Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation (also known as TELC, Japanese: 東芝エレベータ株式会社 Tōshiba erebēta kabushikigaisha) is subsidiary company of Toshiba Corporation (KONE Corporation also being a stakeholder as well[1]) which manufactures elevators and escalators. It is one of the four major Japanese elevator manufacturers alongside Mitsubishi Electric, Hitachi and Fujitec.
History[]
Initially, the elevator and escalator business of Toshiba began in 1966, and its first escalator installed in the same year. In 1967, Toshiba Elevator Service Corporation established, which ran as a company providing maintenance services for Toshiba elevators manufactured by its parent company. In the same year, the company installed its first elevator and established an elevator factory in Fuchu, a city located in the western part of Tokyo Metropolis. In 1977, Toshiba introduced elevators with microcomputer controls, which made itself the first elevator manufacturer in Japan to do so.
Toshiba made a strategic alliance with Kone in 1998, as a mean of developing their own machine room less elevator system with the help of Kone. This relationship resulted the release of SPACEL for Toshiba, a machine room less elevator system based on the Kone MonoSpace system complete with the Kone EcoDisc hoisting motor[2][3][4] for the Japanese market. Additionally, Kone sold a small batch of its own-branded MonoSpace elevators to Japan; Toshiba itself maintains most of existing installations. Since then, the relationship between the two companies continues; it had a capital tied-up in 2002 and by 2020 Kone reportedly became a shareholder of TELC with a 19.90% share[1]. In addition, both companies had developed a double deck high speed elevator at Kone's Test Center in Tytyry, Finland which had both the name Toshiba and KONE[5].
In 2001, Toshiba Elevator Service Corporation merged with Toshiba Corporation's Elevator and Building Systems Company and became Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation, the present day company that consistently carries out development, design, manufacturing, sales, installation and maintenance of elevators and escalators.
In 2004, Toshiba, which at that time it was still having a partnership with Kone won a contract to install ultra high speed elevators in Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan. When the skyscraper was completed in 2004, the elevators held the award for being the fastest elevators in the world[6] until 2016, when the record was surpassed by Shanghai Tower's Mitsubishi elevators in Shanghai, China.
In March 2025, Hainan Midea Building Technologies, a subsidiary of Midea Group, acquired 58% of two Toshiba Elevator subsidiaries (Toshiba Elevator (China) Co., Ltd. and Toshiba Elevator (Shenyang) Co., Ltd.) shares and acquired controlling stake in each subsidiaries[7][8].
Notable elevator and escalator products[]
Current[]
Elevators[]
- SPACEL: Toshiba's machine room less traction elevator model based on the Kone MonoSpace elevators. It was introduced in 1998 for the Japanese domestic market as the result of a strategic alliance between Toshiba and Kone.
- SPACEL-GR II: Current passenger elevator model for residential and commercial buildings, only sold in Japan.
- Order SPACEL-GR II: Custom-built type passenger elevator for residential, commercial, hotels and other buildings, only sold in Japan.
- SPACEL-UNI (from 2008) and SPACEL-III (from 2012): Two slightly different passenger elevator models for markets other than Japan (Asia and Middle East). They are manufactured in China.
- ELCOSMO: Traction elevator model with smaller machine room which is only sold in markets other than Japan (Asia and Middle East).
- (Regular) ELCOSMO: Manufactured from 2008, with 8-24 persons capacity and 60-150 m/min speeds.
- ELCOSMO-III: Manufactured from 2012, with 8-26 persons capacity and 60-180 m/min speeds.
- ELCOSMO-III High Speed: High speed version for high rise buildings.
- ELCOSMO-TJ: Only sold in India. Launched in July 2019.
- New ELBRIGHT: Gearless high speed elevator for high-rise buildings with permanent magnet (PM) synchronous motor. This model is firstly launched in Japan in 2004[9] and no longer available in Japan since 2013, but it is still available for other markets, as the controller is manufactured from Shanghai, China (CL600).
- ELCRUISE: Custom-built gearless high speed elevator for high rise buildings, only sold in Japan since 2013. It is a successor of New ELBRIGHT.
- Ultra high speed elevators: Toshiba also make ultra high speed elevators for high-rise buildings, and possibly faster than NEW ELBRIGHT. An example of their ultra high speed elevator installations is at Taipei 101 in Taiwan, which used to be the fastest elevator in the world from 2004 to 2010.
- Double deck elevators
- ELCARGO-VF: Freight elevator model sold for markets other than Japan.
- CV150: VVVF traction elevator with microprocessor control when the requirement not match to the models above.
- FLOORNAVI: Toshiba's destination dispatch elevator system.
Escalators and moving walks[]
- Kindmover: Standard escalator for commercial buildings sold in Japan and other markets.
- Kindmover-II: Second generation of Kindmover.
- TC Series: Moving walkways
Modernization Solutions[]
- ELFRESH: elevator modernization solution for the older Toshiba traction elevators, introduced in July, 2012[10].
- ESFRESH: escalator modernization solution for the older Toshiba escalators, which only leave the existing truss.
Discontinued[]
Elevators[]
Elevator models[]
- CA1, CA2 and CA3: Relay logic AC/1 or AC/2 traction elevator produced from 1966 to late 1970s, known as Elemate (Older) in Japan in 1970.
- CA11 and CA21: Relay logic AC/2 traction elevator produced from 1977 to 1993[11]. Still known as Elemate in Japan.
- Hosmate: Relay logic AC/2 traction bed elevator produced from 1970[12].
- CV10 and CV20: ACVV traction elevator with relay (partially solid state) control produced from 1975 to late 1980s. This possibly known as New Elemate in Japan in 1977.
- CV16 and CV26: ACVV traction elevator with solid state (microcomputer) control produced from 1979. This known as Elemate Celebrum in Japan in 1979.
- CV16A and CV26A: ACVV traction elevator with solid state (microcomputer) control. This known as Elemate New Celebrum in Japan in 1981.
- CV40: ACVV traction elevator with microcomputer control, produced from 1982 to 1996. This known as Elemate Celebrum III in Japan in 1982.
- CV50, CV60, CV70, CV90 and CV100: VVVF traction elevator with microprocessor control, produced from 1984 (for CV50) to 2000s. This known as Elemate Celebrum IV for CV50, Elemate Celebrum VF for CV50, CV60 and CV70, Elemate Luminous for CV90 and Elemate New Luminous for CV100 in Japan in 1984, 1985, 1990, and 1994 respectively.
- CF150: VVVF traction elevator for low rise residential buildings with microprocessor control, introduced in 1998. This is known as ELPALACE in 1998[13][14].
- DCGD: DC geared traction high-rise elevator produced from 1968 to 1989. It consists of: DCGD, DCGD2, DCGDA, DCGDD, DCGDN, CD10, CD10A, CD10B and CD20. These are probably also known as "Command 80".
- DCGL: DC gearless traction high-rise elevator produced from 1970 to 1993. It consists of: 1st Stage, 2nd Stage, CL10, CL11, CL20, CL30, CL31 and CL40. CL40 is micro-computer controlled.
- CL50, CL70, CL75, CL90 and CL150: VVVF traction high-rise elevator with microprocessor control. Produced from 1984 to 2000s.
- Hydraulic elevators: Known older models were Pearl Schmidt, CH10, CH11, CH20 and CH40. Newer models were CH90 and CH100. They were made from 1972[12] to 1993 for older models and 1990 to 2000s for newer models.
- ELEXCIA: Custom-built elevator launched in 1999.
- ELBRIGHT: Custom-built gearless high speed elevator for high rise buildings, launched in 2002. It was succeeded by the New ELBRIGHT in 2008.
- Elemate New Luminous 2: Standard passenger elevator which was only sold in Japan, launched in 1997. This is the final product of Elemate series.
- TOPS-VF3, TOPS-NEW VF and TOPS-VR: Standard passenger elevators manufactured by Toshiba's Chinese subsidiary in China and sold for markets other than Japan.
Group control systems[]
- Command 80: A programmed high speed elevator system for high rise buildings for markets other than Japan, featuring "Command 80" group supervisory microcomputer controller and Thyristor-Leonard direct current (DC) drives, launched in 1980s. An example of this elevator can be found at Summitmas I and WTC 6 (formerly Wisma Metropolitan II), Jakarta, Indonesia in 1985.
Escalators[]
- Type A,B,B1,C,D,E,E1,F,F1,G,G1,H,H1,J,K,K1: Standard type escalators produced from 1966 to 1982.
Elevator fixtures[]
- Main article: List of Toshiba elevator fixtures
Notable installations[]
- Main article: List of notable Toshiba elevator installations
Notable distributors, subsidiaries and joint ventures[]
Distributors[]
Current[]
| Company | Country(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Chevalier |
Hong Kong, China Macau, China Singapore |
Since 1972 until 2009 |
| Dhaher Al Muhairi Company | United Arab Emirates | Since 1999 |
| GFC Ltd. | Taiwan | Since 1974 |
| Khazar Lift Service LLC | Azerbaijan | |
| Shiba Tech Corporation Limited | Bangladesh | |
| Siam Elevators & Escalators Co. Ltd. | Thailand | Since 1983 |
| Technical Trading Co. L.L.C | Oman | |
| PT. Toshindo Elevator Utama | Indonesia | Since 1998 |
Former[]
| Company | Country(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PT. Capitol Mutual Corporation | Indonesia | 1980s to 1998 |
| New City Technology Trading Services Co. Ltd. | Vietnam | 2014 to 2019 |
| MS Elevators Engineering Sdn. Bhd. • MS Elevators Sdn. Bhd. |
Malaysia | 2010's-2022 |
[]
- Toshiba Elevator (China) Co., Ltd. (China, 1995, formerly known as Toshiba Elevator (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and renamed in 2008)
- Toshiba Elevator (Shenyang) Co., Ltd. (China, 1995)
- Chevalier International Holdings Limited (Hong Kong, China and Singapore since 2009)
- Chevalier (HK) Limited (Hong Kong, TELC has 51% share holding[15])
- GFC Elevator Co. Ltd. (Taiwan)
- Toshiba Elevator (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia, joint venture between MS Group and TELC since 1982, formerly known as MS Elevators Engineering Sdn. Bhd.)[16]
- Toshiba Elevator Manufacturing Asia Sdn. Bhd. (formerly known as MS Elevator Sdn. Bhd.)
- Toshiba Johnson Elevators India Pvt Ltd. (India, since October 2012[10])
Trivia[]
- The double deck elevators at the Kone High-rise Laboratory in Tytyri, Finland, which were installed under collaboration between Kone and Toshiba were the only known Toshiba elevators installed outside Asia, in this case, Europe. These elevators were so unique that they had a mix of Toshiba and Kone parts and equipment; for example, the fixtures and chimes are from Toshiba, while the door equipment and machine are from Kone. They also had the Toshiba logo shown on the bottom part of the car station in each elevator car[5]. These elevators have since been modernized by Kone with KSS fixtures and newly refurbished cars, so the Toshiba brand and its related elements are no longer shown in the elevators[17]; the modernization also replaced steel ropes with Kone's UltraRopes.
- Dong Yang, a defunct South Korean elevator manufacturer, had a technical partnership with Toshiba from the late 1960s until 1999. Under this partnership, Dong Yang produced elevators and escalators under Toshiba's license and the design was very similar. In fact, Toshiba's CV and CL model names were also used in Dong Yang's models.
- A television program in Taiwan revealed the machine room of some Toshiba elevators installed in the Taipei 101, and they appear to be Kone Ecodisc mx40, the video also revealed later the machines of the 2 record breaking ultra fast elevators, they are very massive and have Toshiba name plate on it.
machine room of Taipei 101 elevators
snapshot 2
Gallery[]
Logos and nameplates[]
Others[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Toshiba and KONE Corporation to Take Stake in One Another, Toshiba Corporation (20 December, 2001)
- ↑ KONE Corporation Annual Report 1998 (archived)
- ↑ Kone - Toshiba alliance
- ↑ Kone - 2002-2004
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 AMAZING KONE/Toshiba Doubledeck elevator @ KONE Test Center, Tytyri, Finland. - YouTube
- ↑ Guinness World Record - Fastest lift (elevator) (archived version in 2015)
- ↑ 美的入股东芝电梯完成工商变更，成实际控制人
- ↑ 東芝エレベータ、中国における美的集団とのパートナーシップ形成について, Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation, 21 November, 2024.
- ↑ Toshiba Review 2004. VOL.59 NO.10
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Annual Report 2013, Toshiba Corporation
- ↑ Most likely the final product of CA11. Installed in 1993.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 東芝エレベータの歩み｜新卒採用
- ↑ 中低層共同住宅用エレベーターの商品化について
- ↑ 【激レアな小型機】エルパレス！東芝製の珍しいエレベーター
- ↑ Toshiba Elevator to Take Equity Interest in Chevalier International
- ↑ Toshiba Announces Name Changes of Two Elevator Subsidiaries in Malaysia
- ↑ Amazing KONE double deck test elevator at KONE test tower Tytyri Finland - YouTube
External links[]
Official websites[]
- Official website - Japan (Japanese)
- Official website (China)
- Official website (India)
- MS Elevators Engineering Sdn. Bhd.
- Siam Elevators & Escalators Co. Ltd.
- GFC (official website)
- Shiba Tech Corporation Limited
Other links[]
- Guidance of end of parts supply (December 1, 2010) (Japanese)
- Guidance of end of parts supply (June 28, 2013) (Japanese)
- Guidance of end of parts supply (May 11, 2018) (Japanese)
- Guidance of end of parts supply (April 16, 2021) (Japanese)
- Guidance of end of parts supply (October 31, 2022) (Japanese)
| Major elevator and escalator companies | |
|---|---|
| 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 |