| ELEVATOR WORLD's March 2026 Issue
 On the Cover: Accessing the Obelisk
Features: Al and the Elevator Industry; IEES 2025; Modernization Innovation...
Focus on Maintenance and Inspection: Finding a Better Way With Customers; Peelle Freight Elevator Doors (1927)...
Special Regional Section: South Florida: Positioned for Success; Elevator Cab Interiors in South Florida…
Columns: A Lifetime of Leadership; ISO/TC 178 Plenary Meeting...
| | Subscribe or log in here to read more than 5,000+ searchable articles, news briefs, blog posts and more. | | EW TO FOCUS ON SPECIAL-PURPOSE LIFTS
ELEVATOR WORLD's May 2026 issue will focus on Special-Purpose Lifts. The article submission deadline is March 16, and the advertising deadline is April 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.
A1 ELEVATOR AND PINNACLE ELEVATOR JOIN FORCES AS A1 PINNACLE
A1 Elevator and Pinnacle Elevator, both serving the greater New Orleans, Louisiana, area and part of the Elevator Service, Inc. (ESI) family of companies, have unified as A1 Pinnacle, ESI announced on March 5. Under the A1 Pinnacle banner, the company will continue offering elevator and escalator service and repair, modernization, new installation and 24/7 emergency support. 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 | | | | LANCASTER ELEVATORS JOINS ASCENT ELEVATORS
Founded nearly 90 years ago and led by Pat Rogers since 1978, Lancaster Elevators, headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has been acquired by St. Louis, Missouri-based Ascent Elevators, Lift Business Advisors, which facilitated the transaction on behalf of Lancaster, announced on March 6. The deal was successfully completed in January. Providing installation, modernization and maintenance for a wide range of vertical-transportation (VT) equipment, Lancaster has become a fixture in the VT industry. Read more here
U.K.'S PICKERINGS LIFTS OPENS GLASGOW FACILITY
Pickerings Lifts, founded in 1854 and one of the U.K.'s leading independent lift, escalator and loading-systems providers, on March 3 announced the opening of a new, 3,880-ft2 regional facility in Glasgow, Scotland. On the city outskirts with direct access to the M74 and M8 motorway network, the new premises will enable Pickerings to better serve customers from the Highlands and Islands in the north to Stranraer in the south. 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 | | | ATIS' KJA ACQUIRES SOBERMAN ENGINEERING
KJA, a subsidiary of ATIS, a Thompson Street Capital Partners (TSCP) portfolio company and premier provider of elevator and escalator safety inspections, consulting and managed services across North America, has acquired Soberman Engineering, TSCP announced. Soberman Engineering has built a strong reputation for independent advisory services, with expertise spanning new construction, modernization, inspections, ongoing maintenance support and general technical assistance. With this addition, KJA further expands its capabilities in the Toronto, Canada, and new construction market while maintaining its core values of independence, technical excellence and client-first service. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With more than 60 years of experience and headquarters in Toronto, KJA is Canada's largest and premier provider of vertical-transportation consulting and managed services.
SEASONED VT EXPERT EDGETT JOINS DESIMONE CONSULTING ENGINEERING
DeSimone Consulting Engineering, a global company founded in NYC in 1969 that provides vertical-transportation (VT), structural engineering, façade consulting and more, on March 5 announced that Steve Edgett has joined the firm as senior technical advisor. Edgett joins DeSimone after decades as a leader and cofounder of Edgett Williams Consulting Group, widely regarded as one of the industry's premier VT consultancies. Throughout his career, he has advised on supertall towers, global corporate headquarters (HQ), landmark mixed-use developments, major technology campuses and high-end retail properties. Read more here | | | OTIS APPOINTS JOLLY AS AUSTRALASIA SVP AND MD
Otis announced on March 4 it appointed Hemant Jolly as senior vice president (SVP) and managing director (MD) for Australasia. With an MBA from International Management Institute, Delhi, and a Master of Commerce from Delhi University in India, Jolly will lead the organization to meet evolving demands as infrastructure and city centers transform and require modernization, population growth fuels the development of multifamily housing and interest in sustainable and digital solutions increases. Jolly is tasked with fostering a customer-centric culture "focused on the Otis Absolutes of Safety, Ethics and Quality." Read more here
AMERICAN ELEVATOR CO. APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT FOR TEXAS MARKET
American Elevator Co., part of the Elevator Service, Inc. (ESI) family of companies, announced on March 4 the appointment of Jonathan Heckmann, MBA, as president of its Texas market expansion. Heckmann brings more than 15 years of building industry experience, with a strong background in sales leadership, operations and customer-first service strategy. Recognized as a servant-minded business leader, Heckmann has built and led high-performing teams focused on operational excellence and long-term client partnerships within the built environment. 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 | | | | ATTA ELEVATORS NAMES RVP FOR CHICAGO
ATTA Elevators, a rapidly growing elevator service provider with operations across North America, recently announced that Nicholas Vackicev has joined the company as regional vice president (RVP) for Chicago. Known for his approachable, hands-on leadership style, Vackicev brings more than 19 years of vertical-transportation industry experience. He began his career as a mechanic, progressing into senior operational leadership roles at companies including Mitsubishi Electric, Otis and TK Elevator. Vackicev has led repair and service teams, managed complex projects, supported field crews and maintained a strong focus on safety and customer relationships. "What sets Nick apart is his continued connection to the field," ATTA stated. "Even in leadership roles, he has remained active as a union elevator mechanic, giving him a practical perspective that helps bridge operational decisions with real-world jobsite conditions."
CLARKSON + VARICK WELCOMES SENIOR CONSULTANT IN FLORIDA
Clarkson + Varick recently welcomed Tyler Wolfe as its new senior elevator consultant for the Florida market. Wolfe brings two decades' experience in the vertical-transportation (VT) industry, holding leadership and sales roles at numerous well-respected OEM and independent companies. Wolfe's VT career includes positions at Elevated Facility Services; Delaware Elevator of Florida, Inc.; VDA, Inc.; Otis; Schindler; and TK Elevator. Read more here | | KINGDOM HEALTH PARTNERS WITH KONE DISTRIBUTOR IN JORDAN
Kingdom Health inked an agreement with authorized KONE distributor Petra Elevators Co. to deliver elevators and escalators across facilities including the Kingdom University of Health Sciences and Kingdom University Hospital, Zawya reported on March 3. Under the agreement, Amman-based Petra will supply and install vertical-transportation (VT) equipment, as well as provide long-term maintenance and service. Petra Sales and Strategy Director Mazen Abu Ghoush said the collaboration marks a major milestone for the company and "reinforces our position as the preferred (VT) partner for high-end solutions and long-term maintenance." Read more here
CECA PROVIDES TSSA BILLING ISSUE UPDATE AND PLANS REGIONAL MEETING
The Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA) provided an update regarding Ontario's Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) issuing duplicate billings for "major alterations and new installations that are creating significant additional work for the sector." TSSA President Bonnie Rose said, in the short term, TSSA is performing daily manual checks for duplicate bills and canceling them the next day. Longer term, the authority aims to replace its financial module with one that will permanently resolve the issues. Read more here | | Delco Products Now Stocked in Miami — Ready for Pickup! Working on a South Florida job? Skip the shipping delays. Delco roller guides, door detectors, and safety barricades are now stocked locally at MEGA Elevator Parts for immediate pickup. Order Now: sales@megaelevatorparts.us | www.megaelevatorparts.us Advertisement | | | TKE UNVEILS DIGITALLY NATIVE HELIX HIGH-SPEED, HIGH-RISE ELEVATOR
TK Elevator (TKE) on March 10 introduced HELIX, a digital-first, high-speed, high-rise single-deck elevator platform that is part of the Dynamic High-Rise by TK Elevator family. Powered by people-centered AI and data-driven decision making, HELIX is engineered to optimize uptime, availability and energy efficiency. It complements TKE's TWIN, Double-Deck and Shaft Climber Dynamic High-Rise solutions. For predictive maintenance, the TKE MAX offering is embedded natively. As part of the Dynamic High-Rise portfolio, HELIX integrates seamlessly with the digitally native EOX platform for low- and mid-rise buildings, enabling optimal elevator configurations for complex and mixed-use high-rise buildings. Maintaining rigorous cybersecurity compliance, HELIX supports open application programming interface integration with building platforms. HELIX also includes TKE's smart AGILE dispatcher for next-generation traffic flow management. With AI-driven destination controls, its algorithms are designed to learn, adjust and react intelligently, instantly adapting controllers and call allocation logic to keep passenger journeys smooth and predictable.
THE ELEVATOR DATABASE ADDS STATE OF CONNECTICUT
Logan Ober, a Network Operations Center security engineer at Development Group, Inc. based out of Redding, California, and recent transplant to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, announced he expanded his U.S. elevator database, The Elevator Database, to include Connecticut, effective March 2. The online database lets users search by city, conveyance number, speed, capacity, machine type and installation date, among other information. "This is one of the states I'm most excited about, as I have many friends and professional industry connections from Connecticut," he said. Read more here | | | NJ FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE TEEN GIRLS FROM 90-FT ELEVATOR SHAFT
New Jersey firefighters rescued two teenage girls from the shaft of a 90-ft-tall elevator that had stalled between entrances to the 9th Street NJ Transit Light Rail station between Hoboken and Jersey City, New Jersey, on February 28, News 12 reported. Approximately 12 firefighters responded to the scene, using a rope system to make contact with the girls and keep them calm. The elevator had become stuck approximately 20 ft from the bottom of the Hoboken side of the platform, and the rescue took several hours. No one was injured. Read more here
2WTC RENDERINGS RELEASED AHEAD OF CONSTRUCTION
Foster + Partners, in collaboration with developer Silverstein Properties, released updated renderings of Two World Trade Center (2WTC) ahead of construction re-starting sometime this spring, ArchDaily reported on March 2. The 373-m-tall, 56-story skyscraper will serve as the new global headquarters for American Express and sit directly across from the Santiago Calatrava-designed Oculus transportation hub in Lower Manhattan, NYC. Read more here | | Hyperion Solutions delivers field-proven equipment for every machine room. Titan's Dual Plunger Brake, 2025 Product of the Year, achieves code compliance in hours. For hydraulic projects, EECO offers configurable power units engineered for reliability. We provide the technical support to keep your projects on schedule. Contact support@hyperion-solutions.com or visit www.hyperion-solutions.com. Advertisement | | | BRUGG RECEIVES BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (BIS) LICENSE FOR ROPES
Brugg Lifting announced this month it reached an important milestone by receiving the BIS license for its Swiss-manufactured elevator ropes, certified in accordance with Indian standard IS 2365:2024. The certification confirms that Brugg ropes fully meet Indian regulatory requirements. The BIS certification enables the use of Brugg ropes in locally regulated projects, supports smooth approval processes and reduces compliance-related risks. Beyond the certification, Brugg continues to strengthen its long-term presence in India through a structured, phased market approach. The company's India activities are focused on building sustainable partnerships and supporting customers with technical expertise, responsive service and access to premium rope solutions engineered in Switzerland. "The Indian elevator industry is experiencing growth driven by urbanization, infrastructure development and increasing expectations regarding safety and reliability," Brugg observed. "In this dynamic market environment, compliance with local standards and proven product quality are essential."
SWECO ACQUIRES BELGIUM'S CONIX RDBM ARCHITECTS
Sweco, a major engineering, architecture and consulting firm headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, on March 4 announced it acquired CONIX RDBM Architects, which has offices in Brussels and Antwerp, Belgium. With turnover of approximately EUR7.6 million (US$8.8 million) in 2025, CONIX RDBM delivers architecture, interior design and master planning across the office, residential, education, healthcare and mixed-use sectors. Read more here | | Nous X CANopen Elevator Controller. Smart. Reliable. Future-Ready. Upgrade your elevator performance with Nous X — an advanced CANopen-Lift controller designed for precision, smooth operation, and seamless integration. Ideal for modernization and new installations, it delivers efficiency, safety, and intelligent control for the next generation of vertical transportation. Discover the power of Nous X. www.lift.semitron.gr Advertisement | | | INDIAN MAN NARROWLY ESCAPES DEATH IN MALFUNCTIONING ELEVATOR
A 36-year-old man in Valsad, Gujarat, India, narrowly escaped death when the elevator at his apartment complex suddenly surged up on March 3 while he was exiting it, outlets including the New York Post report. A terrifying video shows the man pacing inside the unit and looking back at the camera prior to the malfunction. With his hands braced on either side of the door — a "nervous tic that may have saved his life" — the man got only one foot out of the narrow door when the elevator reached his floor and quickly shot up with the doors open. He appeared to hit his head on the ceiling, knocking him down and safely out of the elevator. Read more here
ESCALATOR WILL BENEFIT MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO INDIAN TEMPLE
Northern Railway's (NR) Jammu Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Vivek Kumar inaugurated a new escalator between platforms 2 and 3 at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK) Railway Station in Katra, India, March, outlets including the Daily Excelsior report. Mainly serving the town of Katra, the location of the SMVD temple visited by millions of people each month, the station will benefit from better crowd management thanks to the new escalator, officials said. 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 | | | CVU CEO ISSUES STATEMENT ON SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Javier Quintana de Uña, CEO of the Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU), issued a statement on March 4 on the situation the Middle East, observing the nonprofit's main concern is "the safety and well-being of our members, partners and their families across the region." de Uña said that, despite the fact CVU does not take positions in geopolitical matters, "moments like this underscore the practical value of vertical urbanism." The Middle East, he said, has become a leader in verticality, sustainability, livability and innovation, and continuing to pursue these core principles will be key to the resilience and recovery of the region. 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 | | | 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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