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This article is about a defunct Japanese elevator company that have been acquired by Schindler. For the other Nippon elevator company that is still operating in Japan, refer to Nippon Elevator Manufacturing.
Not to be confused with Nippon Otis and the Chinese elevator company Nippon Elevator.

Nippon Elevator Industry Co. (Japanese: 日本エレベーター工業株式会社) was a Japanese elevator manufacturer that existed between 1954 and the late 1980s. It produced elevators and escalators and were mainly sold domestically, although they were also exported to other Asian countries such as British Hong Kong and Singapore.

History[]

The origin of the company started out in 1935 when it was established as Towa Elevator Industry Manufacturing Department (Japanese: 東和エレベーター産業製造部). In 1954, the company changed name to Nippon Elevator Industry Co., and in 1973, an elevator test tower and manufacturing plant was established in Fukuroi, Shizouka Prefecture. In 1985, Schindler Group acquired 30% shares of Nippon Elevator and in 1991 the company was fully taken over by Schindler and became Schindler Elevator K.K. In 1993, the majority interest of Schindler elevator in Japan was increased to 75%.

Post acquisition[]

After the acquisition, in 1994, Schindler Elevator KK began promoting domestic sales of elevators that were based on the elevators that Schindler was developing worldwide. The products sold were the Schindler 300 J, which is essentially a version of the Schindler 300 that was produced and sold exclusively in Japan. Schindler had also sold other models such as the Japanese version of Schindler Mobile and Schindler Smart MRL, as well as Millennium Tower; a special elevator designed for residential buildings.

Since it took over Nippon Elevator Industries, a lot of remaining Nippon elevators across Japan were maintained by Schindler. These maintenance contracts have since been passed over to Otis following the acquisition of Schindler's Japanese operation to Nippon Otis Elevator Company in 2016.

However, throughout the 2000s Schindler's business in Japan did not go very well as it suffered numerous poor reputations, scandals, breakdowns and accidents, including a fatal accident in a residential building in Minato Ward, Tokyo in 2006 (also known as the "2006 Minato Ward elevator accident") where a 16-year old student was killed in a Schindler elevator. After the accident, new orders of Schindler elevators in Japan dropped drastically to almost zero, forcing the company to discontinue sales of elevators and switched to manufacturing and sales of escalators only. However, Schindler still provided maintenance services and repairs to its remaining elevators installed in Japan. They also provided modernization solutions (known as "Schindler LiMO") to existing Nippon elevators throughout the country.

On April 5, 2016, Schindler Japan announced that it would sell all of its businesses to Nippon Otis Elevator Company. At the same year, Schindler discontinued its escalator manufacturing and withdrew its operations from the country. Meanwhile, the maintenance and repair businesses were transferred to Nippon Otis in May 2016 with the establishment of Nippon Elevator Service Co., Ltd., which was intended to serve as a preparatory company. The business was transferred to Otis in August 2016 and became Otis Elevator Services, Inc. (OESC).

Notable installations[]

Main article: List of notable Nippon (Japan) elevator installations

Elevator fixtures[]

Main article: List of Nippon (Japan) elevator fixtures

Trivia[]

  • The Fukuroi factory and test tower in Shizouka Prefecture, Japan was continued to be operated by Schindler after the acquisition, where Schindler produced their Japan-made elevators and escalators there. It is now operated by Otis after the transfer of Schindler's Japanese businesses to Otis.

Gallery[]

See also[]

  • Nippon Elevator Manufacturing - another Japanese elevator manufacturer which is still in business and based in Tokyo, Japan (it has no relation with the now defunct Nippon Elevator Industry)
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