[Exclusive Interview] This Global Elevator Engineering Company Deploys IoT & Vaastu-Inspired Elements For Enhancing User Experience

Recently, we interacted with Mr Amit Gossain, Managing Director, KONE Elevator – India & South Asia, which is a a global leader in elevator, lift and escalator industry.

Here are the interview highlights:

1. India is known for its dynamic and competitive business landscape. What strategies has KONE adopted to establish and maintain a strong market presence and competitive edge in the elevator and escalator industry?

Being a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, KONE has employed several strategies to establish and maintain a strong market presence in India’s competitive business landscape especially through its R&D centers which support the latest technology and development of future KONE solutions. Firstly, we’ve focused on innovation, introducing cutting-edge elevator and escalator technologies to meet the country’s growing urbanization needs. Secondly, we have always tried to customize our products as per the needs of the Indian market. Thirdly, the brand has invested in a robust service network, ensuring prompt maintenance and customer support. Further, KONE has built a strong relationship with local partners and suppliers, fostering a deep understanding of the Indian market, with sustainability initiatives such as energy-efficient solutions enhancing our reputation. 

Lastly, our commitment to safety and compliance with local regulations has earned us trust among clients and authorities. These strategies have collectively helped KONE to thrive in India’s dynamic market.

2. Could you share your insights on the current state of the market, as well as KONE’s strategies for sustaining growth in India?

With the growth in population and economy, as well as risking disposable incomes, the elevator and escalator market is also growing on all areas – infrastructure, residential segment, office spaces and commercial establishments. 

The elevator segment is contributing significantly to market growth. Unlike the past, the elevators of today showcase detailed technical advancement. Buildings are offered cutting-edge elevators that are more energy efficient and safe. The amount of vertical housing has increased in India because of expanded population. In many Indian cities, population densities are rising due to rapid urbanization, which also contributing to this development. Elevators and escalators are integral parts of modern buildings and public spaces, and they facilitate vertical transportation for millions of people daily. 

KONE is the leading manufacturer of Elevators and Escalators globally and in India. We enjoy the highest market share in the industry and will continue to grow at a high double-digit rate in India, despite cost pressures, as demand from the residential and infrastructure sectors remain robust.

3. How has KONE leveraged technological advancements in the elevator and escalator industry to enhance safety and efficiency for customers in the Indian market? Can you provide specific examples?

Safety is a fundamental concern in the elevators and escalators industry due to the potential risks to human life, legal requirements, and the industry’s role in facilitating efficient urban mobility. We took the initiative to prioritize the safety & security of the users by introducing many cutting-edge technologies like KONE Access. It’s a scalable and flexible access control system that is seamlessly integrated with the elevator system and building doors. The solution combines user interface devices, system hardware, and access control management software, ultimately providing user-friendly experience along with the security.

Other such technologies are KONE E-Link that can monitor all elevators and escalators from a single location for a real-time overview of equipment status, demand, traffic performance, and availability. Apart from these, KONE 24/7 Connected Services is another brilliant safety feature. KONE 24/7 Connected Services provides valuable information on upcoming maintenance needs and identifies any potential issues before they cause problems. The service is available from the building handover phase to ensure everything goes smoothly, giving a clear overview of equipment status and allowing you to take advantage of preventive maintenance services right from the earliest stages of its life cycle.

4. Could you share a recent example of a technological innovation or initiative that KONE pursued in India, discussing both the challenges faced and the outcomes achieved?

Together with our customers and partners, we constantly strengthen our position as innovation leader in our industry.  And yes, innovation often carries a degree of risk. However, despite the risks, innovation is critical for business growth and competitiveness. Brands must manage and mitigate these risks through careful planning, research, testing, and adaptability.

One such instance is KONE 24/7 Connected IoT-based predictive maintenance that involved using IoT technology in elevators and escalators. This innovation involves installing sensors and connectivity in the equipment to gather real-time data, monitor performance, and enable predictive maintenance. We faced technical challenges such as ensuring the reliability and security of data transmission and connectivity within the elevator system, regulatory compliance while adhering to local regulations and safety standards as integrating new technology is complex and requires additional certifications and approvals, as well as convincing customers of the benefits and safety of IoT-enabled elevators was challenging, as there were concerns about data privacy, security and also the additional cost.

We overcame these challenges through improved maintenance as we can predict and prevent breakdowns, reduce downtime and improve service reliability, enhanced Customer Experience, and energy efficiency as through data analysis, we can optimize energy usage in equipment, reducing operational costs and environmental impact. 

5. How does KONE adapt its technological solutions to cater to the unique demands of different regions and urban settings across the country? 

In India we celebrate diversity including culture, language, geography, and economic development, and that’s why we have diverse markets. This diversity presents both opportunities and challenges for operating in India. To accelerate innovation and co-creation, we welcome fresh competences and views from outside our industry. Together, we make KONE a great place to work and cities better places to live.

We often customize our solutions to meet specific market needs. In India, where infrastructure requirements can vary significantly between regions and urban settings, customization is essential. This involves adjusting the design, capacity, or features of elevators and escalators to suit local preferences and building requirements.

For instance, we have introduced all new and exciting designs in our I series to meet the evolving aesthetic demands of the industry and Indian needs. The Vaastu-inspired five elements design theme has been replenished with several captivating material finishes and imaginative designs to offer patterns and combinations to offer magnificent design, improved comfort and increased eco-efficiency.

6. What are KONE India’s vision and goals for the future in terms of growth, innovation, and sustainability?

KONE India envisions providing the ultimate People Flow® experience. We recognize that different types of buildings have unique purposes, impacting how people move within them and their impact on the environment. Our vision revolves around offering Ease, Effectiveness, and Experiences to both users and customers throughout a building’s entire lifecycle.

We, as a company, believe that long-term advantage lies in customer experience and innovation. Together with our customers and partners, not only do we innovate and create solutions that users love, but also create an experience that they can’t find anywhere else. We will continue to get their feedback to innovate and co-create to bring groundbreaking technologies in the industry. 

Our strategy- ‘Sustainable Success with Customers’ is focused on increasing the value we create for customers with new intelligent solutions and embedding sustainability even deeper across all our operations. We will continue to work on giving the best people flow experience to our customers.

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