KONE Launches “10 for 2010” Eco-efficiency Challenge

LISLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KONE, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, has challenged itself to reduce overall energy consumption by 10 percent this year through its “10 for 2010” program established by the company’s Environmental Excellence Strategy Team.

“Implementing this program is another demonstration of the priority we place on the continuous reduction of the environmental footprint of our business. We are committed to reducing emissions and waste related to our operations”

Each KONE facility throughout North America has been tasked with implementing steps to reduce its consumption of electricity and natural gas, including:

Obtaining and entering local energy use data;
Completing an energy audit of the facility;
Preparing and implementing a local plan to reduce energy use; and
Sharing best practices with other facilities.

“Implementing this program is another demonstration of the priority we place on the continuous reduction of the environmental footprint of our business. We are committed to reducing emissions and waste related to our operations,” said Tim Walter, VP of EHS for the Americas. “In 2009, our Mobile (Alabama) District Office implemented similar guidelines and reduced energy consumption by 22 percent, so we know this is an achievable goal,” added Walter.

As the industry leader in Eco-efficient vertical transportation technology, this initiative adds to a growing list of ways the company has made environmental excellence part of its culture through the way it does business and the solutions it offers.

As part of the company’s environmental commitment, KONE has discontinued manufacturing hydraulic elevator systems and has replaced them with the Machine Room-Less elevator solution utilizing the KONE EcoDisc® hoisting machine, which avoids hydraulic fluid issues while saving half or more of the energy consumed by a traditional hydraulic or traction elevator. Another example of KONE energy saving technologies includes regenerative drives, which recover excess braking energy from the elevator, converting it to electricity for use in the building.

KONE’s efforts even carry over into its fleet of 700 service vehicles. As the vehicles are retired over the next three years, they will be replaced by Ford’s Transit Connect, an Environmental Protection Agency certified SmartWay vehicle. KONE’s eventual fleet will be more than two-thirds (68 percent) SmartWay vehicles, resulting in a 3,000 ton (13 percent) reduction in yearly greenhouse gases in three years.

The “10 for 2010” challenge is part of KONE’s overall Environmental Excellence Program, which provides guidelines for the company to minimize its carbon footprint and maximize eco-efficiency in all of its operations. Other program elements include innovation leadership in Eco-efficient solutions, fulfilling and exceeding ISO 14001 requirements, and demanding environmental excellence from all suppliers.

About KONE

KONE is one of the global leaders in the elevator and escalator industry. The company has been committed to understanding the needs of its customers for the past century, providing industry-leading elevators, escalators and automatic building doors as well as innovative solutions for modernization and maintenance. The company's objective is to offer the best people flow experience by developing and delivering solutions that enable people to move smoothly, safely, comfortably and without waiting in buildings in an increasingly urbanizing environment. In 2009, KONE had annual net sales of EUR 4.7 billion and approximately 34,000 employees. KONE class B shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd in Finland. Founded in 1910, KONE celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2010.