Much to the delight of Jakob Zueger, chief executive officer of Schindler Americas, a $40 million contract has been awarded the company in an effort to put into placement effective solutions for the modernization of LA International Airport.

Jakob Zueger was stated as saying, “We are proud to have been chosen as the supplier of the equipment for the LAX rejuvenation and look forward to working with Los Angeles World Airports on this vital project.”

What will the $40 million contracted to Schindler be used for?

In addition to the 70 escalators, elevators, and moving walks that will be supplied by the company, Schindler will use the money to remove and replace four moving walks, modernize and update six hydraulic passenger elevators, as well as replace 60 escalators.

This major modernization overhaul at LA International Airport will also include new gates that will easily accommodate the Airbus A380; a refurbishing of the Main Tom Bradley International Terminal; as well as the airport’s own terminals.

All in all, a total of 28 elevators, moving walks, and escalators will eventually be updated and modernized at LAX.

The Schindler Group was no doubt chosen due to their extensive tract record.

Labeled as a leading global mobility provider, Schindler can be found in more than 140 countries; provides mobility in many of the world’s public transport networks and major airports; and has found success in their most recent contracts which include Germany’s recent Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport, as well as a new subway system for Mumbai, India.

An avid supporter of sustainable urban development, Schindler provides its clients with reliable, safe, and ecologically sound mobility solutions, this Switzerland based company designs, installs, manufactures, modernizes, and services escalator and elevator systems for practically every building type.

Hydraulic lifts and cable systems are of the most basic technologies being put to use in urban transport systems. Both systems are a century in the works, and they have long been an industry standard for both passenger lifts and freight elevators, as they generate a great amount of force by manipulating rather weak pumps and pulleys. However, the drawbacks of these systems have been chronicled and widely accepted, and buildings designs looking for an optimum efficiency and aesthetic from their lift systems are rethinking the use of the simplistic designs.

All aspects of elevator design and production are being reconfigured. Advanced lift systems incorporate greater speed, braking control and efficiency, making for a faster, more comfortable ride while using less energy, reducing the carbon footprint of the building.

Many of today’s elevator systems make use of newer technology that eliminates the need for a large machine room by placing the lift’s motor either in a small cabinet or directly inside the elevator shaft. Additionally, destination-oriented systems increase the comfort and efficiency of passenger lifts: Instead of simple up and down buttons, the passenger selects their floor, and the designated elevator car appears to deliver the passenger to their destination in the quickest, most efficient manner possible.

With new technology comes new codes, and performance-based lift codes are being written to allow for these advancements in lift design to blossom. Without rewriting the intact code, the newly written performance-based code demands the same objectives without the old specifications. Safety, of course, is the primary concern, but without specific size and material requirements, lift designers have greater creative freedom designing the safest elevator possible.

The advancements we may see with an across the board acceptance of performance-based codes are already beginning to emerge: Mitsubishi has designed passenger lifts capable of a maximum speed of 540 meters per second, while Kone’s EcoDisk lift system places the motor inside the shaft, eliminating the machine room altogether and providing twice the efficiency of hydraulic lift systems. In the future, we may even see NASA assemble an elevator capable of propulsion to outer space.