GineersNow Construction Leaders Magazine June 2017 Issue 003, Bechtel

can consequently shorten overall construction
schedules which means a quicker return on
investment.
In 2017, KONE has revolutionized the
elevator and escalator maintenance with
the smart 24/7 Connected Services. Their
24/7 Connected Services, as a part of their
KONE Care, makes use of the recent IBM
Watson IoT platform as well as other advanced
technologies to bring intelligent services to
elevators and escalators.
THE FUTURE
KONE believes that the direction and shape
of their industry in the following years to
come is driven by two megatrends: First is
Urbanization, wherein it continues to drive
growth. Second is Technological Disruption,
which drives change and faster pace of
business as well as new expectations for ways
of working.
It is important to understand the opportunities
of these megatrends, so “we can build
deeper relationships with our customers and
differentiate from competitors, - for the entire
lifecycle of their equipment.” Kadora explains
SOCIAL IMPACT & CSR
KONE is committed to making a positive
impact in the whole value chain, as
they contribute directly to the economic
development in the different countries where
they operate. Every employee has a role to
play in reaching KONE’s sustainability targets.
Also, the company works with around 20,000
suppliers who provide them with raw materials,
components and modules, as well as logistics
and installation services.
KONE has between 2008 and 2016 succeeded
to reduce its operational carbon footprint
relative to orders received by over 60%. The
company’s score in CDP’s climate change
program was the best possible A for the
second year running, with only 193 companies
out of thousands achieving the A grade.
Additionally, KONE achieved a position on
CDP’s global Supplier A List 2016 including
the top 2% of suppliers that responded in
CDP’s supplier questionnaire
KONE also has a non-profit organization called
The KONE Centennial Foundation (KCF). This
foundation focuses on innovative programs
that advance and support developmental,
educational, and cultural activities for children
and youth around the world. KCF celebrated
its 100th anniversary in 2010. They cooperate
closely with local partners to plan projects,
ensure efficient resource allocation and respect
for local culture and priorities. As much as
possible, KCF chooses project wherein local
KONE units can contribute practical support,
and KONE volunteers can support the projects
in their spare time.
ADVICE TO THE YOUNG ENGINEERS
“Differentiating oneself is the key. For the
most part, our business has been driven by
advances in mechanical engineering for more
than a century. Innovation in today’s world is
much more. It means new processes, new
integrated technologies and connectivity, as
well as new benchmarks for customer service.
We constantly renew ourselves, find new ways
of working and innovate with new solutions
and services for our customers. For instance,
maintenance services can be revolutionized
by combining cloud computing and mobile
solutions. Or real-time data and analytics can
help service technicians translate insights into
meaningful data and keep customers informed.
At KONE we take a collaborative approach to
innovation. That means working together with
customers and partners to innovate together.
By opening up, and by encouraging new ideas
we develop new skills, identify new challenges
to be solved as well as being able to pilot and
commercialize new products and services at a
faster pace. Our collaboration with IBM is one
example of innovation partnership.”
TRIVIA
• KONE was the first company to have
the machine-room less elevators.
• For the sixth year in a row, Forbes has
listed KONE as one of the world’s top
100 innovative companies.
• In 2016, KONE has installed the
world’s first arched escalators at the
new Elbphilharmonie concert hall
in Hamburg.
24 Construction Leaders • June 2017