Schlieren Aufzügefabrik AG | |
---|---|
Founded |
1895 (Zürich, Switzerland) |
Acquired by |
Schindler Group (1960) |
Status |
Defunct |
Schweizerische Aufzügefabrik AG, Schlieren-Zürich was an elevator manufacturing division of Schweizerische Wagonsfabrik AG in Schlieren-Zürich (SWS), a Swiss railway wagon manufacturer.
History
The company was founded in 1895 as Firma Geissberger & Cie, then four years later it became known as Schweizerische Wagen- und Wagons-Fabrik AG, based in Zurich. Just one year later, the company moved its base back to Schlieren, and in 1901, there was another renaming, to Schweizerische Wagonsfabrik AG in Schlieren-Zürich (SWS).
SWS took over Aufzüge- und Räderfabrik Seebach AG (ARSAG) in 1917. In 1928, the company changed name to Schweizerische Wagons- und Aufzügefabrik AG, Schlieren-Zürich which they started manufacturing their own elevators.
In 1959, Schlieren invented "Aconic" (stands for "anti-Contact-Electronic"), a semiconductor based and transistor-controlled elevator technology without moving parts. It was the first fully transistorize controlled elevator system in the world. This system was claimed to have silent ride, longer life and worked quickly without wear and tear. One of Schlieren's Aconic elevator installations was installed at the laboratory of Technischen Universität (Technical University) of Delft in the Netherlands in 1969. However, the elevators were later modernized by Schindler[1].
In 1960, SWS was acquired by Schindler Group and was integrated into Schindler as a subsidiary company after Pars Finanz AG (the holding company of Schindler) had purchased 30% of the share capital of SWS.
After the integration, Schlieren elevator division focused on standard elevator doors and cabs until 1985 when SWS was absorbed by Schindler and subsequently defunct.
Notable installations
Hong Kong, China
- Ritz Apartment, Quarry Bay (1958)
- Sung Ling Mansion, Sai Ying Pun (1959)
- Yuen Lam Mansion, Central Mid-Levels (1959)
- Rose Mansion, Tsim Sha Tsui (1958, modernized into STEP elevator in 2013)
Switzerland
- Autosilo Balestra (underground bus station), Lugano (replaced into Schindler 6300 elevators in 2014)
- Hotel Colorado, Lugano
More Schlieren elevators in Switzerland can be found here
Sweden
Stockholm County
- Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset I Huddinge Huddinge General Hospital (1973, All modded.)
- Fisksätra, Nacka (1973-1976)
- Farsta-Terassen (1960's, All exept one is modded. See trivia.)
Others
- Klongthom Corner, Bangkok, Thailand
Trivia
- In Finland, their elevators were known as Valmet Schlieren while in Denmark, their elevators were known as Thomas-Schmidt Schlieren.
- Their elevators were also exported to Hong Kong, China during in the late 1950s under the name China Engineers.
- Farsta-Terassen had alot of Schlieren elevators with automatic doors and are high-speeds. Schlieren's solution to Westinghouse's Selectomatic or Express's DMR are to use transistor controllers (known as Aconic, see History section above) to control and move their more advanced elevators in tower offices. They became very rare nowadays. Out of all made Transistor-Controlled Schlieren elevators being made, there is one turned off elevator being left inside Farsta-Terassen. The fate for this elevator is uncertain, as it is one of the most rare models, and could be extinct with this remaining one being modernised!
Notes and references
- ↑ Technischen Universität NL (German)
External links
Major elevator and escalator companies | |
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Full list of companies | List of elevator and escalator companies |
Operating | Fujitec • Hitachi • Hyundai • Kone • Mitsubishi Electric (Shanghai Mitsubishi) • Otis (Otis Electric • Sigma) • Schindler • TK Elevator • Toshiba |
Defunct | Dover Elevators • Express Lift • Orenstein & Koppel • Thyssen • thyssenkrupp • Westinghouse |
Other companies | Third-party elevator maintenance companies |