March 19, 2008—Kone, a leading provider of elevator and escalator equipment and services, says it has sold the first commercial MRL freight elevator in the Americas. The Sedgwick County Arena in Wichita, Kansas, is the first commercial property to receive a KONE MRL elevator to be used for freight and cargo transportation.
KONE invented and first introduced the innovative MRL elevator in Europe in 1996, and then brought the technology to the Americas for passenger use in commercial buildings.
MRL elevators offer many benefits, including their minimal impact on the environment and high level of energy efficiency.
Powered by KONE’s EcoDisc system, the MRL elevators do not use hydraulics, which can leak oil from the cylinders into the earth, contaminating the soil, decreasing efficiency and consuming scarce natural resources. Additionally, MRL elevators reduce construction costs and allow for more usable space in a building.
KONE’s MRL system, powered by EcoDisc, is 40 percent more energy efficient than traditional traction elevators and up to 60 percent more energy efficient than hydraulic solutions, according to the company.
The MRL freight elevator in the Sedgwick County Arena is a five-landing, seven-opening (four front openings, three rear openings) 10,000 pound capacity, class A system. Installation will be completed in January of 2009.
The 15,000-seat multi-purpose arena is currently under construction, with an expected completion of December 2009. Once completed, the arena will be a modern, first-class, sports and entertainment venue in the center city of Sedgwick County, designed to provide maximum “fan experience” for all guests.
In addition to the MRL freight elevator, the arena will also utilize six KONE ECO3000 escalators, four KONE MonoSpace passenger elevators, and one KONE EcoSpace elevator. Both the MonoSpace and EcoSpace systems utilize KONE’s EcoDisc technology.
For more information visit the KONE Web site.
