Elevators play an integral part in day to day life and constant evolution of their design and technology will make a big difference in the overall infrastructure of the country. 2 August 2019 saw the elevator and escalator segment and realty sector’s elite come together for the opening of the most awaited conference for the industry, E2 Forum Mumbai. The knowledge-oriented seminar that was hosted by Messe Frankfurt India and MCHI-CREDAI focussed on need-of-the-hour topics and discussions leading to potential solutions that can contribute in the overall development in the elevator and escalator market. The launch edition, hosted in Mumbai, attracted 143 attendees from the industry and related sectors.
The inauguration of this significant platform saw prominent members from the industry like:
- Mr Jagadish Kumar, Director, L'Avenir Consultancy Pvt Ltd
- Mr Vaibhav Pitale, Sr VP - New Business Installation, Schindler India Pvt Ltd
- Ar Raja Aederi, Architect, Raja Aederi Consultants Pvt Ltd
- Mr Nimish Ajmera, Director, Ajmera Group
- Mr Rajnish Ramu, Vice President Marketing, Thyssen Krupp Elevator
- Mr Rajesh Nair, Asst. Vice President, Brigade Enterprises Ltd
- Mr T.D Joseph, Head (Events & Exhibitions), CREDAI MCH
- Mr Johannes Möller, Director Brand Management & Brand Development Technology , Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
- Mr Michael Dehn, General Manager – Sales and Marketing, Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, Pvt Ltd
- Mr Winston Pereira, General Manager, Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, Pvt Ltd
- Himanshu Chitnis, Group Exhibition Head (Technical), Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd
Major elevator and escalator manufacturers attended the event in full force taking up topics like digital advancements, maintenance and safety issues and sustainable options for smart cities. The forum acted as a perfect opportunity for industry experts to sit down and discuss interesting topics with different insights and views into the elevator and escalator segment. One of the major players in attendance was Schindler India Pvt Ltd. Reiterating the need for innovation, Mr Vaibhav Pitale, Senior Vice President, New Installation Business, Schindler India Ltd Pvt shared: “Need for innovation has to be predominantly in three major components – machine, ropes and the drives as these components are the heart and brain of the elevator.”
Talking about new age challenges in the industry, he also added: “I think the biggest obstacle is the pressure on the price as every year we have seen a deterioration of 10 – 15% and with the policy changes that took place in the past two to three years, the pressure on the industry has increased. But I also think it’s all going forward in a positive direction as eventually it will lead to standardisation and the industry will move to a mature economy.”
Also talking about high speed elevators and the challenges that come with it, Mr Ian Smith, Vice President, Special Projects, Thyssenkrupp Elevators AG, Asia Pacific office shared: “High speed is not bad speed. Due to the lack of space and increasing population, buildings will continue to get taller and this will create the need for high speed elevators. These advanced elevators do come with their problems but we are facing those challenges by changing the technologies from its conventional ways.”
Good infrastructure leads to smarter cities and the interdependency of the real estate sector with the elevator and escalator industry attracted top guns to create a strong future for the buildings of the country. Innovation, aesthetics and safety seemed to be the top highlight points discussed at the forum. Prominent companies like the Godrej Properties, K Raheja Group, Lokhandwala Construction, Marathon Real Estate, and Wadhwa Group were in attendance to gage information about the current trends and developments in the elevator and escalator industry. Mr Hari Easwaran, Head – Contracts and Procurement, L&T Realty shared: “Safety, somehow, has been the tone and the central message of the entire forum. As far as innovations are concerned, AI, IoT, destination controlled devices need to be used for most of the diagnostics unlike the manual interferences. The elevator industry has been abreast about these changes and it has been moving forward with giant paces within this segment.”
Breaking down their demands from the elevator and escalator manufacturers, Ms Punam Ingle, Senior Manager - Procurement, Godrej Properties Ltd also shared: “Currently we are working on almost 28 – 30 projects running across different regions of the country. Innovation is always a priority but we are also looking out for other value additions that are aesthetically pleasing for people entering the elevator to feel good about themselves.”
The forum that also hosted RED Talks (Real Estate Dialogue) by CREDAI – MCHI was followed by a high profile networking dinner. E2 Forum Mumbai being an extension of the International Elevators and Escalators Show successfully gathered both visitor and exhibitor profiles of the leading show, under one roof to meet, to discuss and enlighten each other with the latest trends, developments and opportunities for the industry.
Press information and photographic material: www.e2forum.in
Messe Frankfurt makes the industry also meet at these conference and exhibition events in Italy and Germany – please visit for more information: www.e2Forum.it, www.e2forum.com, www.technology.messefrankfurt.com
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With more than 2,500 employees at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €718 million. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com