INDUSTRY NEWS

THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR, EROS VENTURE
ThyssenKrupp Elevator (India) Pvt., Ltd. and Eros Elevators & Escalators Pvt. Ltd. of Mumbai have formed a joint venture, which includes ThyssenKrupp Elevator acquiring 25.1% of EROS' shares. The companies will combine their elevator products to serve customers across India.

TOSHIBA ENVIRONMENTAL EXHIBITION
Toshiba Corp.'s 21st Environmental Exhibition for the general public was held at the company's Tokyo headquarters on February 9-10. Toshiba promoted its "Environmental Vision 2050," consisting of the themes "Greening of Process," "Greening of Products," "Greening by Technology" and "Green Management."

MYANMAR HOSPITAL ELEVATORS
A Myanmar soccer club is planning to invest in building a hospital in Pathein. The three-story hospital will include two elevators and 50,000 sq. ft. of space on each level. According to The Myanmar Times, the project timetable is approximately eight months.

MITSUBISHI OUTPUTS 100,000TH UNIT
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has announced that Mitsubishi Elevator Asia Co., Ltd., its elevator/escalator manufacturing operation in Thailand, recently surpassed a milestone with the production of its 100,000th elevator/escalator unit. Mitsubishi also announced plans to expand production in Thailand to better meet the growing global demand for vertical-transportation equipment.

U.A.E. PROJECTS
Abu Dhabi is currently undergoing construction of several projects, including commercial and office buildings. Among the projects is the 34-story Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, slated to open at the end of this year. In addition, Cleveland Clinic is opening a new location, which will mark its first branch outside North America.

THE AZERBAIJAN TOWER
Said to be the world's next tallest building, the Azerbaijan Tower on the Khazar Islands, southwest of Baku, Azerbaijan, is planned to be 1-km tall once complete. Planned by the Avesta Group of Cos. the first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2016. The second phase of the project will include the construction of the tower and is expected to begin in 2016, with completion scheduled for 2018 or 2019.

ISTANBUL'S RENAISSANCE TOWER
The 606-ft-high Renaissance Tower designed by Fxfowle of New York City is being developed by Ankara-based Renaissance Construction Co., which plans to lease most of the 914,900-sq-ft high rise. To rise on the Asian side of Istanbul, the 44-story tower is Fxfowle's first in Turkey. The project is scheduled for completion in July 2014.

NEW MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has announced a new line of technologies that enable ultra-high-speed elevators to travel faster than 1,000 mpm with enhanced efficiency, comfort and safety. The technologies will be incorporated into the under-construction Shanghai Tower in Shanghai.

BEIJING OLYMPIC PARK
ThyssenKrupp Elevator (China) is to install two TWIN panoramic systems for the Sightseeing Tower in Beijing Olympic Park in Beijing. The tower includes five independent towers attached by aerial terraces and is scheduled to be completed in September.

SCHINDLER TO EQUIP QATAR MALL
Schindler has received an order to supply 58 energy-efficient machine-room-less elevators, 44 escalators and two moving walks to what is expected to become one of Doha, Qatar's largest shopping malls. The project will also include six four-story office buildings with an outdoor retail area. Construction is expected to be completed the second quarter of 2014.

SOM DESIGNS 30-STORY ATRIUM
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP (SOM) is designing a 30-story sky atrium to go atop Greenland Group Suzhou Center, a 75-story mixed-use tower in Wujiang, China. According to an SOM design director, the atrium should help the building save 60% in energy use compared to that of conventional high rises. The design is scheduled to be completed in less than a year, at which time construction can start.

KUWAIT CITY TOWER COMPLETE
The Al Hamra Firdous Tower, a major commercial complex in Kuwait City, Kuwait, was recently completed. Standing a quarter-mile high, the tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and is distinguished by its asymmetrical exterior and sweeping, torqued wings.

CHINESE HIGH RISE BUILT IN TWO WEEKS
China's Broad Corp. recently built a 30-story hotel prototype using prefabricated materials in 360 hr. The new building is near Hunan Province's Dongting Lake in China. No stranger to building fast, Broad once built a 15-story building in six days.

GLOBAL MANUFACTURERS REPORT RELEASED
Research and Markets recently announced the availability of its "Global Elevator Manufacturers Industry Report," analyzing the top 100 companies. Each organization is individually assessed and ranked against each other and compared to industry averages over two pages. The report also contains a comprehensive study of the market.

CHILD INJURED ON ESCALATOR
According to Independent Online, a six-year-old girl was injured on a shopping mall escalator in Amanzimtoti, South Africa, in January. According to witnesses, the girl's left foot became lodged in the bottom of the escalator. The girl was taken to a hospital, where three of her toes and part of her foot were amputated. As of January 24, the incident remained under investigation.

LEED GOLD FOR LOTTE WORLD TOWER
The planned 555-m-tall Lotte World Tower in Seoul is a mixed-use building consisting of office, hotel, residential and retail space. Syska Hennessy Group is providing services and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) strategies for the project to make up approximately 5% of the energy used onsite to meet local jurisdiction requirements and help the tower be certified LEED Gold when complete.

"WORLD ELEVATORS" RELEASED
Global Information Inc.'s new report, "World Elevators," forecasts a global increase in the demand for elevator equipment (including escalators) and services of 6.4% per year through 2015 to US$90 billion. Unit sales of passenger and freight elevators are projected to expand 7.5% annually to 920,000 in 2015.

NINE YEAR OLD DIES ON BEIJING ESCALATOR
According to MSN News, a nine-year-old boy died "on the spot" after becoming stuck in a Beijing department-store escalator on January 29. The unaccompanied child reportedly extended his head, which became jammed between the moving escalator and the underside of the upper landing. The incident remains under investigation.

HITACHI AT IEEE
In a joint effort, Hitachi, Ltd.; Hitachi Lift India Pvt., Ltd.; and Hitachi Elevator Asia Pte., Ltd. will exhibit at the 4th International Elevator & Escalator Expo (IEEE) at the Bombay Exhibition Center in Mumbai on February 16-18. In addition, Hitachi will give a presentation on "Earthquake-resistant Techniques of Elevators."

SCHINDLER DESTINATION INTERFACE
Schindler's Destination Interface elevator modernization technology has been named a "Top Product" by Building Operating Management magazine. Building professionals and facility managers were asked to participate in a survey based on products' innovation and usefulness to facility managers.

INDIAN STATION PROJECTS
Railway stations in Jaipur and Ajmer both of India are scheduled to receive new escalators in the near future. According to a spokesperson for the Railway Board, installation will begin as soon as the equipment arrives. According to DNA, two escalators will be installed at Platforms 1 and between Platforms 2 and 3 in Jaipur, while two others will be installed at Platforms 1, 2 and 3 in Ajmer.

ADAMS ONLINE STORE
Adams Elevator Equipment Co. has announced it will launch its online store (www.shop.adamselevator.com) early this year. Through it, customers can search and purchase more than 20,000 parts and expect the same delivery service as with orders from the company's print catalog.

GLOBAL MANUFACTURERS REPORT RELEASED
Research and Markets recently announced the availability of its "Global Elevator Manufacturers Industry Report," analyzing the top 100 companies. Each organization is individually assessed and ranked against each other and compared to industry averages over two pages. The report also contains a comprehensive study of the market.

CHILD INJURED ON ESCALATOR
According to Independent Online, a six-year-old girl was injured on a shopping mall escalator in Amanzimtoti, South Africa, in January. According to witnesses, the girl's left foot became lodged in the bottom of the escalator. The girl was taken to a hospital, where three of her toes and part of her foot were amputated. As of January 24, the incident remained under investigation.

DELHI METRO UPGRADES
The Delhi Metro Rail Corp. (DMRC) will install another 800 elevators and escalators during Phase III of its metro station modernization project. To simplify metro elevator and escalator inspections, DMRC also plans to install an automatic monitoring and rectification system.

KONE CHOSEN FOR TIANJIN
KONE recently announced it won an order to supply 79 eco-efficient elevators for two high-rise office buildings in the Yu Jia Pu Financial District in Tianjin Binhai New Area, China. The buildings will have 14 eco-efficient KONE MonoSpace® machine-room-less elevators and 59 KONE MiniSpace™ elevators and are to be completed in 2013.

ROSETTA PROJECT
Rosetta General Business PLC has proposed a multipurpose structure to be constructed in Ethiopia. Expected to be a 14-story complex, the first five floors will house a shopping mall with 15-20 escalators. The remaining floors will be occupied by cinemas and a 113-room hotel.

TODDLER TRAPPED IN SHAFT
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, on January 15, a toddler became trapped and was dangling in an elevator shaft in a two-story building in Dandenong, Australia. The 18-month-old boy was playing with other children when he somehow managed to get into the space between the elevator and elevator shaft. The toddler's cousin held him by his arm for 15 min. before Country Fire Authority crews rescued him. The child was uninjured.

KONE TO SUPPLY MAGNETIC LINE
KONE has been awarded an order to supply elevators and escalators to a magnetic-levitation (Maglev) train line in Beijing. The order includes 71 TransitMaster™ escalators and 40 MonoSpace® elevators for eight stations along the S1 line. According to a statement from KONE, the maglev line is expected to open in 2013.

EITA LISTING APPROVAL
EITA Resources Bhd, a Malaysian elevator manufacturer, received approval from the Securities Commission to list its products on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia, an exchange holding company. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, EITA-Schneider (MFG) Sdn Bhd, EITA provides elevator systems and services including the design, manufacture, installation, commissioning and maintenance of elevators.

PNB TOWER PROJECT
Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), one of Malaysia's largest fund-management companies, expects to begin construction of the proposed 100-story Menara Warisan Merdeka project by the middle of this year. PNB has submitted plans, including designs and concepts, for approval by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. The tower, scheduled for completion in 2015, is expected to become the country's tallest.

AQUARIUM ELEVATOR
Visitors to the Morocco Mall in Casablanca can take an elevator ride through a 31-ft.-tall aquarium designed and implemented by International Concept Management. The cone-shaped aquarium has an inner acrylic cylinder housing a glass elevator that takes guests on a 5-min. ride through a coral-reef environment, educating them about ocean life.

STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) will hold its International Student Tall Building Design Competition in conjunction with its 9th World Congress in Shanghai, to be held in September. The competition is open to university students, and the registration deadline is June 22. Participants are allowed to conduct their projects anywhere in the world, in addition to determining the size, height, function, accommodation and responsibilities of the building. For more information, visit website: www.ctbuh.org.

WORKERS KILLED IN SHAFT FALL
According to The National, on January 2, two carpenters were killed, and one was injured after falling 12 stories down an elevator shaft at a hotel construction site in Abu Dhabi. The platform the three men were standing on collapsed, and they fell to the fifth basement level, officials said. The injured worker was taken to a hospital for treatment, where his status was stable.

INDIAN REPAIRMAN DIES
According to Emirates 24/7, an elevator repairman died on January 8 while servicing a broken elevator in a building in the Rolla area of Sharjah, U.A.E. The 28-year-old man was working on the lift alone when it moved from the topmost (10th) floor to the third, trapping him. The incident remains under investigation.

QUICKER CONSTRUCTION METHOD
Future skyscrapers could be built faster and made safer using a new construction process two Purdue University civil engineers are promoting. The structure would be built around a core wall, or "vertical spine," which also enhances structural resistance to earthquakes and high winds, possibly saving three to four months of construction time.

NEXIEZ ELEVATOR SERIES, MAINTENANCE STRUCTURE
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. recently announced the global launch of its new energy-efficient, machine-room-less NEXIEZ-MRL elevators. The company will strengthen its overseas elevator business through the establishment of Meltec Parts & Engineering Co., Ltd., in Chon Buri, Thailand. The NEXIEZ models will be mainly manufactured in Thailand by Mitsubishi Elevator Asia Co., Ltd.

THREE KILLED IN ELEVATOR FALL
According to China Daily, an elevator fell at a construction site in China's Jiangxi province on December 19, killing three workers and injuring three others. A city spokesperson said the fall occurred when a rope tying the elevator broke. An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.

SHANGHAI ELEVATOR INCREASE
According to the Shanghai Quality and Supervision Bureau, the number of elevators in Shanghai has increased by 12%, reaching 141,000 units. The bureau also claims that should an elevator break down, emergency maintenance should arrive on the scene within 30 min.

ABU DHABI TOWERS LAUNCHED
The Etihad Towers, located in Abu Dhabi, were recently launched on the U.A.E.'s 40th anniversary. Ranging from 54 to 75 floors, the five towers cover an area of more than 500,000 m2, and include residential units and some of the area's largest office and event spaces.

THE CLOUD TOWER DESIGN
South Korean developer Yongsan Development Corp. has said it will not alter the design of a twin-tower project known as The Cloud, despite complaints that it mimics the explosions at New York City's World Trade Center in 2001. The developer and architects stated it was not their intention to create a design resembling the terrorist attacks. Construction of the twin towers remains scheduled for January 2013.

PNB TOWER PROJECT
Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), one of Malaysia's largest fund-management companies, expects to begin construction of the proposed 100-story Menara Warisan Merdeka project by the middle of this year. PNB has submitted plans, including designs and concepts, for approval by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. The tower, scheduled for completion in 2015, is expected to become the country's tallest.

AQUARIUM ELEVATOR
Visitors to the Morocco Mall in Casablanca can take an elevator ride through a 31-ft.-tall aquarium designed and implemented by International Concept Management. The cone-shaped aquarium has an inner acrylic cylinder housing a glass elevator that takes guests on a 5-min. ride through a coral-reef environment, educating them about ocean life.

MEDICAL PLAZA PLANNED
JP Iscon Group is planning the construction of a three-story medical plaza in the town of Deesa, India, near Ahmedabad. Named Iscon Pride, the facility will offer a range of healthcare facilities under one roof and include high-speed elevators and stretcher lifts. The plaza, one of the first of its kind in the nation, is expected to open in 2012.

THYSSENKRUPP ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
ThyssenKrupp Elevator recently awarded the three winning projects of the ThyssenKrupp Elevator Architecture Awards 2011 held in Istanbul. Radionica Arhitekture was awarded first prize for the Disaster Prevention and Education Centre project, group8asia received second prize and third prize went to 109 Architectes.

KIDP PRESIDENT AWARD
ThyssenKrupp Elevator (Korea) Ltd. received the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP) President Award at Good Design Selection 2011 for its NHN "green factory" headquarters project in Bundang, South Korea. The award is organized by KIDP. The building is equipped with 19 elevators, 14 of which are high speed and three machine-room-less and two geared units. The elevators are equipped with destination selection control and regenerative drives.

NEXIEZ ELEVATOR SERIES, MAINTENANCE STRUCTURE
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. recently announced the global launch of its new energy-efficient, machine-room-less NEXIEZ-MRL elevators. The company will strengthen its overseas elevator business through the establishment of Meltec Parts & Engineering Co., Ltd., in Chon Buri, Thailand. The NEXIEZ models will be mainly manufactured in Thailand by Mitsubishi Elevator Asia Co., Ltd.

THREE KILLED IN ELEVATOR FALL
According to China Daily, an elevator fell at a construction site in China's Jiangxi province on December 19, killing three workers and injuring three others. A city spokesperson said the fall occurred when a rope tying the elevator broke. An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.