Elevator Magazine news brief for October 17, 2026

DOMESTIC NEWS

1. Schindler celebrates 30 years of operations in Vietnam

Recently, in Hanoi, Schindler Vietnam held an event marking 30 years of operations in Vietnam, while reaffirming its long-term commitment to Vietnam and the next phase of urban development.

Present in Vietnam since 1996, Schindler has accompanied the country's rapid urbanization process, providing solutions for residential, commercial, hotel, transportation and mixed-use projects.

The portfolio of notable projects includes Landmark 81, Lotte Center Hanoi, Capital Place, and Saigon Centre.

Mr. Nirukt Sapru, Chairman of Jardine Matheson in Vietnam, said: "Three decades is a proud achievement. That journey reflects the dedication of the Schindler team, the solid foundation of relationships that have been built and nurtured over the years, and the company's continuous contributions to Vietnam's development."

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1. VFA Forum at interlift 2027: Call for speaker proposals

The VFA Forum at interlift 2027 will take place from October 12–15, 2027 in Nuremberg, Germany, focusing on topics: markets, international and European standards, new technologies, digital solutions, elevator modernization, and new products and services.

The VFA Forum cordially invites speakers to present technical papers. Interested individuals are kindly requested to submit their speaker proposals online no later than March 19, 2027.

The forum organizing committee will review all proposals. No later than the end of June 2027, VFA will notify speakers whether their papers have been accepted, along with guidance on next steps.

2. Fujitec North America appoints new Chief Financial Officer

Fujitec North America announced the appointment of Mr. Alex Leonhardt as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), responsible for finance, technology and human resources operations across the North America region, effective October 15, 2026.

Mr. Leonhardt's mission is to advance Fujitec North America's growth strategy by enhancing financial analysis capabilities, improving operational efficiency, and building the processes and systems needed to expand service operations and elevator modernization.

He will also lead strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to support the company's expansion through acquisitions and mergers.

Before joining Fujitec, Mr. Leonhardt served as CFO at a franchise business in the building restoration and construction sector. Previously, he held field and corporate operational support positions at TK Elevator, responsible for M&A and operational transformation.

He has extensive experience at public companies, private equity-backed and venture capital-backed enterprises, and has worked with regional and global brands.

3. Lift City Expo 2026 elevator exhibition postponed

The organizers of Lift City Expo 2026 - the fourth International Exhibition and Conference on elevator and escalator technology - announced the postponement of the event from its originally planned dates of November 26–28, 2026, due to "force majeure situations currently affecting the Middle East region in general and the city of Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) in particular."

The organizers expect to announce the new schedule before the end of November 2026.

"This difficult decision was made after careful assessment of the unexpected developments currently occurring in the region," the organizers said. "The safety, security and assurance of logistical conditions for participating companies, speakers and visitors, both domestic and international, have always been our highest priority."

All existing bookings, allocated booth positions and sponsorship agreements will automatically remain valid under the new schedule. Attendee registrations will also be automatically transferred to the new dates.

Lift City Expo is a series of international exhibitions and conferences specializing in elevators, escalators, technology and components, with events in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It connects manufacturers, suppliers and experts with investors, contractors and distributors to showcase products, update on technology trends, exchange expertise and expand business cooperation.