thyssenkrupp breaks ground at new Innovation and Qualification Center in Atlanta, soon home of the US’ tallest elevator test tower

thyssenkrupp Elevator today celebrates the groundbreaking of its new Innovation and Qualification Center (IQC), featuring a state-of-the-art, 420-foot (128–meter)-tall elevator test tower. The tower is the tallest of its kind in the U.S. and one of the tallest in the world, and anchors thyssenkrupp Elevator’s new North American headquarters next to the SunTrust Park, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

With 18 shafts, the elevator test tower will be used to trial new concepts and product pilots, including high-speed elevators and TWIN, thyssenkrupp’s unique elevator system that features two cabins working independently in one shaft. The IQC will also test MULTI, the revolutionary rope-less and sideways-moving elevator system. In addition, the test tower will conduct robust tests to ensure compliance with stringent safety requirements on standard elevators.

The thyssenkrupp Elevator North American headquarters will be home to more than 900 full-time employees across three facilities, centralizing many scattered U.S. sites at one location and thus significantly reducing office rental costs and travel costs. Last month, employees started moving into the Business Headquarters (BHQ) in nearby Pennant Park, and a Corporate Headquarters (CHQ) will be built adjacent to the IQC. Both the IQC and CHQ will be built on property owned by the Atlanta Braves Development Company.

“thyssenkrupp Elevator is investing $300 million in the US over a period of 10-15 years, which is the most significant investment from the thyssenkrupp group. We place a high priority on the North American market, and this investment reflects that. From new product development to renovated manufacturing facilities, and from installation through to the provision of advanced maintenance service solutions, our US teams are becoming highly productive. They’re capable of offering the efficiency our customers expect. The new state-of-the-art facilities in Atlanta are a cornerstone in this investment strategy, and we are very proud to make a home there,” said Peter Walker, CEO of thyssenkrupp Elevator. 

“The Innovation and Qualification Center is going to be a true differentiator in this industry thanks in part to its prominent, high-visibility location and its state-of-the-art design and innovative functionality,” said Steve Wedge, Interim CEO and CFO of thyssenkrupp Elevator North America. “The partnerships we have developed with the local business community and the Atlanta Braves, as well as our ongoing relationship with Georgia Tech University, will help the IQC become Atlanta’s next iconic structure.”

“Today marks an exciting step towards changing the Cobb County skyline and welcoming our wonderful new neighbor, thyssenkrupp, into the state of Georgia,” said Mike Plant, President and CEO of the Braves Development Company.

thyssenkrupp Elevator Americas is the largest producer of elevators in the Americas, and has more than 15,000 employees based in North and South America. It has more than 230 branch and service locations in the US, along with a LEED Gold certified manufacturing facility in Middleton, Tennessee. Iconic US buildings featuring thyssenkrupp Elevator technology include One World Trade Center (New York), The Sun Life Stadium (Florida), and Denver International Airport (Colorado).

The IQC tower joins a global network of towers, with others in Rottweil, Germany, and Zhongshan, China. Collectively, they allow thyssenkrupp to innovate urban mobility around the globe.

Press Images:
To view renderings of the Innovation and Qualification Center, please click the hyperlink we have inserted (credit: thyssenkrupp Elevator). Videos are available for download here. Images of the groundbreaking ceremony are available after 11.30 am EST and can be obtained at jasmin.fischer@thyssenkrupp.com.

Contact

Dennis Van Milligen
Communications Specialist
thyssenkrupp Elevator North America

Tel: +1 312 525 3190
E-Mail: dennis.vanmilligen@thyssenkrupp.com
Web: www.thyssenkruppelevator.com

Dr. Jasmin Fischer
Head of Media Relations
thyssenkrupp Elevator AG

Tel: +49 201 844-563054
E-Mail: jasmin.fischer@thyssenkrupp.com
Web: www.thyssenkrupp-elevator.com
www.urban-hub.com

About us:

thyssenkrupp Elevator
thyssenkrupp Elevator brings together the Group’s global activities in passenger transportation systems. With sales of €7.6 billion in fiscal 2017/2018 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 technology group with traditional strengths in materials. Over 160,000 employees in 78 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 2017/2018 thyssenkrupp generated sales of €42.7 billion.

Together with our customers we develop competitive solutions for 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.