ThyssenKrupp Elevator Announces Innovative Geared to Gearless Modernization Technology

ALPHARETTA, Ga., Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas, one of the world's leading manufacturers, installers and service providers of vertical and horizontal transportation technology, today announced the launch of a new gearless modernization package that allows existing geared elevators to be upgraded with cutting-edge gearless elevator technology. This Geared to Gearless system further demonstrates the company's commitment to developing cost-effective sustainable products and practices that help customers achieve significant reductions in material use, energy and waste. The new system is available throughout North America via local ThyssenKrupp Elevator sales representatives.

"As America's largest producer of elevators, we have made the commitment to demonstrate leadership in corporate responsibility, including the development of sustainable products and practices," said Matt Watkins, Executive Vice President of Marketing for ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas. "The largest impact we can have on global energy reduction is through the modernization of outdated and inefficient technology, one building at a time. Updating outdated geared technology to more efficient gearless units is an innovative, cost-effective modernization solution that building owners and facility managers can implement to eliminate waste, increase energy efficiency and improve indoor air quality."

Before the advent of compact high efficiency AC gearless elevator motor technology, less efficient geared machines utilized a motor generator to convert power. This system required additional moving mechanical parts that created friction thereby reducing the efficiency of the machine. In contrast, the gearless system works by using a high-efficiency motor directly integrated with the drive sheave, eliminating the geared assembly and achieving up to 95 percent machine efficiency. The Geared to Gearless solution includes a regenerative drive, which captures waste energy from the system. These drives then feed the energy produced back into the building's power grid. This allows ThyssenKrupp's technology to help customers attain their own sustainability goals for energy reduction.

The company's Geared to Gearless modernization technology provides many advantages, including:

Sustainability

• Decreased energy costs through reduced power consumption
• Energy captured and reused
• Improved indoor-environmental air quality

Efficiency

• Quicker floor-to-floor travel time
• Increased reliability and longevity of a customer's elevator system

Increased Property Value

• Superior ride quality
• Quiet environment inside the machine room and cab
• Elimination of excessive oil and dust in the machine room

For more information, go to http://www.thyssenkruppelevator.com/Geared-to-Gearless-Systems.asp

About ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas

The ThyssenKrupp Group, based in Essen, Germany, is a global materials and technology company which consists of eight business areas.  In fiscal 2009/2010 the company had annual sales of 42.6 billion euros ($58.3 billion) and employed over 177,000.

Globally, ThyssenKrupp Group's activities in passenger transportation systems employ 44,000 persons in 900 locations. With sales of almost 5.2 billion euros ($7.1 billion) in fiscal year 2009/2010, ThyssenKrupp Elevator is one of the world's leading elevator companies.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas is the largest producer of elevators in the Americas, with more than 13,500 employees, more than 200 branch and service locations, and sales of more than $2.7 billion. ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas oversees all business for the operations in the United States, Canada, Central and South America. It is a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG.

ThyssenKrupp USA, Inc. subsidiary companies offer a range of products and services, including premium carbon steel; high-performance alloys; automotive components and systems; elevators, escalators, moving walks and passenger boarding bridges; and material trading and industrial services.  In fiscal year 2010/2011, ThyssenKrupp USA subsidiaries employed approximately 19,200, an increase of nearly 2,000 compared to fiscal year 2009/2010, and recorded sales of nearly $9.2 billion in fiscal year 2010/2011, up from $6.9 billion in fiscal year 2009/2010.

SOURCE ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas