thyssenkrupp Elevator installs shortest iwalks in Italian supermarket

“Keep it short” sometimes is more than a vigorous acclamation. Regarding the latest innovation by thyssenkrupp Elevator, it’s rather programmatic. The company has installed the shortest ever manufactured iwalks in a supermarket in Catania’s city center. Therewith, the Sicilian city now has a further attraction – the two iwalks measure only seven meters each. The store in Catania opens today.

Why such diminutive moving walks – especially when considering that the globally expanding German supermarket chain mainly favors bigger solutions for its supermarkets that normally are quite spacious? It’s simple: The store in Catania is not just like the others. Instead of one floor, there are two, and the store front is much smaller than in most other places. With this differing format, the German supermarket branch in Sicily had to find an individual solution. The installation of iwalks became necessary because the supermarket’s shopping area is located some 60 cm above the street level – a difference in height that the customers have to negotiate with their shopping trolleys.

“In Catania, we did something rather unconventional – but it seems to be the best solution considering the specific local conditions. We have installed the seven-meter iwalks in the shape of two modules that measure less than four meters. When the store opens on November 30th, we probably have delivered and fixed the world’s shortest moving walks that give customers an unprecedented shopping experience,” said Luigi Maggioni, CEO at thyssenkrupp Elevator Italia.

An access ramp could have been a considerable alternative – but the iwalks offer much more safety and comfort, especially when the trolleys are filled up with goods. From now on, the Catanian supermarket customers enter and leave the shop at a dynamic speed of 0.5 m/sec. Just as dynamic was the iwalks’ installation: In less than three months after signing the contract, it had been finished.

iwalk establishes a new benchmark in the industry by revolutionizing the way moving walks are devised, manufactured and installed. Its compact, modular design allows iwalk to fit the evolving needs of a space. Thereby, it also delivers maximum flexibility regarding the modules’ size: The range comprises ultra-compact seven meters as well as an impressive 80 meters as installed in Madrid’s Atocha Train Station in September 2010.

The new iwalk concept reduces installation space to a minimum without compromising capabilities. It offers greater comfort and more safety for users and helps ease planning, integration and operation for architects, general contractors and the final operator at the same time.

Press images available for download:

https://transfer.thyssenkrupp.info/public/f52865v_c51583169fa3cc6ab6f153

Website:

https://iwalk.thyssenkrupp-elevator.com

About us:

thyssenkrupp Elevator

thyssenkrupp Elevator brings together the Group’s global activities in passenger transportation systems. With sales of 7.7 billion euros in fiscal 2016/2017 and customers in 150 countries, thyssenkrupp Elevator built its position as one of the world’s leading elevator companies from scratch in a mere 40 years’ time applying thyssenkrupp unique engineering capabilities. With more than 50,000 highly skilled employees, the company offers smart and innovative products and services designed to meet customers’ individual requirements. The portfolio includes passenger and freight elevators, escalators and moving walks, passenger boarding bridges, stair and platform lifts as well as tailored service solutions for all products. Over 1,000 locations around the world provide an extensive sales and service network to guarantee closeness to customers.

thyssenkrupp

thyssenkrupp is a diversified industrial group with a growing share of capital goods and service businesses and traditional strengths in materials. Over 158,000 employees in 79 countries work with passion and technological know-how to develop high-quality products and intelligent industrial processes and services for sustainable progress. Their skills and commitment are the basis of our success. In fiscal year 2016/2017 thyssenkrupp generated sales of €41.5 billion.

Together with our customers we develop competitive solutions for current and future challenges in their respective industries. With our engineering expertise we enable our customers to gain an edge in the global market and manufacture innovative products in a cost- and resource-friendly way. Our technologies and innovations are the key to meeting diverse customer and market requirements around the world, growing on the markets of the future, and generating strong and stable earnings, cash flows and value growth.