Hosting a total of 9,400 visitors, the International Elevator and Escalator Expo 2018 (IEE Expo 2018) took place at the Bombay Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) in Mumbai, India, from 27 February-1 March.
Included in the programme was seminars, workshops and a panel discussion, as well as real-life samples of elevators and escalators to offer visitors a personalised experience of new technology.
IEE Expo 2018 hosted names like Dominic Romell, director, Romell Group (secretary – CREDAI MCHI), Deepak Goradia, vice chairman and MD, Dosti Realty, S. Saravana Raj, Area director – Engineering South Asia, Mariott, Niranjan Hiranandani, co-founder and MD, Hiranandani Group, and Prabhat Rahandale, director Maharashtra Fire Service, chief fire officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade.
The exhibition held back-to-back seminars from industry experts including Gefran, Fujitec, Nidec, Otis, Hiteachi, Intellithink, Wittur, Schmersal and Monteferro, who touched vital topics within the industry.
With a growth expectancy of over 50% in the next four years, the Indian elevator and escalator sector is scaling high making India one of the biggest markets for this industry.
The International Elevator and Escalator Expo 2018 reflected a similar growth stride, with 174 exhibiting companies from 10 countries, which included India, China, Germany, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK and the USA, marking a 20% increase in the international participation and 15% increase in the total exhibition space.
Shankar Gopalkrishnan, president, Madras Consultancy Group, stated that “The elevator and escalator market stood at US$115bn in the year 2017 and is expected to reach US$175bn by the year 2021.”
The next edition of IEE Expo will be held from 27–29 February 2020.
Apart from the technical seminars, the International Elevator and Escalator Expo 2018 hosted a panel discussion on interdisciplinary coordination in planning and design of tall buildings; a workshop on elevators for firefighting and emergency evacuation; and introduction of section 5, part B in the National Building Code (NBC) 2016.
Also talking about the industry, Niranjan Hiranandani, co-founder and MD of Hiranandani Group, shared: “51% of the population in India is moving to the urban areas which will lead to congestion, eventually leading to an aggressive growth in elevators.”
“For now the demand comes from the higher segment but over a period of time, as housing for all will make its way, the bottom of the pyramid will grow faster and that’s where elevator industry professionals will have to be more cautious,” added Hiranandani.
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