Kone global president and CEO Philippe Delorme
The technology is installed in nearly 50% of Kone’s 18 lakh elevators worldwide. Kone and ThyssenKrupp Elevator (TKE) have announced a merger that will make the combined entity the world’s largest elevator company, ahead of current market leaders Otis and Schindler.
Kone global president and CEO Philippe Delorme told TOI that connected-lift technology allows engineers to carry out preventive maintenance by predicting failures before they occur and enables remote rescue of trapped passengers. If there is a battery issue or a mechanical fault, we can remotely control the lift and ensure they get out,” said Delorme, who visits India at least twice a year from Helsinki. “When someone gets trapped inside a lift, a few minutes can seem like an hour.
In India, Kone — which began operations around four decades ago — has already overtaken Otis, which installed the country’s first elevator at Kolkata’s Lok Bhavan (then called Government House) 134 years ago. If a lift in Europe clocks 1 lakh starts a year, in India it exceeds 5 lakh.
Lifts need to be modernised to ensure safety and reliability,” Delorme said. Kone is also working on replacing ageing lifts. “In India, the intensity of usage is five times higher than in the US or Europe. Humidity, heat and dust take a toll.