High-tech escalators and elevators will soon become the norm in our industry

- Amit Gossain

Managing Director, KONE Elevator India

How do you view the elevators and escalators market in India?

I have a very optimistic view of the elevators and escalators market in India and the statistics so far are in line with my opinion. India's infrastructure is evolving, and the more we can keep up with the current flow solutions, the faster our chance will be to accelerate this evolution.

That said, many elevators still rely on energy-inefficient and legacy systems - and since the dogmatic beliefs some old infrastructures hold for that machinery are yet to be removed, the Indian elevator market still has a lot more to do in terms of growth. However, the following factors have started to come into play that will determine how the Indian escalator and elevator market will look in the next ten years.

Embracing technology: Most modern infrastructures have started to see escalators and elevators as what they are, the critical movement point within any building. It has created a rising need for smart elevator solutions focusing on 24/7 connectivity and infotainment.

Urbanization: India's urbanization rate is gaining steam. Since 2011, this rate has increased from 31.28% to 35.39%. While the pace of growth has taken a hit since the 2020-pandemic, data shows that things are picking up. And where there is urbanization, it would be poignant to say that the need for better flow solutions will follow.

Due to these factors, I firmly believe that high-tech escalators and elevators will soon become the norm in our industry.

How is energy-efficient product driving the way forward and what future do you envisage in the coming years?

It is very much evident from India's recent participation in the global discourse at the World's Economic forum that sustainability and the energy-efficient product is the only path forward for our country. With its aim to reach net zero emissions by 2070, India is moving forward towards an energy-efficient path, and bullishly so.

Another factor that gives me hope is our country's desire to shift 50% of our energy requirements through renewable sources by 2030.

If you look at the small scale, we can see the changes happening. Urban households are openly embracing energy-efficient solutions. What started with the idea of saving energy bills by taking a star-rated AC has now transformed into a philosophy to consume less energy for the sake of the environment. Even small changes like LED bulbs and light sources have started to move India in a more positive direction.

And once these products get more vogue, they will have a compounding impact on India's economic and geographical ecosystem, which leads me to truly believe in our leader's vision that India would become sustainable, energy-efficient and reliable in the next 25 years.

As the infra and construction sector picks up and new metros are being created, how do you view the market in the coming years?

If I am to say one positive thing about the pandemic, it resurfaced on our need to stay connected. That realization has led to the resurgence of construction, especially the metros. However, it is not just about the brick-and-the-mortar build of these new infrastructures but the rising need for digitization and technologies for better and faster response.

The rise of metros will have a snowball effect on India's urbanization. As city flows will become faster, we will see construction projects accelerate, which will likely push India's infra and construction sector to grow upwards of $1 trillion by 2030.

This growth would be aided by the arrival of more high-rise infrastructures in Northern India. Delhi has been one region to grow horizontally to accommodate the rise in population. As more metros are introduced into the mix, the population can rise, which would prompt it to rise vertically, like Mumbai. And the new arrivals of high-rise buildings will bolster the need for elevators and escalators in the region.

What are the industry challenges, and what future plans have you put in place to overcome them?

The following big industry challenges are currently faced by the elevator and escalator industry.

Increased expectation of the customers:  The arrival of 24/7 solutions has led customers to ask for instant solutions in case they face any disruption in building flow.

Safety compliance standards: Technological advancements in the elevator industry have led to a reformulation of the compliance laws - which requires a proactive approach to elevator maintenance to ensure that everything is taken care of at the right time.

Uniform Lift Act: Though elevators are installed in almost all states, unfortunately there is no uniform guideline across the country and the agencies monitoring the compliance of the relevant Act being administered by different agencies.

Skillset gap: Multiple technological leaps in the elevator industry have left many operators at a disadvantage. Smart elevators need smart people to handle them, which make it important for newcomers to perform everything from traffic analysis to operational analysis in real time.

In order to tackle these challenges, KONE has put forth transformation and development initiatives that:

• Discuss along with E&E Association, with the government the common lift act across states.
• Empower our professionals to adapt quickly to the rapid technological leaps in the elevator industry and learn quickly.
• Leverage lean skills so that there is a constant in-flow of improvement at every moment while keeping in mind the changing regulatory framework around elevators and escalators.
• Providing a unified customer experience across all channels so that they always feel fruitful while staying connected.
• Implementing future proof technology infrastructure and nurturing the ability to use data and analytics to make the supply chain more efficient.

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