ELEVATOR WORLD's January 2026 Issue  On the Cover: An overview of the inclined elevator system from Project of the Year winner "Choryang 186 Stairs"
Features: Interlift 2025
Focus on the Future of VT Safety: Designing Future-Proof Safety in VT… Columns: EFESME at 20; The World of Elevator Safety in 1973…
Subscribe or log in here to read more than 5,000+ searchable articles, news briefs, blog posts and more. | | EW TO FOCUS ON FIXTURES
ELEVATOR WORLD's April 2026 issue will focus on Fixtures (Cab and hallway lighting,
buttons, handrails, car panels, phone and more) with Bonus Distribution at the ECNY Supplier Showcase. The article submission deadline is February 16, and the advertising deadline is March 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. | | 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 | | | | HITACHI TRANSFERS HOME ELEVATOR STAKE TO MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC
Hitachi Ltd. announced it will transfer its entire stake in Mitsubishi Hitachi Home Elevator Corp. to joint venture partner Mitsubishi Electric Building Solutions Corp. with the share transfer agreement scheduled for completion during the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2027, StreetInsider.com reports. The joint venture, established with equal 50% ownership between the companies, operates in home elevator development, manufacturing, sales and installation. Under Hitachi's "Inspire 2027" management plan, the company stated it will concentrate elevator business resources on standard and customized models that can serve as digitalized assets. Read more here
KONE RANKED AS A TOP COMPANY FOR SUSTAINABILITY
KONE has been ranked as the 54th most sustainable company in the world by Corporate Knights, an independent media and research company. KONE is Finland's top-ranked company in the machinery manufacturing peer group and is the highest performing elevator and escalator company on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Within the broader "Machinery" industry group, KONE placed second among 397 companies worldwide. KONE has set ambitious, science-based climate targets for 2030 and is on track to achieve them. 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 | | | SPECIALIZED ELEVATOR AND VINTAGE ELEVATOR ANNOUNCE MERGER
Specialized Elevator, a portfolio company of Berkshire Partners based in Canton, Massachusetts, and Vintage Elevator Services of San Mateo, California, on January 26 announced their merger. The addition of Vintage strengthens Specialized's footprint in the San Francisco area. Vintage, founded in 2008 by Gerry Rodriguez and Greg Cardenas, has built a solid reputation throughout the Bay Area. After more than six decades in the elevator industry, Rodriguez is stepping aside to pursue new endeavors. Cardenas has joined forced with Specialized to oversee Bay Area operations. Read more here
OTIS APPOINTS KEY LEADERS TO ACCELERATE GLOBAL GROWTH
On January 20, Otis announced Enrique Minarro Viseras as chief operating officer (COO) and Claire Miller as chief growth officer, both reporting directly to Otis CEO and President Judy Marks. As COO, Viseras will oversee all of Otis' regional operations across Otis Americas; the Asia-Pacific (APAC); Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and Greater China, as well as field excellence, engineering, product management, supply chain, manufacturing and spare parts. He previously served as Otis vice president EMEA. Succeeding Viseras as EMEA president is Thibault Lefébre, who most recently led Otis Western Europe in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Miller joins Otis from Student, Inc., where she most recently served as COO. She will lead Otis' global growth strategy, focusing on accelerating innovation and strengthening the company's competitive position with an expanded focus on the Service line of business. Nicolas "Nico" Lopez is now president of Otis APAC, succeeding Stéphane de Montivault, who retired from Otis in February. Lopez held leadership positions in the Americas and APAC before assuming his role leading Otis' Southeast Asia operating unit. He is tasked with guiding Otis APAC through its next phase of growth and transformation. | | | NYC DOB ANNOUNCES JOBSITE SAFETY SWEEP RESULTS
The NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) recently announced results of construction site safety sweeps it conducted in response to "concerning rise in building construction worksite fatalities in 2025." In addition to the surprise jobsite visits across the five boroughs, the effort included an educational outreach campaign. DOB inspectors visited 705 work sites throughout the city, distributed multi-lingual safety information and conducted inspections. Violations were found at 14% of the sites visited, and a total of 50 stop-work orders were issued. Read more here
HYPRLIFT, MOLINE, NSF TO REVIVE HISTORIC ELEVATOR TEST TOWER
Hyprlift, Inc.; the City of Moline, Illinois; and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are collaborating to convert the historic, 180-ft-tall Montgomery (later, KONE) elevator test tower into a hub for vertical innovation that will be used to test, certify and eventually commercialize Hyprlift's next-generation elevator technology, the City of Moline announced in a January 20 press release. The Silicon Valley-based startup approached the city seeking a location to test and certify its elevator systems and Moline offered the test tower, built in 1966 and unused since 2012 when KONE moved its operations. Read more here
HONG KONG SAR ISSUES 2025 VT CONTRACTOR RATINGS
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on January 22 announced performance ratings of registered vertical-transportation (VT) contractors for the year 2025 (January-December 2025). According to the results, 36 registered elevator and 24 registered escalator contractors were awarded the Safety Star. Read more here | | Gustav Wolf × Delco Elevator Products. Gustav Wolf premium wire rope is now available through Delco Elevator Products in the U.S. and Canada. For modernization, new construction, or repair projects, Delco streamlines sourcing and delivery - so you can focus on the job. Request a quote: info@delcoelevator.com | https://delcoelevator.com/ Advertisement | | | | LESA HONORS INGLIS AT 100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN SYDNEY
Members of the Lift Engineering Society of Australia (LESA) gathered at the Merrylands Bowling Club in Sydney, Australia, on January 20 to celebrate the 100th birthday of lift industry legend John Inglis. Inglis' name is synonymous with the development of engineering in Australia and beyond. He began his lift industry career in 1942 as an apprentice and has since spanned more than eight decades of technical, professional and personal contribution. Across roles in service, installation, supervision, engineering management and executive leadership, Inglis' working life closely mirrors the evolution of lift technology and practice in Australia. After extensive experience with Arnold Engineering & Lifts and later Otis Elevator Co., Inglis established Amron Lift Resources as an independent engineering consultancy. Through this practice, he advised on lift design, compliance, expert reporting and standards, remaining professionally active well into his later years. He was instrumental in the establishment and growth of LESA, and his influence through involvement with global technical forums like Elevcon has been felt internationally. He is also a prolific author, having written for ELEVATOR WORLD since the 1950s and co-authoring the Elevator and Escalator Micropedia, a widely used industry reference. — reported by LESA President Scott Hampson | | FUJITEC ACHIEVES CDP CLIMATE CHANGE 2025 B SCORE
Japan's Fujitec Co., Ltd. obtained a B score in the climate change category from CDP, a U.K.-based non-profit organization that operates a global environmental information disclosure system, Fujitec President and CEO Masayoshi Harada announced on January 22. CDP gives evaluations from D- to A based on answers participants provide to an annual questionnaire. The B score indicates CDP's assessment that Fujitec is positioned at the "Management Level," meaning the company is recognized for being aware of and acting on its environmental risks and impacts concerning climate change. Fujitec identifies "efforts to reduce environmental impacts" as one of its sustainability goals. Read more here
OTIS ACCESSIBILITY EXECUTIVE AMONG SPEAKERS AT CVU CONFERENCE
The Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU) recently announced initial speakers for the CVU 2026 Americas Conference, planned for March 25-27 in Austin, Texas, and Otis Director of Global Disability Accommodations & Accessibility Christy Vanek is on the list. Vanek's "Accessibility and Technology for the Visually Impaired in High Rises" is set for March 25 at 3:45 p.m. CST. Known for her expertise in built environment accessibility and emphasis on seeking direct input from the disability community, Vanek is partially blind and brings a lifetime of personal disability experience to bear alongside her professional expertise. Read more here
INOVANCE INDIA EXPANDS WITH THIRD WAREHOUSE IN CHENNAI
On January 27, Inovance India launched its third facility in Chennai — a warehouse spanning approximately 50,000 ft2. With the addition, Inovance India's total operational footprint throughout Chennai now stands at nearly 1 million ft2, encompassing its manufacturing facility, head office and the newly inaugurated warehouse. The expansion reflects Inovance's long-term vision to enhance supply chain efficiency, improve service responsiveness and support rapidly growing demand for automated solutions. The new warehouse is strategically located to support customers and channel partners nationwide, enabling faster order fulfillment, improved inventory availability and reduced delivery times. Inovance India's five branch offices are in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Noida, Surat and Hyderabad. | | 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 | | | KONE VILLA 100 LAUNCHES FOR INDIA RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
KONE announced it has launched the KONE Villa 100, a compact and energy-efficient home elevator designed for villas and low-rise residential buildings in India, ET Manufacturing is among outlets to report. The Villa 100 is designed specifically for residential use, operates on a 220 V single-phase power supply and is powered by permanent magnet synchronous gearless technology with variable-voltage, variable-frequency control. These units consume less energy than conventional home elevators and incorporate intelligent energy-saving features such as switching off cabin lighting and ventilation when not in use. Read more here
103 TKE VT UNITS INCLUDING TWIN FOR SOUTH KOREA PROJECT
TK Elevator (TKE) is providing 103 vertical-transportation (VT) units, including 13 innovative TWIN double-deck elevator systems across two high-rise towers, for the Seoul Station North Area Complex, a mixed-use development by long-term TKE partner Hanwa Corp. The job marks the 11th TWIN new-installation project in South Korea as TWIN becomes the "go-to solution for the Asia Pacific's most prominent high-rise projects," TKE observed. Read more here
OTIS TO PROVIDE NEARLY 500 ESCALATORS FOR SHANGHAI METRO
Otis announced on January 22 it has been selected to provide 498 heavy-duty Public escalators to Shanghai Metro Line 19, a new 46-km line featuring 34 stations. Chen Kang, Otis senior vice president, New Equipment & Modernization, China, said the award builds on a longstanding partnership with the Shanghai Metro. "Line 19 is a vital addition to Shanghai's transit network, and our heavy-duty Public escalators are designed, tested, manufactured and installed to provide safe, reliable service for millions of daily riders," Kang observed. Read more here | | Looking to maximize elevator door performance? Upgrade to the MOVFR 3 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 | | | | SMALL ELEVATOR PROPOSAL WINS INAUGURAL NYC ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGE
A proposal to revise NYC code to allow for smaller elevators in existing buildings was one of two winners of the inaugural Opening Doors Innovation Challenge in Housing and Small Businesses, the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) announced in January. The initiative was launched by DOB and the NYC Department of Housing, Preservation and Development in 2025 with the aim to bring together "designers, technologists, advocates and problem-solvers to reimagine accessibility in our built environment." Read more here
OTIS GEN3 SOLUTIONS FOR LOW- TO MID-RISE BUILDINGS IN EMEA
Otis announced on January 21 it is offering eight connected vertical-transportation (VT) solutions across its Gen3TM platform for low- to mid-rise buildings in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The Gen3 platform includes eight premium connected products: Gen3 Core™, Gen3 Peak™, Gen3 Edge™, Gen3 Flex, Gen3 Switch, Gen3 Home, Gen3 Bedlift and Gen3 Robusta, with a range of travel heights, lifting capacities and travel speeds. Read more here | | THE 2026 EW MEDIA KIT IS HERE! Download the ELEVATOR WORLD Media Kit to see EW's upcoming feature stories, focus topics, special sections and editorial and advertising submission deadlines here. Join us as we continue to celebrate and support the industry in 2026! Advertisement | | | ELEVATOR ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT PROGRESSES IN MALDIVES
A government initiative to enhance accessibility at Hiyaa Flat towers in Hulhumale, Maldives, is progressing with the Housing Development Corp. (HDC) reporting that elevators have been added to eight of the 16 25-story towers as part of an estimated US$18-million plan to install 32 new elevators in all, The Edition reports. China's Shenyang Yuanda Intellectual Industry Group Co., Ltd., is handling the work. The housing towers were built during former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen's administration with three or four elevators each, but residents have said that is too few for the number of people who use them. Read more here
NEW ELEVATORS FOLLOW NEW ESCALATORS AT TENNESSEE AIRPORT
On the heels of welcoming new escalators at McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) just south of Knoxville, Tennessee, earlier this year, the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority is bringing accessibility to the next level with new elevators in both the parking garage and main building, The Daily Times reports. Workers took the garage elevator out of service on January 5 to install all-new equipment in the elevator shaft ahead of anticipated completion in mid-February. Read more here | | EN Elevator Design: Calculations for Designing to the EN Market. This new book written by Serdar Tavaslioğlu offers 15 chapters covering key aspects of elevator design under the EN code. Blending code references, calculations, case studies, and field insights, the 240-page book addresses topics from safety gears and guide rails to MRL systems. Order today. Advertisement | | | WMATA FOGGY BOTTOM-GWU STATION ESCALATOR PROJECT UNDERWAY
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has begun work to replace two escalators at the Foggy Bottom-George Washington University (GWU) Metro station in Washington, D.C., with plans to replace all six within the next year, the GW Hatchet reports. Through May, one station escalator between the street and mezzanine and another between the mezzanine and platform will continue to undergo upgrades including new, more reliable and energy-efficient motors. The Foggy Bottom-GWU station joins six other stations across the WMATA network undergoing modernization efforts. Work is part of a US$204-million escalator replacement project that began in 2020 to replace 145 escalators throughout the system by 2027. In addition to being 30% more energy efficient, the new units will also be able to relay real-time information to WMATA officials. KONE is handling the work.
COLORADO AIRPORT SWITCHES ESCALATOR MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR
The Grand Junction Regional Airport in Grand Junction, Colorado, has switched escalator maintenance providers to Otis after the previous company's technicians failed to fix problems that led to a crucial upward escalator being out of service for most of 2025, The Daily Sentinel reports. Citing "nonperformance," airport officials terminated the previous contract earlier in January and hired Otis at an annual cost of US$42,000 to perform preventive maintenance on the conveyance. The unit is original Otis equipment, which could help efforts. Those will now include routine reviews. The airport signed a three-year maintenance deal with Otis, rather than its typical five years, due to anticipated improvements that could change its accessibility needs including plans to add a second upward escalator. | | 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 2026 © Elevator World, Inc., 354 Morgan Avenue, Mobile, AL 36606, phone: 251-479-4514, www.elevatorworld.com. | | | | |
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