Kone, represented by Kone Elevators in Australia, recently received the 2008 Project of the Year award for modernising 12 escalators at the Morgan Post Office in New York City, with their KONE EcoMod solution.
The award was given by Elevator World, the leading elevator industry publication. This is the fifth consecutive year Kone receiving the award.
For over a decade, Elevator World has recognised projects from around the world that highlight innovative design, special applications or unique problem solving solutions in vertical, horizontal or inclined transportation.
In order to be selected as the winner, each project is reviewed by a distinguished panel of industry specialists and judged on innovation, originality and creativity, as well as installation methods and techniques.
The Morgan Post Office sorting facility in New York City operates 24/7 with 5,000 employees working three shifts. When the 12 existing escalators needed to be replaced, a challenge arose because new escalators needed to be brought into the building and installed in pairs on six floors all in a stack - all this while avoiding major construction to the building structure.
Effectively working as a full escalator replacement solution, KONE EcoMod allowed the Post Office to retain the existing trusses with minor modifications and no structural changes.