the Emarelle hydraulic machine-room-less elevator system. Each is custom tailored to meet demanding design and performance standards as specified by building owners, architects, and installers. For more information, please email us at info@mvtinc.com or visit us online at www.mvtinc.com. Advertisement | | | IN MEMORIAM: PAT FALK GALE
Pat Falk Gale, who was married for 54 years to longtime ELEVATOR WORLD correspondent and founder of the British Lift Association (BLA) Bill Gale, passed away in March at age 95 in London. Pat Falk met Bill Gale in the 1940s when they both served at Farm Road Mission in Morden, Surrey, U.K., acting as messengers for the Civil Defence Service. After they married in the late 1950s, Pat and Bill Gale lived in London, with Bill resuming work as a trainee accountant for Unilever after two years in the Royal Navy. However, on the advice of Pat's father, Ben Falk, Bill Gale joined Express Lifts as a fitter's mate. A student of electrical engineering, Bill Gale would go on to work for the renowned Marryat & Scott where he rose to become manager for the entire U.K. until he was asked to fill a lift consultant position with the Greater London Council. Pat Gale was born into an elevator family and, prior to turning her full dedication to the lift industry, was a devoted mum to her three sons: John, who followed in his father's footsteps as an EW correspondent; Peter and Richard. With Pat by his side, Bill Gale and a group of colleagues founded the BLA in the early 1980s, with Bill serving as executive director and Pat as secretary — roles they would hold from 1984 to 1992. In 1986, Bill and Pat Gale helped organize the first Lift Industry Exhibition in the U.K., modeled after National Association of Elevator Contractors conventions in the U.S. Upon the Gales' 1993 retirement, William C. Sturgeon wrote: "Hopefully, Pat will still be seen at the lift occasions she so loved to be a part of. She is one of the unsung 'lift troopers.'"
ESCALATOR REPAIR BEGINS IN UKRAINE
Major repairs to an escalator at the Khreshchatyk metro station in Kyiv, Ukraine, will begin soon, UNN reports. The scheduled repairs were announced by the Kyiv City State Administration and were said to last until June. The escalator, leading to the Alley of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, will have all major components dismantled and repaired, including the staircase, handrails, gearbox and traction chains. | | Maven Group, LLC is the premier choice for owners of independent elevator companies who consider selling their business. We understand the daily challenges of independent companies and we know what buyers are looking for. To maximize your return, we provide hands-on help when you prepare for the complex mergers & acquisitions process. For confidential advice, please contact Dominik Sachsenheimer at dominik@mavenelevator.com / 561-225-3320 or Bill Beaury at bill@mavenelevator.com / 239-253-4500; www.mavenelevator.com Advertisement | | | GEE MILANO TO FOCUS ON MODERNIZATION, SOFTWARE AND MORE
The Global Elevator Exhibition (GEE) Milano, planned at Fiera Milano Rho in Milan, Italy, on November 19-21, will include an exhibition platform focusing on innovations in maintenance and system upgrades and offering a full overview of the sector. GEE Milano gives property professionals a chance to discover the latest innovations for all types of lifts and components. Read more here
NYC MTA WELCOMES MODERNIZED ELEVATORS AT BRONX SUBWAY STATION
The NYC Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) welcomed two completely modernized elevators at the 3rd Avenue-149th Street subway station in the South Bronx on May 1. Contracted to Otis, work included full replacement of elevator cabs and associated equipment within the cab, shaft and pit; two new elevator head houses at street level; modifications to the shaft and pit needed to accommodate new equipment; replacement and modernization of all elevator machine room, electrical and mechanical equipment; and upgrade of the remote-monitoring equipment, intercom systems and cameras to enhance security and allow crews to respond quickly in the event of a malfunction. MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, "Bronx subway riders deserve modern and reliable accessibility features," including at this station, which sees more than 10,000 daily riders. The MTA currently has elevator replacement projects underway in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. | | G-TECH ELEVATOR RISES TO THE CHALLENGE AT THE FLATIRON BUILDING
G-Tech Elevator Associates LLC, founded in 2010 by Brock Glenn and his father, mobilized on-site at Manhattan's Flatiron Building in April to tackle the bulk of the elevator work for conversion of the historic 22-story landmark into 60 residential units. G-Tech previously removed eight elevators as developer The Brodsky Organization completely guts the inside of the building and builds a new core while preserving much of the structure. Read more here
U.A.E.'S NATIONAL ELEVATORS APPROACHES 40TH ANNIVERSARY
The U.A.E.'s National Elevators is proud to be approaching its 40th anniversary in 2026, General Manager Raja Mohamed Syed Ali said. Founded in 1986, National Elevators has evolved and risen in the elevator and escalator industry despite strong competition. The company has locations in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm al-Quwain offering new installation, modernization, repair and maintenance. Read more here | | | Preparations for interlift 2025 are underway! From 14 to 17 October, the lift industry will meet for the first time at Messe Nürnberg. More exhibition space has already been booked than at the last interlift and the trade fair is on course for growth. As the new home of interlift, Nuremberg is convincing with good accessibility and a relaxed hotel situation. https://www.interlift.de/en/ Advertisement | | | HISTORIC LONDON TUBE LIFT SHAFTS RESTORED TO MAKE STATION ACCESSIBLE
The Knightsbridge Tube station in London, England, is now fully accessible due to the restoration of the original lift shafts from 1906, Ian Visits reports. One of the original station entrances has sat dormant since the lifts were replaced with escalators that bypassed the entrance entirely in 1934. In 2016, the restoration of the abandoned lift shafts and the corridors to them was undertaken by the Knightsbridge Estate and its developer, Chelsfield, which was looking to redevelop the above-ground buildings. Read more here
HISTORIC SPAIN AND PORTUGAL POWER OUTAGE AFFECTS ELEVATORS
A power outage in Spain and Portugal on April 28, which is the worst blackout in Spain's recent history, led to more than 600 reports of people being trapped in elevators, ara was among outlets to report. The blackout affected much of public transportation and telecommunications, as well. The first concern for emergency services personnel was people who were trapped, and evacuation was a top priority. Read more here | | | NEW! SUPER FAST MACHINE LEAD TIMES! DELCO ELEVATOR PRODUCTS is proud to announce that we have select Haider Drive Traction Machines IN STOCK in our U.S. warehouse – ready for same or next-day shipping! For more information, please email info@delcoelevator.com or call 1.866.900.3727 | delcoelevator.com Advertisement | | | WITTUR INDIA'S AHMEDABAD WAREHOUSE COMPLETES FIRST DISPATCH
In a LinkedIn post, Wittur India shared that its regional warehouse in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has gone live, inaugurated by Pankaj J Shah, general secretary, Gujarat Elevator Association, and Suraj Thodimarath, managing director – APAC, Wittur Group. Read more here
PANEL REVEALS GROWTH OF LIFT INDUSTRY IN TURKISH CITY
A panel titled "The place of the Konya Lift Industry in Türkiye" was organized by the Konya Elevator Panel, Chamber of Mechanical Engineers (MMO) Konya Branch and Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO) Ankara Branch, Konya Provincial Representative, on April 19. The panel included three sessions held in the conference hall of the MMO Konya Branch. The increase in the number of lift companies manufacturing in Konya, especially in the last 20 years, has started to take an important place in lift manufacturing and exports, so much so that Konya is now a city with its own lift and escalator fair (Elevex Konya). Hundreds of mechanical and electrical engineers work in the R&D and production departments of these companies. | | EECMAI SUMMIT - KOLKATA 2025 HELD
The Elevator & Escalator Component Manufacturers' Association of India (EECMAI) organized the EECMAI Summit - Kolkata on March 21 at Space Circle Clubs & Resorts Pvt. Ltd. EECMAI was formed in September 2020 with the aim of making India "Atma Nirbhar" (independent) and a dependable global market hub for elevator and escalator components. Read more here
ALBANESE LABOR GOVERNMENT FUNDS ELEVATOR INSTALLATION
The Central Pontian Association in Brunswick, Australia, will receive AUD49,500 (US$31,623) in federal funding to install an elevator at its Pontiaki Estia headquarters on Sydney Road, Neos Kosmos reports. The funding comes from a re-elected Albanese Labor Government. The Central Pontian Association is a key pillar in preserving Pontian heritage and fostering cultural exchange within Melbourne's Greek Australian community. The new elevator is part of the Labor Government's broader commitment to improving infrastructure and accessibility for vital community organizations. Read more here | | | The latest ASME & IBC code updates drastically affect what's required of elevator emergency communication systems. With Kings III CabView, we can monitor a wide range of video & text systems and provide cellular data connections to help your customers meet new requirements. Partner with Kings III today to solve all of your customers' elevator communication needs. Advertisement | | | IN MEMORIAM: TREVOR RODRICKS
In a LinkedIn post, Stephen D'Souza, vice president, Field Quality, Asia, at Otis, shared, "Today we lost an Otis veteran, Mr. Trevor Rodricks, who served Otis for more than 40 years! He was considered to be one of the founding members in Otis India field operations. Later, he led Otis India Field operations for several years. Under his leadership, so many of us were mentored, laying the foundation of our basics on elevators. We were blessed to have had him as our mentor and guide. We pray that his soul rests in peace."
HOTELS PREPARE TO IMPLEMENT RECENT ELEVATOR CODE REVISIONS
Hotels are preparing to implement recent updates to the International Building Code (IBC) and ASME A17.1/CSA B44 elevator safety codes before the implementation deadlines,
Hotel Business reports. The elevator code updates include the requirement of visual, text-based messaging to assist passengers who are hearing or speech impaired, real-time video feeds of the inside of the cab and on-site assistance notification. The adoption of the 2019 ASME A17.1/CSA B44 code has already occurred in more than 75% of the U.S. Outlets like Hotel Business are urging hotels to prioritize guest safety by adopting the new safety requirements. | | | The 2025 Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook is here! The 220-page pocket-sized, spiral-bound 2025 edition of the Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook is designed as a resource for safety information and written processes for elevator industry field employees to help prevent injuries and illnesses resulting from unsafe acts and conditions found in the elevator industry. Order your copy today at: https://elevatorbooks.com/shop/new-products/2025-elevator-industry-field-employees-safety-handbook/ Advertisement | | | EDITORIAL AND SUBSCRIPTIONS: Editorial submissions, reprint permission requests and subscription/removal requests should be sent to editorial@elevatorworld.com. ELENET Editorial staff: Angela C. Baldwin, Kaija Wilkinson, Lindsay Fletcher and Sophie Goodwin. ADVERTISEMENTS: To advertise and reach ELENET's readership of 41,000+, contact the Advertising staff at phone: 251-479-4514 or e-mail: advertising@elevatorworld.com. Download the ELEVATOR WORLD magazine Editorial Calendar to see EW's upcoming feature stories, focus topics, special topics, special sections and Editorial/Advertising submission deadlines here. ELENET is a registered trademark, and all rights are reserved. Copyright 2025 © Elevator World, Inc., 354 Morgan Avenue, Mobile, AL 36606, phone: 251-479-4514, www.elevatorworld.com. | | | | |
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