One of the world's leading companies in the elevator and escalator sector, KONE works in partnership with discerning and sophisticated customers who value the highest levels of quality, safety and technical expertise. Indeed, developing, manufacturing and installing products, as well as modernising and maintaining them, this innovative company has created solutions that deliver unrivalled customer experience, whilst continually introducing new products, services and business models that fuel corporate growth.
Innovative solutions are often the simplest, but you do have to come up with the ideas in the first place. This is as true today as it was when the wheel was first invented. At KONE, the R&D team is constantly working on new concepts and ideas, targeting a new launch of its MonoSpace brand, for instance. This does not mean a completely new product, but rather an updated, improved version of its universally popular portfolio that offers new functionality and new opportunities, such as allowing an elevator to fit more easily into a building's shaft.

MonoSpace: The Next Generation, launched in March 2009, is an excellent case-in-point; in fact, it is the company's most exciting offering for some time, providing a level of energy efficiency that has set a new benchmark for the industry.

Impressive stand-by energy capabilities dictate that after its last call and a predetermined time, the elevator's car light and fan switch off automatically and the signalisation switches to stand-by mode. Moreover, low-energy LED lighting is utilised, which lasts up to 10 times longer than halogen lights, whilst the construction materials used, such as brushed and mirror polished stainless steel, also contribute to overall eco-efficiency. Pre-assembled and pre-cleaned guide rails eliminate the need for blister packs and tens of thousands of litres of cleaning solutions too.

All of these features have allowed KONE to offer a product - MonoSpace: The Next Generation - that provides a 30% cutback in energy consumption, compared to the previous MonoSpace release, which demonstrates KONE's drive to be at the forefront of eco-efficiency. The MonoSpace product can also help contribute up to 2 BREEAM credits in a new building.

That's not all it provides though. MonoSpace: The Next Generation has benefited from a complete redesign of the mechanical components, meaning less room is now needed for the elevator shaft in the building. These savings allow the elevator to fit more easily into the building's shaft and, as well as allowing more space to be allocated for residential, commercial or office space, saves significantly on construction costs.

And because clients today demand not only a reliable, safe, eco-friendly and cost-effective solution, but also an aesthetically pleasing one, MonoSpace: The Next Generation offers over 50 ready-made designs of stylish elevator cars, with something to suit every style, preference or building type. KONE also offers customers the option of mixing and matching different floors, walls and ceilings, allowing the elevator to be fitted out to exact and individual specifications. The eye-catching MonoSpace: The Next Generation also introduces a fresh car operating panel (COP) and landing signalisation design to the industry, with an innovative look and feel. This includes a number of different fascias for the COP: indeed, choosing an elevator car today has many similarities with choosing a modern motor car, with quality build, stunning design, built-in safety and environmental awareness all coming as standard.
As one might choose the colour, size of engine and interior fit-out of a new motor car, it is now possible to choose the followings offerings with the MonoSpace:

The Next Generation
• KONE Design and Exclusive Series for car
finishes
• KONE Design and Exclusive Design signalisation
• KONE Nature Inspired Design interiors
• New ceiling and lights with standby light feature
to maximise eco-efficiency
• Reduced headroom and pit depth
• Vandal resistant signalisation option that
complies with EN81-71 Category 1

Embracing Change
Customers' needs seem to change every day, and this is something that KONE not only understand, but remain abreast of. As one of the world's leading elevator and escalator companies, it provides its customers with innovative products that incorporate the best people flow experience by developing and delivering solutions that enable people to move smoothly, safely, comfortably and without waiting from one place to another.

The Shard
KONE Major Projects has secured an order covering the supply and installation of 36 lifts and 10 escalators, including 13 double-deck lifts, for The Shard London Bridge, a building that will not only define London's skyline, but also become a symbol for the capital that is recognisable throughout the world.

The Shard London Bridge, at 310 metres high, will become the tallest building in the United Kingdom and when completed in May 2012, and will soar more than 70 floors above London. It is twice the size of the London Eye, and if you put the Gherkin on top of St Paul's Cathedral, the Shard would still be 21 metres taller.

The Shard's early conceptual designs were among the first in the UK to be progressed following the publication of data derived from the World Trade Centre collapse. Consequently, the building is being designed to maintain its stability under the most onerous conditions.

KONE Major Projects team successfully secured the order in April 2009, and was awarded the contract due to the team's ability to understand customer requirements. The client, Sellar Properties, is confident that KONE can deliver a project of this stature with the diligence and dedication demanded of such a challenge.

Noud Veeger, EVP and area director for Central and North Europe at KONE, commented: "We are extremely pleased to be chosen for this project, which is to become the tallest mixed-use building in Western Europe, standing at 310 metres. It further strengthens KONE's leading position in the European high-rise elevator market."

The Shard will span over 70 stories and include 600,000 square feet of premier office space, a 5 star hotel, luxury apartments and mid and high level viewing galleries. Key features include integrated, centralised systems to improve operating efficiencies, a high performance externally ventilated façade, and a Combined Heat and Power plant capable of delivering 1500kWe.

National Company, Local Service
KONE does not simply install elevator and escalators. They also provide practical, cost-effective maintenance solutions in order to ensure the continued smooth flow of people and goods throughout the client's building. Indeed, KONE can deliver individual solutions or a one-stop-shop approach for lifts, escalators, industrial and pedestrian doors, and loading bay and access equipment; maintaining, servicing and repairing equipment from small one-off fixes through to extensive and comprehensive service contracts. And although KONE is a national service provider, it has a strong local presence with service centres located throughout the length and breadth of the UK. So no matter where you're based, KONE can respond quickly and efficiently.

Giving a Building a New Beginning
Of course, sometimes the requirement goes beyond service and maintenance and into the realms of complete refurbishment, with KONE offering modernisation options for elevators, escalators and doors to ensure that they run dependably and smoothly for the lifetime of the building. This approach allows owners to keep up with changing requirements too, including legislation aimed at creating new safety and accessibility levels. New technology is increasing performance to meet these demands, and it is raising expectations still further.

For users - those people who travel on an elevator, for instance; often without giving it a second thought - modernisation means safety, comfort and modern design. For building and facility managers, it means improved performance and uninterrupted people flow. And for owners, it means predictable lifecycle management.

Modernisation can be as small as a single component or as large as an entire installation. To determine what needs to be modernised, KONE

Care for Life provides a thorough analysis of the condition of equipment, paying special attention to safety, accessibility, aesthetics and performance. Based on this assessment, KONE can recommend a range of solutions, from modular modernisation to full replacement. KONE modernisation solutions can give the heart of a building a new beginning.

One-Stop-Shop
Today in every city, town, shopping centre and business park in the UK, you will find KONE engineers working to maintain the equipment that keeps passengers and goods safely flowing through the facilities.

What's more, to achieve a high level of customer convenience, KONE can provide a professional fully integrated and harmonised one-stop-shop service. This one-stop-shop service has underpinned the company's growth with customers having multi-site and multi-equipment portfolios, saving them both time and the logistical expense experienced when multiple suppliers work on the same project or site.

One organisation taking advantage of this service is blue-chip retailer Debenhams; a long-standing relationship that was originally established through O&K and its involvement with the old Burton Group.

In 1998 Debenhams awarded KONE (O&K) the contract for the supply and installation of new escalators, together with the maintenance of all existing machines within its substantial portfolio. In 2004, following the success of this arrangement, Debenhams entered into a new National Framework Agreement with KONE, which extended the scope of the contract to include its complete portfolio of lifts. Consequently, KONE now provides a one-stop-shop solution for over 2000 lifts, escalators and doors in 141 stores, incorporating new equipment, modernisation and maintenance.

Breakthrough Solutions
Innovation is vital in today's modern world, with a lot of people flow challenges being the result of urbanisation, together with aging population and infrastructure. Whatever the challenge, KONE has a passion for making people's lives easier.

KONE is known for its open-minded approach to research and development, with the company exploring technologies in other industries and monitoring changing markets, trends, customer needs and working methods. In order to identify the latest areas of development, KONE maintains a continuous and systematic dialogue with all KONE country organisations. This is a joint effort that combines R&D with design, customers and KONE sales, service and installation personnel, and supply-line with suppliers. Cooperation with universities, research centres and other companies ensures constant development of its know-how and technology.

KONE takes a long-term approach to meeting people flow needs, and concentrates on optimising total lifetime costs. For example, KONE has introduced several innovations that provide significant energy savings. Sustainability is also a solid part of new KONE innovations. With innovative maintenance and modernisation solutions, KONE provides efficient performance and peace of mind for the full lifecycle of the equipment. KONE provide a unique travel experience with aesthetics, comfort, safety and accessibility. This is how KONE creates breakthrough solutions that set new industry standards.

3D Modelling
An excellent example of KONE's innovative approach to the industry can be found by looking at one of its valued clients, London Underground. Most people take escalators for granted ... until they are out of action and need repair. This is particularly true if you are ‘deep' underground with hundreds of steps to climb!

It's not an easy place to work either, with the specialised conditions and limitations that tube stations offer. By their very nature, they can be a tight squeeze at the best of times, with the tunnels being filled with obstructions.

In the past, KONE would perform detailed 2D surveys of the station that they were to work on and use that information to work out how to dismantle and remove an old escalator, as well as how to bring in the new one. However, by moving to a 3D modelling environment and using the latest survey technology, KONE has really pushed the envelope of 3D design by getting stations laser scanned, giving them a 3D model of each station which can be imported into Iventor to actually put the new escalator in-situ. Put simply, it's a digital mock-up.

The scanning typically captures the ticket hall, walls and ceilings, the void where the current escalators reside, the service areas, access tunnels and the machine room underneath and behind the escalators. Tube stations have many curved walls too, which can be a nightmare to survey. Laser scanners produce what is called ‘cloud data', which are a huge number of accurate 3D points in space. These are captured and stored on a laptop and then imported into a program where surfaces are generated from this accurate point information.

This comprehensive 3D model not only gives any new escalator its correct context, but also gives KONE designers an insight as to how much space is available should refit work be required. It has proved useful when KONE wanted to show its client the impact of requested design changes too. KONE's engineers can also compare the old escalator envelope against the new one, utilising 360-degree photo technology to help with the final detail.

This approach is a unique combination of technologies, encompassing the latest surveying technology with 3D mechanical design. By using everything that's currently available, KONE is reaping the rewards of producing previously undreamt of information rich designs. Since first taking up this technology, KONE has seen significant reductions in design time and it has improved productivity. The scanned data has reduced the number of site visits required, improved the accuracy of the modelling, increased confidence in 3D layouts, reduced costs and assisted in review meetings.

Keep Moving with KONE!
KONE operates some 800 service centres in more than 50 countries and delivers approximately 50,000 new elevators and escalators annually. Its service base consists of 650,000 elevators and escalators and more than 270,000 industrial and pedestrian doors. Impressive numbers; but even more impressive is the company's commitment to the customer - a commitment that revolves around innovation, technology, integrity, service and unsurpassed reliability.

To find out how you can keep moving, visit www.kone.co.uk, or telephone 08451 999 999 or email sales.marketinguk@kone.com
-You'll be made very welcome.