Elevator World

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com ALIMAK CEO GUNLEIKSRUD TO LEAVE COMPANY THIS YEAR Alimak Group President and CEO Tormod Gunleiksrud has informed the board of directors that he plans to leave his position this year, the company announced on January 15. Gunleiksrud, who took the position in November 2012, came to Stockholm-based Alimak from ABB in Switzerland, where he was manager of Operational Excellence for the Robotics Business Unit. Prior to that, he had served as president and regional manager North Asia for ABB Robotics, stationed in Shanghai. At the time of his appointment, Alimak said Gunleiksrud was "a perfect match to the future challenges of the group," citing his background in industrial businesses and his experience in China. Alimak made several key acquisitions during Gunleiksrud's tenure, effectively doubling the size of the company. The company statement said the board has begun evaluating potent

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com NEII HAS A BUSY 2019 The National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) gave a review of 2019 in its newsletter, NEII Insider. It highlighted industry advocacy victories including dissuading “the City of New York from requiring elevator control rooms and other restrictions on elevator designs that would have added costs and other challenges without additional safety benefits” and aiding in implementing an amnesty program offered by the Massachusetts Department of Professional Licensing allowing customers a 75% reduction on all civil fines predating 2018. In addition to other victories in Michigan, Washington, Louisiana, Denver and California, the organization said President of Otis Americas and President of NEII Board of Directors Tom Vining’s advocacy for reduced tariffs on elevator and escalator components before the U.S. Trade Representative (in addition to other NEII efforts) led to

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com BROOKFIELD, TEMASEK TEAM UP FOR THYSSENKRUPP BID Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management and Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings are planning to put in a bid for thyssenkrupp’s prized EUR15-billion (US$16.6-billion) elevator division, several news outlets, including Reuters, reported on January 10. thyssenkrupp has been under pressure from shareholders after numerous profit warnings. It plans to sell all or part of its elevator business, the world’s fourth-largest industry player and by far thyssenkrupp’s most profitable asset. It set a January 13 deadline for binding bids. The Brookfield-Temasek team is the latest bidder to become publicly known. Others include a consortium consisting of Blackstone, Carlyle and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, and another composed of Advent, Cinven and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Other OEMs said to be in the race are K

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com STUDENTS' APP ALERTS CTA RIDERS TO BROKEN ELEVATORS A class project undertaken by two Loyola University Chicago graduate students has resulted in a smartphone app that alerts Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) riders when elevators are broken down at the rail system's "L" stations, Block Club Chicago reports. When Tyler Arndt and Sam Siner, students in Loyola's graduate software engineering program, were assigned a class project, they focused on creating an app that would be useful to people in the community. Their idea was "Elevate Chicago," an app that informs people when elevators are out of service at “L” stations. About 70% of the stations have elevators, but the two said breakdowns are common. Elevate Chicago can tell riders if the elevators at their preferred stations are out of service. It also offers push notifications, which give users elevator information about without ha

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com 2019 “NEW BUILDING REPORT” PAINTS NYC REAL ESTATE PICTURE New York YIMBY's 2019 "New Building Report," released this month, paints a thorough picture of the commercial real estate scenario across NYC boroughs in 2019 and 2020. The report reveals trends, and winners and "losers" as developers react to factors like legislative pressure and shifting demand. The residential construction momentum from 2017 through 2018, when the number of filings for new residential units with the NYC Department of Buildings rose from 20,393 to 34,039, continued in the 2019 timeframe. From 2018 to 2019, these filings increased 7.1% to 36,467. A push for additional affordable housing helped drive the numbers, which saw shifts in the boroughs: The biggest gain was in the Bronx, which overtook Queens with 9,321 unit filings, a gain of 25% from 7,449 in 2018. What the source described as "sweeping" legisl

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com TJEI ESTABLISHES TRAINING, DISTRIBUTION FACILITY IN INDIA Toshiba Johnson Elevators (India) Pvt. Ltd. (TJEI) recently announced the opening of its Training Center and Distribution Center in Chennai, India. The training facility is designed to improve the competence and expertise of field engineers for elevator sales, installation and maintenance, the company says. The complex will also have a storage area for elevator components to be used for installation and maintenance, and will function as a reliability center equipped with various quality-control facilities. Image credit: courtesy of Toshiba Johnson Elevators India via Japan NEWS To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes │ Google Play | SoundCloud │ Stitcher │ TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com IEE EXPO 2020 ORGANIZERS FORESEE BUSY, INFORMATIVE EVENT Organizers of the eighth edition of the International Elevator and Escalator (IEE) Expo, planned on February 27-29 in Mumbai, said more than 100 exhibitors had secured spaces “to transform into magnificent real-life examples of elevators and escalators and give visitors a personalized experience of the latest high-end elevator technologies.” The team from Messe Frankfurt learned attendees — including architects, developers, government entities and urban planners — will be on the lookout for high-quality elevator interior finishes, lighting options and energy-saving features for multiple projects. Godrej Properties Ltd. Manager of Procurement Punam Ingle, Sr. said the company is developing approximately 30 projects across India that will need innovative, aesthetically pleasing elevators. Metro and railway systems will be loo

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com IN MEMORIAM: SIMHA LUSTIG Simha Lustig of Tel Aviv, Israel, founder of Eng. S. Lustig Consulting Engineers (ESL) — the first vertical-transportation (VT) consultancy in Israel — passed away on December 7, 2019, at age 93. Lustig and his wife, Rita, both Holocaust survivors, immigrated to Israel in 1950 following Lustig's graduation from the University of Bratislava in Slovakia with a degree in Electrical Engineering. His career began when he joined a local elevator company as an engineer, going on to start ESL in 1956. ESL was, and still is, involved in many prestigious projects developed in Israel, as well as internationally, over the last 70 years. As chairman of the Israeli Elevator and Escalator Technical Committee, Lustig instigated creation of all new Israeli VT standards, as well as adapted many European ones. He was a longtime representative of Israel on ISO Technical Com

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com NEW YORK GOVERNOR APPROVES ELEVATOR LICENSING BILL New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has approved a bill requiring licensing of the state's elevator mechanics but, in a deal worked out with lawmakers, has delayed it taking effect until January 2022, the New York Post reports. The bill was introduced after an August 2019 incident in which a man was crushed to death in an elevator in a Kips Bay apartment building. The "Elevator Safety Act" requires the state Labor Department to license mechanics and others involved in elevator maintenance; requires more extensive training and education; and creates a nine-member Elevator Contractors License and an Elevator Safety and Standards Board. It originally was written to take effect in June but the Legislature pushed it back in a compromise with the governor's office. However, the law moves up the date for NYC officials to comply with mechanic lic

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com SUPERTALL OBSERVATION DECK SET TO OPEN IN MARCH IN NYC The Edge at the Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed 30 Hudson Yards, at 1,131 ft the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere, is set to open on March 11, New York YIMBY reported in December 2019. The Edge has 7,500 ft2 of walkable space, including a glass-bottomed section and transparent glass panels that slope out around the perimeter for those seeking extra thrills. Developed by Related Cos. and Oxford Properties Group, the 1,296-ft-tall 30 Hudson Yards is the tallest structure in the first phase of the Hudson Yards megadevelopment. The supertall will soon be joined by shorter skyscrapers to the north near the Jacob K. Javits Center. Ticket prices for The Edge include US$36 for adults for general admission. Image credit: by Michael Young for New York YIMBY To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit:

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com SKINNIEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD CLOSE TO COMPLETION IN NYC 111 West 57th Street, a 1,428-ft-tall residential building on Billionaires' Row in Midtown NYC, is on pace for completion in 2020, New York YIMBY reports. Designed by SHoP Architects and developed by JDS Development, Property Markets Group and Spruce Capital Partners, the supertall is the skinniest building in the world, with a height-to-width ratio of 24:1. Its terracotta and steel façade has reached the bottom of its steel crown. Interiors of its 46 condominiums will be designed by Studio Sofield and marketed by Douglas Elliman. The source observes that, in addition to its slenderness and height, 111 West 57th Street is "the most prominent example of new skyscrapers incorporating classic architectural stylings, with its Art Deco curtain walls on the eastern and western elevations." Image credit: by Michael Young for Ne

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com KONE VT EQUIPMENT FOR NEW TORONTO TRANSIT ACCESS ROUTE Metrolinx tells ELEVATOR WORLD that eight elevators and seven escalators manufactured by KONE are part of a new underground access route at Toronto’s historic Union Station. Toronto Urbanized reported on December 24, 2019, that the access route had opened to the public with one end below the Great Hall and the other in front of Union Station on Front Street. Including stairs and a glass-covered walkway, the revitalization project will make the route fully accessible when the elevators and escalators go into operation early this year. In the meantime, Metrolinx has posted signage directing those with mobility issues to available vertical-transportation (VT) equipment. Image credit: courtesy of Metrolinx To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes │ Google P

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com VESSEL AGREES TO INSTALL PLATFORM LIFT FOR ADA COMPLIANCE Access to Vessel, including 360˚ views from its upper levels, will be available to individuals with disabilities thanks to an agreement between the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Related Cos. and ERY Vessel LLC to install a "one-of-a-kind" platform lift at the interactive art centerpiece of the Hudson Yards megadevelopment in NYC, various news outlets, including Hyperallergic, report. It is served by a single, custom-made elevator that stops at three of its 80 platforms. Visitors must otherwise use stairs. On December 23, 2019, the government announced Vessel violates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) since its most-visited areas cannot be accessed by those with disabilities. Prosecutors further pointed out Related has directed operators to skip platforms at levels five and seven, s

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com HITACHI (CHINA) PRODUCTION PASSES 100,000 UNITS FOR 2019 Hitachi Elevator (China) Co., Ltd. of Guangzhou signed a 110-unit contract with Evergrande Group on December 24, 2019, pushing the company's sales of vertical conveyances past the 100,000-unit milestone for the year, Yahoo Finance reports. The new contract calls for Hitachi to provide elevators and escalators to Evergrande's Hongqiao International Airport project in Shanghai. Hitachi’s other 2019 milestones included contracts to provide vertical transportation for Guangzhou Poly Zeng Cheng Finance Headquarters, Changsha Ping An Wealth Center, Chow Tai Fook Finance Tower in Qianhai, Shenzhen, Guiyang Zhongtian Future Ark, ArtPark9 in Beijing and other high-rise landmarks. The company also won Guiness Book of World Records recognition for the fastest elevator in the world, a 1,260 m/min unit at the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centr

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com 1,000-UNIT MODERNIST COMPLEX COMPLETES IN WESTERN MOSCOW Vander Park, a residential complex clad in colorful brick and aluminum panels, is now complete in western Moscow, an area on the Moskva River known for its modernist architecture and woodlands, World Architecture Community reports. Containing approximately 1,000 apartments, the development was designed by Amsterdam-based de Architekten Cie and developed by Russia’s PIK Group. Situated on 2.4 ha and designed as a “vertical city within a city,” Vander Park buildings range from 18-26 stories tall. Interspersed with walkways, the development includes amenities such as a courtyard, sports facilities and a children’s daycare. The main contractor was BOES Construction of Moscow. Image credit: courtesy of World Architecture Community To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news Subscribe to the

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com KONE WINS ORDER FOR NEW OFFICE TOWER IN LONDON KONE recently announced it has won an order to supply vertical transportation for 8 Bishopsgate, a new, 50-story office building in the City of London. Rising 200 m, 8 Bishopsgate will include a public viewing gallery with two dedicated elevators to level 50. Altogether, KONE will deliver 19 MiniSpace™ elevators, 15 of which will be double-deck units using its UltraRope® carbon fiber-based hoisting technology. One group of four will travel at speeds up to 8 m/s. During construction, JumpLift™ solutions will speed construction time. In the podium, KONE will install two MonoSpace® 700 elevators and two TransitMaster™ 110 escalators, and the building will be equipped with the E-Link™ facility-management system. KONE will also install its destination-control system, and InfoScreens will provide multimedia information inside the elevators

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com SLOVAKIA’S FIRST SKYSCRAPER SET TO RISE The first skyscraper in Slovakia is set to start rising in 2020 on the banks of the Danube in Bratislava, EuropaProperty.com reports. Standing 168 m tall with 46 stories above ground, Eurovea Tower is part of developer JTRE's mixed-use Eurovea 2 development that includes a retail component and a 25,000-m2 waterpark. Sales of the nearly 300 apartments in the Eurovea Tower and Riverside buildings began in summer 2019, and approximately 60% had been sold by December 2019. Site prep to make way for the tower was scheduled for completion in February 2020, with residents moving in in mid-2023. Image credit: courtesy of JTRE To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes │ Google Play | SoundCloud │ Stitcher │ TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com CIEL TOWER FOR DUBAI TO BREAK HOTEL RECORD Ciel Tower, planned to open in early 2023 in Dubai Marina, is to replace the nearby Gevora Hotel (on Sheikh Zayed Road) as the tallest hotel in the world. DestinAsian Indoneasia recently announced it would be developed by The First Group and designed by Norr Group, which also designed Dubai landmarks Atlantis, The Palm and Ciel Tower. Located directly in front of Cayan Tower, the property is near Marina Walk and Marina Mall. Its height is to surpass Gevora's by 4 m to reach 364 m or more with at least 77 stories. It has already won the Best International Hotel Architecture, Best Hotel Architecture Arabia and Best Residential High-Rise Architecture Arabia awards. Image credit: courtesy of The First Group To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes │ Google Play | SoundCl

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com CTBUH TALL BUILDINGS 2019: RECORD YEAR FOR SUPERTALLS The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has released its 2019 year-in-review, “Tall Buildings in 2019: Another Record Year for Supertall Completions.” With 26 buildings at least 300 m tall completed, 2019 topped the 2018 record of 18. For the fifth year in a row, China had the tallest completion, the 530-m-tall Tianjin CTF Finance Centre. Worldwide, there were 126 buildings at least 200 m tall completed in 2019, compared with 146 in 2018, representing a 13.7% decline. The document explores the reasons for this, reveals 2020 predictions and examines tall-building trends, including transit-oriented development and skybridges. It also provides insight about particular markets like the Middle East and North America, and includes interactive graphics such as one showing the 20 tallest buildings completed worldwide in

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com NYC WATERFRONT PLAN INCLUDES BIG-DESIGNED TOWERS, BEACH Two Trees Management, the team behind redevelopment of the Domino Sugar factory site, hopes to redevelop a 3.5-acre piece of land on the Williamsburg waterfront in NYC with two, up to 650-ft-tall, mixed-use towers designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and a six-acre public park with a beach, Curbed New York is among outlets to report. The towers would include 1,000 residential units, a 47,000-ft2 YMCA, 30,000 ft2 of retail and 75,000 ft2 of office space. Designed by James Corner Field Operations, the firm behind the High Line, the park would provide public access to the East River with an esplanade, a sand beach, tidal pools, a fishing pier and a boating cove. Also on the drawing board is 5,000 ft2 of "community kiosks" and kayak rentals. Two Trees Principal Jed Walentas said he hopes to get approval (including rezoning) wit