KONE’s new set of tools for escalators and autowalks is helping its customers achieve more efficient People Flow™.
KONE is rolling out new tools to help its customers with planning better People Flow involving escalators and autowalks. “The architect toolbox we are launching builds on the success of a similar tool that has been in use for elevator planning. The customer can enter basic specification data into the tool on Kone.com, and it will generate drawings, as well as specification documents which the customer can download and utilise in tender invitations,” explains Sascha Klenke, vice president of escalator sales and product marketing for KONE.
Basically, he says, “the new tool saves time for customers. There’s definitely been demand for this, and the elevator toolbox has been very popular.”
In the beginning, the architect toolbox will be available for KONE’s volume escalator products, the KONE TravelMaster™ 110 for commercial, and the KONE TransitMaster™ 120 for infra-structure applications. Further extensions are already planned to also include KONE solutions for inclined and horizontal autowalks. Another significant recent development has been the creation of the KONE EcoPack, a new way of promoting KONE’s comprehensive range of energy efficient solutions for escalators and autowalks. It will consist of optional features to reduce energy consumption (stop & go and stand-by speed operation mode, regenerative technology and a reduced speed of 0.4 m/s) or features to improve ecoefficiency (LED lighting solutions and lubrication-free chains).
Klenke emphasises that KONE is able to give its customers hard facts to backup its environmental promises.
“As an additional service, we will provide an environmental product declaration sheet that details the full life cycle of the product, including the carbon footprint of manufacturing it. Furthermore, KONE sales representatives are able to provide project specific energy consumption calculations for our own escalators and autowalks, using our calculation tool KONE EnerCal.”
Different segments, different needs
KONE sells escalators and autowalks to two main segments: commercial and infrastructure. The commercial segment encompasses locations such as shopping malls, department stores and supermarkets, as well as hotels, hospitals and offices. Airports, railway stations and subway systems, meanwhile, form the bulk of the infrastructure segment.
“The same technology is used for both, but the infrastructure segment requires escalators,” says Klenke.
“Locations such as airports, railway stations and subway stations have high People Flow, and usually require escalators with heavier components and a longer lifetime. Escalators and autowalks in such locations are often in constant use, day and night – they have to be durable.”
For heavy infrastructure use, KONE provides the family of KONE Transit- Master™ escalators, whereas the KONE TravelMaster range is geared towards the commercial segment. KONE’s latest addition to its portfolio is the completely new KONE TransitMaster™ 165/185 horizontal autowalk.
Klenke emphasises that KONE provides a complete range of solutions for managing People Flow for its customers.
“We bring it all together, and offer a full portfolio of escalators, elevators, autowalks, and automatic building doors with state-of-the-art customer support and services.”
Guided escalator planning
“Escalators are essential to People Flow in large buildings, so the choice of an escalator has a large impact on the design of a new building,” says Mikko Sissala, marketing manager at KONE. “The earlier we are involved in the planning process, the better.”
This is why KONE recently launched the Escalator Planning Guide. The guide, developed especially for architects, is available in both print and electronic versions. It gives all the basic information necessary for planning escalator installations.
“The planning guide makes life easier for KONE customers, because all the relevant information can be found in one place. Escalator planning requires a lot of specific information, which is not usually part of an architect’s core expertise,” adds Sissala.
Customers have reacted positively to the new guide, particularly to the electronic tool. While printed guides quickly go out of date, the electronic tool allows customers to download updates from KONE’s servers to ensure that they have the latest specifications.
“We’ve received positive feedback from customers. They are happy that all the necessary planning information can finally be found in the same place and say that it’s easy to keep the information up-to-date.”