| ELEVATOR WORLD's July 2025 Issue
 On the Cover: Imagination Unbound
Feature: Tyne Tunnel...
Focus on Cabs and Cab Accessories: The Most Overlooked Room in the
Building; Elevated Sustainability... Columns: Elevating Industry Safety; Modular Design... Subscribe or log in here to read more than 5,000+ searchable articles, news briefs, blog posts and more. | | EW TO FOCUS ON RESIDENTIAL LIFTS AND ACCESSIBILITY, NAEC
ELEVATOR WORLD's September 2025 issue will focus on Residential Lifts and Accessibility with a special section providing a NAEC Convention Preview and special distribution at the NAEC Convention. The article submission deadline is July 15, and the advertising deadline is August 1. 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.
NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR 2025 ELLIES AWARDS
Nominations for the ELEVATOR WORLD's Ellies 2025 Awards are now open through July 14. This is the industry award program that is voted on by you. The Ellies recognizes North American vertical-transportation industry businesses that go above and beyond for their customers, employees, communities and the industry as a whole. There is no need to nominate a company multiple times. Voting for the finalists runs from August 1 to 11; once voting opens, you can vote as much as you want. The ELLIES awards will be presented live at the NAEC Fall Convention in Houston, Texas, on September 17 at 4 p.m. If you have any questions or have any general feedback on the program, feel free to email. | | 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. | | The WUR-COM® from Wurtec is an all-digital solution for multimedia elevator communications. The WUR-COM® meets the latest ASME requirements by providing two-way audio, video monitoring of the cab, and text capabilities. The fully digital WUR-COM® package also eliminates the need for POTS lines. Check out the details here, and get in touch with us at 1.800.837.1066 or WurtecSales@wurtec.com. Advertisement | | | | OTIS ELEVATOR SYSTEM FOR NEW HO CHI MINH CITY TOWER Otis announced on June 30 it will provide a complete elevator system for The Kross, a 39-story mixed-use tower in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's CBD. Work includes installation of seven SkyRise® and nine Gen3TM elevators integrated with the Compass® 360 destination-management system, which can reduce travel time by up to 50% during peak periods. Read more here
KONE TO PROVIDE VT SOLUTIONS FOR FINLAND'S TALLEST OFFICE BUILDING
KONE secured an order to provide People Flow® solutions for The Node, which will become Finland's tallest office building standing at 130 m and 32 stories, located in the Pasila neighborhood of Helsinki. Scheduled for completion in 2028, the office building is part of the Keski-Pasila urban development project, aimed at creating a modern center with residential, office and service functions. The Node will utilize sustainable construction to create a 45,000-m2 building featuring 3,000 office workstations and a variety of restaurants and cafés. KONE booked the order to provide 16 elevators, including nine KONE MonoSpace® 700 DX and seven KONE MonoSpace 500 DX elevators, in Q3 of 2024. KONE will also supply 28 KONE KT1000 turnstile lanes to enhance people flow and additional vertical-transportation (VT) solutions, including KONE Office Flow, People Flow Analysis, two KONE JumpLift® 800 and KONE SiteFlow® solutions, to support construction efficiency. | | EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT FOR LIFT AND ESCALATOR SYMPOSIUM ENDS JUNE 30
The early bird discount for the 16th Lift and Escalator Symposium, taking place on September 24-25 in the Kettering Park Hotel in Kettering, U.K., ends on June 30. The symposium is an annual event that brings together experts from the field of vertical transportation and allows speakers to present peer-reviewed papers. The event will feature industry experts and academics talking about various topics ranging from safety, maintenance, Internet of Things and engineering. Read more here
VDA ACQUIRES FLORIDA-BASED SUNCOAST ELEVATOR INSPECTIONS
VDA, Inc., a vertical-transportation consultancy based in East Hanover, New Jersey, on June 30 announced the acquisition of Suncoast Elevator Inspections, a Tampa Bay area, Florida-based company specializing in elevator inspection services across Florida. The acquisition follows VDA's recent international expansion with the acquisition of U.K.-based D2E. Read more here | | 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 | | | | HYPRLIFT ANNOUNCES FIRST U.S. PATENT AWARD Silicon Valley, California-based Hyprlift, Inc., announced it was awarded its first U.S. patent on June 3 for its dynamic-traction drive for vertical-transportation (VT) systems. This now-patented technology is at the heart of Hyprlift's self-propelled elevator cabs that allow for multiple cabs to travel autonomously in the same shaft. Fewer shafts mean that new buildings can be designed with narrower cores, freeing up valuable interior space for other uses, Hyprlift observes. Read more here FAIN INCREASES MARKET SHARE TO 20% OF IRISH ELEVATOR MARKET Spanish-owned lift company FAIN has increased its market share in Ireland to 20% of the Irish elevator market, Raidió TeilifÃs Éireann reports. FAIN first entered the Irish market in 2021 with the acquisition of OTIS Ireland and West of Ireland Lifts (WOIL), under the name Irish Lift Services (ILS). Now, the company will service more than 7,000 lifts nationwide, after completing the acquisition of TKE Ireland, formerly Thyssenkrupp Elevator. This makes the portfolio of lifts managed by FAIN a fifth of the market, including devices managed by Doyle, which is part of the group. "In just four years, we've grown our presence from 4,600 to more than 7,000 lifts – a pace that reflects our long-term commitment to local investment, technical excellence and customer-first service," said Miguel Gomez, FAIN Chief Operating Officer. FAIN, which was founded in Madrid in 1972, also has operations in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium. The company's clients in Ireland include Google, Guinness, Meta and Inditex. | | SEALEY PROMOTED TO VP OF SALES AT LIFTKEEPER
Liftkeeper, an elevator business software company headquartered in Sandpoint, Idaho, has promoted Shae Sealey to vice president (VP) of sales. With nearly 10 years' experience as an elevator industry professional in NYC, Sealey says he is now "channeling that energy into driving continuous improvement at Liftkeeper." Before joining Liftkeeper as product and sales manager, Sealey held project management roles at Otis, Schindler and TK Elevator, all in the NYC area. Read more here
IN MEMORIAM: ERIC APPANA
Eric Appana, a QEI and senior field engineer for Motion Control Engineering's (MCE) New York office, passed away on June 23 at the age of 50. MCE Sales Representative Bette Hanson described Appana as "a mentor and all-around amazing man." Appana had been in the industry since 1996, first working for Richmond Elevator Co. in NYC before moving to Nouveau Elevator, also in NYC, and Centennial Elevator in Long Island City, NY. He also worked as technology and quality assurance manager at Computerized Elevator Control Corp. of Moonachie, New Jersey, for eight years. Industry colleagues showed an outpouring of sympathy upon hearing the news on LinkedIn. Champion Elevator President Don Gelestino said Appana brought much joy and laughter to those who knew him. North American Elevator Sales Manager Lisa Nicki-Perry said, in addition to being a true friend, Appana was "an incredible source of knowledge and an industry expert whose oversight, assistance and generosity will never be forgotten." | | 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 | | | BRITAIN'S FIRST CURVED ESCALATORS COMING TO LUXURY RETAILER
The famous Knightsbridge department store Harrods in London is planning a multimillion-pound renovation that will include the addition of Britain's first curved escalators, Fashion Network is among outlets to report. According to planning documents, the new technology will be introduced in the lower ground floors of the luxury retailer. Read more here
NEW ESCALATORS PART OF MAJOR DLR STATION UPGRADE IN LONDON
Six new escalators and a larger mezzanine level are in store for Docklands Light Railway's (DLR) Pontoon Dock station in Silvertown, East London, U.K., with construction slated to start in summer 2026 and wrap up in 2028, Transport for London (TfL) announced on June 24. TfL's Sustainable Housing and Accessibility Fund collaborated with Homes England, the Greater London Authority and a local developer to secure funding for the station upgrades, part of an effort to support regeneration of the local area. 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 | | | JAPAN ELEVATOR SERVICE HOLDINGS APPOINTS BOD AND OTHER OFFICERS
At the 31st Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 24, Japan Elevator Service Holdings Co. Ltd. elected its Board of Directors (BOD), according to MarketScreener. In conjunction with this, the company announced that the duties of each director and the appointment of the supervisory executive officer were resolved at a meeting of the BOD held on the same day. Read more here
STANNAH CELEBRATES 200 YEARS OF U.K. RAILWAYS WITH NETWORK RAIL
As suppliers to Network Rail, Stannah is celebrating with the company as the rail industry marks 200 years of rail travel. Following the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, the world's first public steam railway, the U.K. railway network grew exponentially. Two hundred years later, more than 1.6 billion journeys are made each year on Network Rail, and Stannah maintains more than 1,500 lifts and escalators at stations throughout the country. As Network Rail's chosen supplier of lift and escalator services, Stannah is a key enabler in the organization's drive to create step-free access across its 554 stations. As the U.K.'s railway system evolves, Stannah is continually innovating its business processes to meet the demands of the Network Rail contract and provide optimal performance of the lift equipment. "Stannah's links to the rail industry go back to the times of founder Joseph Stannah in the Victorian Industrial Revolution," the company said. "An outstanding engineer with a passion for improvement of both engineering solutions and society, Joseph submitted a number of patents for locomotive parts to improve both safety and efficiency." | | ELEVATOR REGISTER HOPES TO BOOST SAFETY, MODERNIZATION
Greece's Ministry of Development is launching a nationwide Elevator Register with a goal to record all elevators across the country, regardless of their current certification status, and identify those in need of upgrades to ensure safe operation, Kathimerini reports. Administrative sanctions outlined in previous regulations will be suspended during the registration period. Read more here
ANDALUSIAN CRUISE SHIP PORT CALLS FOR BIDS FOR ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
The Port Authority of Motril on Granada province's Costa Tropical in Spain is calling for bids on a contract to improve the accessibility of the Antonio Armas passenger terminal. The contract includes the installation of an elevator, mechanical ramps and stairs next to the west façade. The project will connect the upper floor of the Port of Motril to the Levante and Costa docks, which will become the new customs control area. Read more here | | | Right on the Button! From the most simple incandescent backlit button to our almost bulletproof Bruiser design, every push button device we manufacture is reliable and built to the highest standards of quality to meet or exceed ADA and ANSI A17.1 compliance as well as state and local codes. That's why when you choose any Innovation push button, you'll be right on the button…every time. www.innovationind.com Advertisement | | | | GEORGIA DEALING WITH ELEVATOR INSPECTION BACKLOG The state of Georgia is adding six new elevator inspectors to its staff on July 1 as it continues to deal with a backlog of units past their inspections, WTOC reports. Focusing on its Savannah, Georgia, market, WTOC said there are nearly 600 elevators in Savannah's Chatham County that are behind on inspections. The state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance said Savannah reflects a larger, statewide issue: There are approximately 33,000 elevators in the state with 32 inspectors inspecting up to eight units per day. Read more here QUEBEC CITY'S FAUBOURG ELEVATOR REOPENS AFTER REPAIRS Pedestrians will once again have more convenient access between Upper and Lower Town, Quebec City, Canada, with the reopening of the refurbished Faubourg elevator, the Quebec Community Newspapers Association reports. The historic lift and café next to it had been closed since March 17 for major renovations to the interior and exterior. Read more here | | | Enhance your elevator interiors with Inpro's fully wrapped cab panels. We believe durability shouldn't compromise design. Made with Palladium® Rigid Vinyl Sheet, our panels resist damage, endure daily wear, and maintain a high-end finish. Trust Inpro for durable, design-forward solutions that last. Advertisement | | | ELEVATOR TECHNICIANS SEE JOB RE-ENTRY SUCCESS WITH NATIONAL CERTIFICATIONS IN SOUTH KOREA
Elevator technicians were at the top of a list of South Koreans who most successfully re-entered the workforce through national technical certifications, according to data released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, The Korea Bizwire reports. The analysis examined 610,000 individuals who earned a national technical qualification in 2023. Among them, 3.9% obtained the certifications with the explicit goal of re-employment following a job change or layoff. Of those, 41.1% secured new employment by the end of July 2024, taking an average of 78.9 days to land a job. Elevator technician was the third-highest success rate at 58.2%. Construction, safety management and electrical/electronics were the most common fields pursued for re-employment purposes.
ELEVATOR SERVICE IN NYCHA DEVELOPMENTS DISRUPTED BY POWER SURGE
Elevator service in dozens of NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments across the city was disrupted by, according to city officials, a power surge on June 25, PIX11News reports. Six developments on the Upper East Side and East Harlem were impacted after 9 p.m. The Executive Vice President of Operations Support Services at NYCHA Keith Grossman told PIX11 News that starting on June 23, there were a number of voltage reductions. 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 | | | CONNECTICUT FOOD PANTRY/SOUP KITCHEN CUTS RIBBON ON NEW ELEVATOR
Norwich, Connecticut's St. Vincent de Paul Place (SVdPP) held a ribbon cutting for its new elevator, located on the left side of the Cliff Street building, on June 24. The new elevator will be used to improve accessibility for clients receiving services and for moving donations through the building, The Bulletin reports. Work on the elevator project began more than two years ago, and construction started almost a year ago. The total cost was US$3.3 Million. Read more here
RECORD-BREAKING TIMBER TOWER BREAKS GROUND IN MILWAUKEE
In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, developer Neutral and general contractor (GC) C.D. Smith Construction broke ground on June 16 on the future tallest timber tower in North America, The Daily Reporter is among outlets to report. Standing 31 stories — 24 of which are made of mass timber — Neutral.Edison will offer 350 apartments at 1005 North Edison Street. Slated for completion in 2027, it will surpass current record holder the 25-story Ascent MKE, declared the world's tallest tower shortly after completion in 2022. Read more here | | | 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. | | | | |
Comments
Post a Comment