| ELEVATOR WORLD's October 2025 Issue
 On the Cover: Panoramic passenger elevator at the EKA
Elevator Factory in Türkiye
Features: New Era for Austin; 2025 Product of the Year...
Focus on Brakes and Component Systems: Optimized Elevator Brakes for the New Standards; Beyond the Safety Code... Columns: The Other Otis Legend; Elevating Talent... Subscribe or log in here to read more than 5,000+ searchable articles, news briefs, blog posts and more. | | EW TO FOCUS ON ESCALATORS AND MOVING WALKS
ELEVATOR WORLD's December 2025 issue will focus on Escalators and Moving Walks and feature The Ellies Contest Winners along with Continuing Education. There will be special distribution at IEES 2025. The article submission deadline is October 15, and the advertising deadline is November 3. 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. | | 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 | | | WINNERS OF INAUGURAL ELLIES EUROPE COMPETITION ANNOUNCED
ELEVATOR WORLD formally announces winners and runners up of the inaugural Ellies Europe competition, recognizing European vertical-transportation companies that have gone above and beyond for their customers, employees and communities. An awards presentation is set to take place at interlift at Nürnberg Messe in Nuremberg, Germany, on October 15 during the VFA Forum in Hall 4, where winners will receive trophies and runners up will receive certificates. Honorees are: Best Consultancy/Inspection Company: Lerch Bates, winner; Cundall, runner up; Best Family-Owned Business: Arno Manetti Ascensori SRL, winner; Doppler S.A., runner up; Best Supplier-Accessibility: Handicare by Savaria, winner; GME Montascale, runner up; Best Supplier-Communication Systems: MEMCO by AVIRE, winner; SafeLine Sweden AB, runner up; Best Supplier-Complete Systems: EKA Elevator, winner; Orona, runner up; Best Supplier-Controllers: Schmersal Bohnke + Partner GmbH, winner; Liftern, runner up; Best Supplier-Doors/Door Operators: Wittur, winner; Fermator, runner up; Best Supplier-Fixtures: Schaefer, winner; Genemek, runner up; Best Supplier-Motors: Lancor 2000 S. Coop., winner; Sicor, runner up; Best Supplier-Other: Donati SpA, winner; Omarlift srl, runner up; Best Suppler-Ropes/Traveling Cables: Gustav Wolf GmbH, winner; Draka EHC/Prysmian, runner up; Best Supplier-Safety Products: Atwell International, winner; TK Elevator, runner up; and Best Supplier-Software: CEDES AG, winner; Mitsubishi Elevator Europe, runner up. | | 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 | | | TKE OWNERS SELECT FINANCIAL ADVISORS FOR PLANNED IPO
Advent International and Cinven, owners of TK Elevator (TKE) — formerly part of ThyssenKrupp AG — have selected Rothschild & Co. and Lilja & Co. as independent financial advisors for a planned initial public offering (IPO) that could become one of Europe's largest listings in years, outlets including Bloomberg report, citing sources familiar with the matter. Advent and Cinven are considering listing TKE on a European exchange, with Frankfurt, Germany, a contender. Read more here
CTBUH DUBAI EVENT DRAWS 300-PLUS AND FEATURES KONE
More than 300 delegates gathered at Atlantis The Royal Resort in Dubai on September 23 for the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) Dubai Conference, for which KONE was among Gold sponsors. The event also featured KONE High-Rise Vertical-Transportation Expert Juho Löytönen as a speaker. Held at the CTBUH Best Tall Building 2023, the conference revolved around discussion about "What it means to build higher, denser and more sustainably in a rapidly urbanizing world" under the theme "From the Souq to the Skyline: Stitching Streets Into the Fabric of a Connected City." The keynote address was by Binghatti Holding Chairman Muhammad BinGhatti, and sessions explored climate resilience, mobility, livability and the shifting cultural expectations of tall building design. Read more here
| | Connect the office and field with Liftkeeper, the elevator business software designed specifically for the elevator industry, by people in the elevator industry. With thousands of users globally, Liftkeeper is the trusted solution for growing your portfolio, driving efficiency, and improving customer communication. Reach out for a live demo today! www.liftkeeper.com. Advertisement | | | | IN MEMORIAM: FRANK WIECKOWSKI
Frank Wieckowski of Sarasota, Florida, a longtime elevator man, passed away on September 25 at age 91. A U.S. Army veteran, Wieckowski worked at Chicago Rawhide in the synthetic rubber lab following his military service. He discovered his true passion — elevators — when he began working for Chicago's Automatic Elevator as a helper in 1956, eventually working his way up to becoming partner. He later acquired full ownership of the company before selling it in 1999. Wieckowski was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Elevator Contractors in 1995. In 1983, he helped his wife, Michele, start Quality Elevator, and, in 2008, launched Vator Accessories with his stepdaughter, Lisa Grimes. In his off time, Wieckowski consistently gave back to the community, whether it was through feeding the homeless or raising money or dressing as a clown to visit sick children with the Shriners. He also loved restoring classic cars, a hobby that began in high school when he purchased a 1911 Model T for US$10. Wieckowski's survivors include his wife, Michele; children, Kathleen, Joanne, Patricia, Nancy and Sandra; stepdaughters Debbie and Lisa; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. | | POLAND'S CPK TO AWARD TENDER FOR 500-PLUS UNITS FOR NEW AIRPORT
Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), a Polish state-owned entity responsible for delivering strategic national transport infrastructure, announced on September 29 it is seeking a contractor to design, supply, install and commission more than 500 transportation units at the upcoming CPK Airport. These will include elevators, escalators and moving walks to enhance accessibility in both airside and landside areas. This will be one of the largest airport tenders of its kind in recent years, CPK observed. Read more here
HYPERION LAUNCHES DEDICATED RESIDENTIAL ELEVATOR BU
Hyperion Solutions, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 6 announced the launch of its dedicated Residential Elevator Business Unit (BU), which consolidates the EMI Porta, Good Gate and Vator brands under one organization. To lead the effort, Graham Kawulka joins Hyperion as general manager of the Residential Elevator BU, supported by Director of Operations Calvin Austrom. Kawulka has more than 15 years' industry experience, including co-founding Good Gate, and has a track record of developing innovative residential elevator solutions. As Good Gate co-founder, Austrom offers deep technical expertise and leadership in the residential elevator market. Read more here
G-TECH ELEVATOR SYSTEM FOR NEW EAST VILLAGE BUILDING
G-Tech Elevators provided a two-elevator system for 3 St. Marks Place, a handsome eight-story brick commercial building designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and developed by Real Estate Equities Corp. at 23-25 Third Avenue in Manhattan's East Village. With Sephora occupying the ground level, the 53,000-ft2 building will be served by overhead traction units traveling 500 ft/min and making 11 stops. One has 3500-lb capacity and the other, 4000-lb capacity. The elevators have BTS Elevator Package packages, along with GAL door equipment, ELSCO roller guides, Elevator Controls controllers, Hollister-Whitney governors and safeties and Imperial Electric machines. Read more here | | 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 | | | METRO ELEVATOR OPENS NEW MILWAUKEE OFFICE
Metro Elevator recently announced it has expanded its presence in Wisconsin with a new office in Milwaukee. The office is being led by Metro Elevator Milwaukee President Rick Jandora, a vertical-transportation industry professional with nearly 30 years' experience "known for his results-driven leadership, customer-first mindset and deep knowledge of the industry." Working alongside Jandora is Vice President (VP) Jillian Langer, who will focus on operations and service to "ensure every customer is handled with care and urgency." Read more here
KONE-UNIDO PARTNERSHIP INCLUDES TAILORED TRAINING IN INDIA
Finland's KONE announced in September the signing of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization's (UNIDO) cooperation declaration, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development and growth worldwide. To build awareness and promote sustainable practices, tailored training will be conducted for its suppliers in Tamil Nadu, India, in 2026, representing an opportunity to create model Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) curricula for its Indian supply chain that will be promoted in tandem with skills-development authorities. 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 | | | | STILTZ HITS 10,000-UNITS-SOLD MILESTONE IN U.S.
Stiltz Homelifts, a global provider of residential mobility solutions, has reached a major milestone with 10,000 home elevators sold in the U.S. The U.K.-founded company, which entered the U.S. market in 2013, credits the growth to rising demand for aging-in-place solutions and its distinctive product offering. Stiltz expects to soon sell 10,000 elevators annually in the U.S. Stiltz elevators are sold primarily through dealer partners and are currently installed in homes across the U.S. Stiltz recently expanded its U.S. presence with the opening of its first company-owned location in Denver. Stiltz elevators are shaftless, operate quietly with a self-contained electric motor and require only a small footprint. Read more here | | Hilliard offers its customers two styles of spring applied electric released brakes that can be easily fitted to "A" frame elevator drives. These brakes are designed to apply when unintended travel of the car occurs. Hilliard offers a friction disc plate-style brake that attaches to the drive shaft of the pulley and a caliper-style that acts on a ring attached to the pulley. These brakes are an alternative to a rope gripper when performing a modernization job which requires lifting or moving a drive or extra construction to the elevator. Hilliard offers certain models of these two styles of brakes that meet CSA approval. For more information, visit www.hilliardcorp.com Advertisement | | | ECNY EVENTS TO BE HELD ON SAME DAY IN SAME LOCATION
The Elevator Conference of New York (ECNY) announces two upcoming events — the New York State (NYS) Mechanic Licensing & QEI Course and the ECNY Controller Manufacturer Roundtable — will be held on the same date in the same location, making it convenient for members to participate in both. A 2025 Code update seminar, the NYS course will review the latest industry standards from key codebooks and provide required continuing-education credit for both NYS-licensed mechanics and QEI-certified inspectors. Read more here
KAPOK 88 ACHIEVES LIFTINSTITUUT CERTIFICATION
Kapok 88, a leading European provider of elevator interior protection solutions headquartered in Newark upon Trent, Midlands, U.K., recently announced its official Liftinstituut certification. Kapok 88 said the certification provides peace of mind to elevator manufacturers, installers and building managers, confirming its solutions meet rigorous safety standards. Kapok 88 is celebrating its 38th anniversary this year and has spent the past two decades expanding its global presence, building brand awareness across multiple countries and establishing a robust international distribution network. Read more here | | MITSUBISHI ELEVATOR/ESCALATOR DIVISION CELEBRATES 40 YEARS IN U.S.
The Elevator and Escalator Division of Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc., headquartered in Cypress, California, commemorates 40 years of service in the U.S. Since entering the U.S. market in 1985, Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc., has grown from a single-office operation to a trusted name in elevator and escalator systems nationwide. Today, the company supports major metropolitan markets across the country, providing state-of-the-art elevator and escalator solutions for high-profile commercial buildings, transit centers, hospitality properties and mixed-use developments. To honor this milestone, Mitsubishi Electric is hosting a four-day celebration for its employees across the U.S., both virtually and in-person, with daily themes, keynote speakers and messages from the division's earliest U.S. team members. Read more here
CIA TO SHOWCASE CANOPEN LIFT AT INTERLIFT
The nonprofit CAN in Automation (CiA) association, headquartered in Nuremburg, Germany, plans to exhibit at the interlift trade fair on October 14-17 at Nürnberg Messe in Nuremberg. CiA staff will inform visitors about the current status and planned new features of CiA 417 specifications, also known as CANopen Lift — a communication protocol developed by CiA that enables seamless communication among various elevator components such as doors, drives and indicators. Additionally, the benefits of CANopen Lift plugfests will be explained. 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 | | | 40-YEAR-OLD SKYTRAIN ELEVATORS BEING REPLACED IN CANADA
The original 40-year-old elevators at SkyTrain stations along the Expo Line, the oldest in TransLink's SkyTrain rapid transit system in British Columbia, Canada, are being replaced by new units, outlets including the Hope Standard report. TransLink told ELEVATOR WORLD Ventana Construction Corp. is the contractor on the job, with KONE the manufacturer of the 21 new elevators, which will boast 20% more space to enhance accessibility. The new elevators also have new cooling systems and are designed for greater reliability. Read more here
HYUNDAI ELEVATOR SIGNS MOU FOR MODULAR ELEVATOR COMMERCIALIZATION
Hyundai Elevator announced it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hyundai Engineering & Construction to commercialize a modular elevator, Maeil Business Newspaper reports. Hyundai Elevator recently completed the development of machine-room-less-(MRL)-type modular elevator technology. In July, it also completed demonstration by applying modular elevators to Hyundai Construction sites in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Read more here | | | The Embedded Modernization Escalator (EME) incorporates a modular structure into existing trusses, standardizing escalator upgrades. Proven globally and customer-approved, EME is both an innovative product and a leading modernization solution. Explore the future at www.hansonlift.com. Advertisement | | | BOY DIES IN "OLD AND POORLY MAINTAINED" ELEVATOR IN INDIA
A 12-year-old boy died as a result of becoming trapped between the third and fourth floors in an elevator residents said was "old and poorly maintained" at an apartment building in Pimpri-Chinchwad, approximately 15 km northwest of Pune, India, on October 3, outlets including the Republic reported. The unit had iron gates rather than modern sliding doors and the boy's "foot reportedly slipped out of the bars, causing the elevator to get stuck between floors," the source observed. Read more here | | | Argus Elevator is committed to enhancing elevator safety by providing quick-to-ship, easy-to-install, and cost-effective safety solutions that ensure code compliance. With user experience in mind, their products feature bright, easy-to-read screens and compact designs that fit in your hand. From door lock monitoring and pit flood protection to unintended car movement, door restrictors, and brake monitoring, Argus Elevator offers the safety solutions customers need. www.arguselevator.com Advertisement | | | | TKE AT CTBUH 2025 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN TORONTO
TK Elevator (TKE) is participating in the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) 2025 International Conference in Toronto, "From the Ground Up: Tall Buildings and City Making," on October 6-8. Toronto is home to several of TKE's most iconic projects, including the CIBC Tower and Toronto Pearson International Airport. These projects showcase TKE's broad portfolio, from digitally connected elevators to escalators, moving walks and passenger boarding bridges. At the CTBUH event, TKE is contributing its expertise through workshops, technical sessions and research on future-oriented and inclusive mobility solutions. TKE presented its pioneering TWIN elevator technology, featuring two elevators operating independently in the same shaft. Read more here | | | Looking to maximize elevator door performance? Upgrade to the MOVFR3 Next-Gen Door Operator from GAL for reliable, quiet and precise performance. Featuring a 1/2 HP motor, quick plug-and-play installation, and seamless closed-loop operation. Perfect for demanding applications. Works with all OEM and independent cabs and doors with optical closed loop feedback. Experience intelligent design and proven reliability. Learn more at www.vantageelevation.com/movfr3-harmonic-door-operator/. Advertisement | | | INDIA CITY FEELING EFFECTS OF LOSS OF ELEVATOR INSPECTOR JOBS
In Pune, India, the Energy Department is overseeing more than two lakh (200,000) elevator installations across Maharashtra with just half of the sanctioned 398 lift inspector posts, the Times of India reports. Lift inspectors certify new lift installations, conduct safety audits, check for mechanical and electrical faults and ensure compliance with statutory norms. In April, the dedicated wing within the department that handled lift installations was dissolved, according to officials, and since then, inspectors have been assigned multiple additional roles due to a higher workload and reduced personnel. Read more here | | 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 Kathleen Farrell. 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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