German elevator giant seeks to boost regional sales

The company, which is the leading supplier for passenger transport systems in airport terminals, has also revealed plans to boost its sales in the region across all business lines — elevators, moving walks, escalators and passenger boarding bridges. The Germany-based elevator giant has also unveiled details of its projects currently being executed in various Gulf countries.

Javier del Pozo, CEO Business Unit Southern Europe/Africa/Middle East of ThyssenKrupp Elevator, said: "Close on the heels of our $150 million contract for the new Dubai International Airport, we are aggressively targeting the Middle East region. The plans to boost our presence in the region are in line with our global expansion strategy, aimed at growing as the industry's quality and technology leader by offering innovative high-quality products and services."

ThyssenKrupp Elevator, the only producer offering the complete range of passenger moving equipment for airports in addition to elevators, escalators and moving walks, also manufactures passenger boarding bridges, stair lifts and platform lifts.

Last year, ThyssenKrupp won the biggest ever order in the history of the sector: a contract worth $150 million to supply 368 elevators, 162 escalators, 128 moving walks and 123 passenger boarding bridges for the new Dubai International Airport.

With 25 special new passenger boarding bridges from ThyssenKrupp, Dubai will be the first airport in the world capable of effectively servicing the world's biggest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, on a large scale.

"The bridges developed by ThyssenKrupp Elevator will be able to connect to a door in the upper deck of the Airbus, reducing boarding and disembarking times from 45 to 38 minutes. Depending on the number and type of bridges, time can be reduced down to 25 minutes, almost to half," said Ramon Sotomayor, CEO Business Unit Escalators/Passenger Boarding Bridges of ThyssenKrupp Elevator. Coincidentally, the first boarding bridges for the Royal Wing at Dubai Airport will also be installed in June this year.

To date, 3 European airports have been equipped with a total of four of these new passenger boarding bridges. Reducing boarding time and disembarking time means more efficient use of aircraft and more comfort for the passengers. ThyssenKrupp Elevator has been the first and so far only manufacturer who has installed passenger boarding bridges for the A380. Similar requests for upgrading existing boarding bridges are also being handled.