Work begins on test tower for future elevators

Towards the end of last year, ThyssenKrupp announced the first stage of their new test tower project in Germany. This will culminate in nine test towers being present on the site, which will become an innovation centre, increasing investment and job opportunities in the region. We announced similar plans from a competitor as companies look to build bigger, faster and far more advanced elevators.

In December 2014, ThyssenKrupp started laying the foundations for a test tower, which will be a vital component in the future development of elevator technology. As space attracts more of a premium and there is a need to build taller buildings, efficient elevators will become even more vital. ThyssenKrupp see themselves at the forefront of the development of technology, and their planned test towers will have an essential role to play.

The site is situated in the German city of Rottweil, and construction on the initial tower is expected to be finished by 2016. By the end of the project, there will be nine separate test shafts in operation. Once the site is complete, all the company’s new products will use the towers for test purposes, and it will be a crucial component in their research and development programme.

Increased Capacity

When the first tower is ready for use, ThyssenKrupp anticipate having a working prototype of their MULTI system. Eventually, three of the towers will be used solely to test this system. The MULTI system was launched in November 2014 and highlights their solution for the future of transport in medium and high-rise structures. This innovative elevator system enables the use of more than one cabin in each shaft.

The MULTI elevator uses linear motor technology, and the Transrapid train operates on magnetic levitation. Each of the cabins is self-propelled and works on a loop. This method of transport would increase the capacity of each individual shaft by as much as 50%. It would also vastly reduce the amount of space that elevators require in buildings. This would allow more space to be used for practical purposes or enable a greater number of elevators to be installed.

Company Mission

ThyssenKrupp are dedicated to becoming one of the future leaders of innovation in the elevator industry. They are investing over €40 million in this one project, which highlights the importance of this area to the business. They intend to create an innovative centre on the Rottweil site which will provide vital employment opportunities for the region. In the local vicinity, there are more than 10,000 engineering students based at some prestigious universities. This provides an ideal base from which to recruit the next generation of elevator engineers.

The company is one of the leading elevator businesses in the world. They are constantly looking to provide the most energy-efficient and innovative solutions for their customers. These new developments are part of this programme. The creation of the test shafts and the exciting plans for the MULTI system will help transform the future of elevator technology.