GAL NAMES WORLDWIDE VP OF ENGINEERING
GAL NAMES WORLDWIDE VP OF ENGINEERING
James Varon has been named vice president (VP) of engineering for all GAL locations, including New York, Quincy, Toronto and Asia. He will be responsible for all aspects of engineering, such as R&D, new-product introductions and contract engineering. Beginning at GAL 37 years ago as a mechanical draftsman, he moved up to door equipment engineering manager in 1985, then engineering manager in 2000 before progressing to VP of engineering at GAL in 2014. At his last post, his scope was limited to the Bronx, New York, facility.
KONE STRENGTHENS POSITION IN MADRID WITH ACQUISITION
KONE has strengthened its position in Madrid with the acquisition of Ascensores R. Casado, S.A., a Spanish elevator company providing installation, maintenance and modernization services to more than 1,300 elevators. Welcoming Ascensores R. Casado employees and customers, KONE Executive Vice President for South Europe, the Middle East and Africa Pierre Liautaud said the market is a key one for KONE in Spain.
INDIA'S MAHARASHTRA STATE PROPOSES NEW VT REGULATIONS
The Maharashtra state government, recognizing rapid advancements in technology and standards, has introduced a bill to regulate vertical-transportation (VT) systems, the Hindustan Times reports. The Maharashtra Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks Bill, introduced on December 19, would replace 1939 regulations, which covered elevators but not escalators or moving walks. The new law would require VT devices to conform to regulations of the Bureau of Indian Standards or the National Building Code. Equipment owners would be required to provide annual maintenance and audits by an approved contractor. Failure to comply could bring monetary fines and the shutdown of equipment. Government regulators would be empowered to conduct surprise inspections. There are nearly 123,000 elevators in Maharashtra state, the source said.
CIBSE LIFTS GROUP AGM, MEETING AND WORKSHOP
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Lifts Group is holding its 2018 Annual General Membership (AGM) and Evening Meeting on February 6, 2018, in the CIBSE Council Chamber in Balham, U.K. Presentations include “Introduction to the Suite of BS 8486 Standards” and “Review of BS 8486-3: 2017 and Its Relationship With Annexes of BS 8486-1/2: 2007+A1: 2011 and the Future BS 8486 -4/5/6/7/8/9.” A workshop will follow the meeting. Its intention is to take the mystery out of commenting on standards. Attendees will have a chance to engage in the live creation of CIBSE Lifts Group comments (with expert assistance) and submit them to the British Standards Institute.
KICC EXPANSION IN LOUISVILLE INCLUDES VT
A 218,000-sq.-ft., US$209-million expansion of the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, is underway in earnest, with major components such as escalators arriving onsite, Louisville Business First reports. The KICC is expanding to approximately 900,000 sq. ft. and aims to welcome its first convention by August 2018. Vertical transportation (VT) is a big part of the upgrade. Paul T. Cable, architect, Commonwealth of Kentucky, told ELEVATOR WORLD that KONE is providing 16 new escalators, while thyssenkrupp is providing four new passenger, two new service and two new freight elevators, as well as refurbishment of existing elevators, including redesign of cab interiors.
