60 seconds with…Peter Grüninger, Customer Success Manager Elevator & Escalator, CEDES AG

Tell us about your business, when was it formed and what do you do?

CEDES is known as the manufacturer of the first commercial light curtain for lifts. For almost 40 years, we have been offering cutting-edge sensing, safety and control solutions for lifts, escalators, industrial doors, and warehouse automation. Recently, we have made a huge step into the world of IoT, leveraging sensor data to provide actionable insights on lift maintenance and traffic, thus creating measurable business value for our customers.

Who are your customers? Which markets do you serve?

Our two main business units are Elevator & Escalator and Entrance Automation, where we serve OEMs, package builders and servicing companies with components for both new installations and modernization projects. With our IoT solutions, we now offer digital products that make life easier not only for independent service providers, but also facility managers and building owners, focusing on remote lift monitoring and people flow analysis.

How many times have you been to LIFTEX?

This year, CEDES will be exhibiting at LIFTEX for the 4th time. In addition, our team attends the show regularly, since it is the place to be to meet fellow experts and stay up to date with the UK lift industry.

What are the main issues that your customers deal with and how do you help them?

70-80% of lift breakdowns are caused by the doors, so it is crucial to keep an eye on their health status. Our IoT-enabled light curtains allow for 24/7 remote monitoring and help detect anomalies before they lead to a breakdown. Equipped with these data insights, service companies can significantly streamline their maintenance operations, which is of utmost importance in view of the shortage of skilled lift technicians.

Are there any issues that specifiers, contractors / owners should be aware of in the next 12 months?

IoT, predictive maintenance and digitalization are the top trends in the industry. While lifts are becoming increasingly connected, cybersecurity continues to be the topic to focus on in order to maintain safe lift operations.

How can we, as an industry, help designers and building owners to become more energy efficient and meet Net Zero targets?

By building sustainability into product design right from the start. We see lifts as part of the smart building ecosystem and offer solutions that contribute to the overall maintenance and energy efficiency. As an example, our absolute positioning system APS combined with the safety supervisor unit iDiscovery and an electrically activated safety gear simplify the shaft in an unprecedented way, reducing the number of conventional components that would need to be installed and maintained.

What will you be promoting / what can visitors expect to see on your stand?

Visit the CEDES stand (A14) to experience our cloud-based IoT platform CEDES Elevate in action and learn how to turn lift sensor data into actionable insights for maintenance and people flow analysis. Further highlights include our reliable light curtain easygard combined with the 3D ToF sensor IMS 100 Pro for entrance area monitoring, as well as our contactless absolute positioning system APS. Also, make sure to visit Global 1 Partners (stand C12) who distribute CEDES components in the UK.

What advice would you give to anyone visiting the show? What should they look for and how can they get the most from their visit?

List the challenges you are looking to solve and take your time to explore technologies and solutions that address them. Stop by at the CEDES stand if you’re interested in optimizing lift maintenance and traffic management.