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Press Release

03.19.2018

thyssenkrupp’s MULTI elevator named finalist for German Innovation Award

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  • MULTI is one of three finalists in the "Large Enterprises" category for the Der Deutsche Innovationspreis Award
  • Groundbreaking thyssenkrupp Elevator technology improving urban mobility efficiency, comfortability and flexibility

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MULTI, thyssenkrupp’s rope-less and sideways-moving elevator, is poised to revolutionize elevator construction and change the way people move inside buildings, while providing a new world of opportunities for architects, planners and operators. That’s why the jury of ‘Der Deutsche Innovationspreis’ nominated MULTI as a candidate for its coveted Innovation Award. thyssenkrupp is one of three businesses nominated in the category. The winner will be announced during the official ceremony on April 13, 2018 in Munich.

With MULTI, thyssenkrupp has made tomorrow’s elevator system possible today. Its capabilities and technical characteristics are truly game-changing for not just the industry, but for the future of built environment as well. By employing linear motors, several cabins can be used in one single shaft at the same time – vertically as well as horizontally. This provides a considerable base reduction compared to a traditional system and unlocks up to 25 percent more usable floor space. With the rope-less elevator, there is also virtually no limits in terms of the building’s height, which is a critical factor as skyscrapers grow taller and taller.

It took just three years to bring MULTI from concept to market, using its new state-of-the-art test tower in Rottweil, Germany to make this a reality.

Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of thyssenkrupp Elevator, says: “The elevator industry is evolving and innovating to meet the needs of modern society. For us, it’s like a revolution; the whole industry needs to question one’s own experiences and convictions just to try something completely different – and to have trust in that new development.”

The new elevator concept not only ushers in an end to the dominance of traditional ropebased elevators, but redefines the capabilities of an elevator system in a unique new way. Be it vertical or horizontal transportation, passengers profit from much shorter waiting times as well as from a much more comfortable ride, while the operators have much more flexibility – one of the most critical characteristics of tomorrow’s urban mobility concepts.

In the past year alone, MULTI has won some prestigious awards – such as Gold at the Edison Awards and the German Design Award, and was selected as one of the Top 25 Inventions 2017 by TIME Magazine

MULTI video https://youtu.be/E7QlAsxJP-g

MULTI rendering video - Reimagining building design https://youtu.be/plXJ70jt4NE

MULTI footage by Discovery Channel Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fETc2-tSrT0

MULTI unveiling event - Go Live of MULTI (Countdown) https://youtu.be/bMktpvBf8W0

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TK Elevator (formerly: thyssenkrupp Elevator)

With customers in over 100 countries served by 50,000 employees, TK Elevator achieved sales of €8.5 billion in the fiscal year 2019/2020. Over 1,000 locations around the world provide an extensive network that guarantees closeness to customers. Over the past decades, TK Elevator has established itself as one of the world’s leading elevator companies and became independent since its sale by thyssenkrupp AG in August 2020. The company’s most important business line is the service business represented by over 24,000 service technicians. The product portfolio covers commodity elevators for residential and commercial buildings to cutting-edge, highly customized solutions for state-of-the-art skyscrapers. In addition, it also consists of escalators and moving walks, passenger boarding bridges, stair and platform lifts. Integrated cloud-based service solutions, such as the MAX platform, are gaining in importance. With these digital offerings, there are no limits to urban mobility anymore. TKE – move beyond.