TEI GROUP ADDS EXPERIENCED TEAM MEMBER
Lawrence "Larry" Saccente has joined TEI Group, headquartered in Long Island City, New York, as vice president, Sales and Marketing. Saccente brings 25 years of industry sales and customer-service experience to the team. He has worked for some of the "Golden-Era" New York City independents, such as Flynn Hill, Central International and New York Elevator. TEI states this enhances the company's focus on customer satisfaction and employee engagement.
KONE LOOKS TOWARD SECOND PLANT IN INDIAN STATE
KONE expects commercial production at its new elevator/escalator plant in Sriperumbudur near Chennai, its second such facility in Tamil Nadu, India, to begin by mid 2019, Outlook reports. The plant will cater to the domestic market, as well as neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, according to KONE India Managing Director Amit Gossain. He shared that KONE has 20% of a domestic market that totals approximately 50,000-55,000 units annually. Approximately 95% of KONE's domestic vertical-transportation business is elevators. Observing India’s Goods and Services Tax and demonetization created a 5-7% growth dip in the sector, Gossain is optimistic looking forward, due to government plans to build housing and improve rail-system accessibility.
FIRINGS, ARRESTS, RESIGNATIONS AFTER DEADLY EGYPT LIFT CRASH
Firings, arrests and resignations followed a January 30 elevator fall at Banha University Hospital in Banha, Egypt, in which seven people died and four others were injured, Ahram Online reports. The dean of the hospital’s Faculty of Medicine and the head of the hospital resigned, a number of administrative and engineering directors were let go, and officials from the company responsible for maintaining the elevator were ordered to be arrested. Prosecutors are still investigating, but it was previously found the main wire operating the elevator was damaged, and there was no anti-fall device.
PLAN ENVISIONS 46-STORY TOWER IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN
A CetraRuddy-designed, 46-story residential tower is planned for Midtown Manhattan, New York, New York YIMBY reports. The 599-ft.-tall structure at 30 East 29th Street will have 167,700 sq. ft. of residential space, out of a total 226,350 sq. ft. Its 123 units will average 1,363 sq. ft. each. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, squash room, lobby and storage for 70 bicycles, as well as a 34th-floor lounge with two outdoor terraces. The developer, The Rockefeller Group, applied for permits to demolish three structures at the site in September 2017, but has released neither a design rendering nor an estimated completion date.
