KONE US

What KONE US does

KONE US (legal entity KONE Inc.) is the US operating arm of KONE Corporation, the Helsinki-listed Finnish global leader in the elevator and escalator industry founded in 1910. The entity is part of KONE Americas, headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, and operates alongside Canada and Mexico under President and CEO Ken Schmid, who has led the region since 1986. KONE US designs, sells, installs, and services elevators, escalators, and moving walks for seven primary verticals: residential, retail, office, hotel, hospital, stadium, and public sector.

Core technology is built around proprietary vertical-transport hardware and supporting software. The equipment portfolio spans the KONE MonoSpace machine-room-less elevator platform (claimed up to 90% more energy-efficient than 1990s counterparts), the KONE DX Class digital-experience elevator line, TravelMaster and TransitMaster escalators, the EcoDisc motor, regenerative drives (recovering 20–40% of elevator energy), and the UltraRope carbon fiber hoisting system for supertall buildings above 500 meters. Digital services include KONE 24/7 Connected Services (remote monitoring and predictive maintenance), KONE Care preventive maintenance programs, Dynamic Maintenance Planning automation, and the MyKONE customer portal. Customer-facing planning tools include KONE Car Designer (3D elevator interior design), KONE Studio (BIM/CAD cab designer), and the KONE Elevator and Escalator Planners. Health-focused add-ons include UV-C handrail sanitizers, in-cab air sanitization, touchless elevator call, and integrated NanoSeptic self-cleaning surfaces.

KONE US operates a three-stream revenue model: new equipment sales (hardware, project-based), maintenance services (recurring, multi-year contracts via KONE Care and KONE 24/7 Connected Services), and modernization services (professional services for upgrade and replacement of aging equipment). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, supplemented by a 24/7 customer service center and cooperative purchasing arrangements for government contracts. Distribution skews toward large commercial projects, building developers, property managers, and public-sector facilities, with strategic emphasis on shifting the revenue mix from one-time equipment sales toward higher-margin recurring service revenue.

Name

KONE US

Legal name

KONE Inc.

Website

https://kone.us

Company type

Public

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

KONE US (KONE Inc.) is the US arm of Helsinki-listed KONE Corporation, selling, installing, and servicing elevators, escalators, and moving walks plus predictive-maintenance and modernization services for residential, commercial, healthcare, hospitality, stadium, and public-sector customers across the Americas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Elevators and Escalators

NAICS

Elevator and Moving Stairway Manufacturing (333921)

SIC

Miscellaneous Electrical Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (3690), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)

akta.pro primary industry

Elevator, Escalator & Lift Maintenance (IMAIABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Elevator Modernization & Retrofit (Controllers, Drives, Door Systems) (BPABAIAE), Escalator Service & Maintenance (BPABAIAC)

Keywords

• Elevator manufacturing
• Escalator systems
• Vertical transportation
• Elevator maintenance services
• Building modernization

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. New Equipment Sales: Sale of new elevators and escalators for new construction and replacement projects across residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
2. Maintenance Services: Preventive and predictive maintenance services including KONE Care plans and 24/7 Connected Services for existing equipment.
3. Modernization Services: Upgrade and replacement solutions for aging elevators and escalators to bring equipment up to current standards and improve energy efficiency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KONE US manufactures, sells, installs, and services elevators and escalators for residential, commercial, industrial, and public sector buildings across the United States. The offering includes new equipment sales, preventive and predictive maintenance services, and modernization solutions for aging infrastructure, complemented by proprietary digital tools and health-focused people flow technologies.

Product overview

KONE US offers a comprehensive vertical transportation portfolio centered on elevators and escalators, supported by digital services and modernization solutions. The core product lines include elevators (featuring the DX Class digital experience elevators, MonoSpace machine room-less models), escalators and moving walks (TravelMaster, TransitMaster). These are complemented by KONE 24/7 Connected Services for predictive maintenance and remote monitoring, KONE Care preventive maintenance services, and modernization offerings for existing equipment. Design and planning tools including KONE Car Designer, KONE Elevator/Escalator Planner, and KONE Studio enable architects and designers to specify and customize elevator interiors. Health and wellbeing solutions encompass handrail sanitizers, air sanitizing systems, and touchless elevator call solutions. Advanced technology products include KONE UltraRope carbon fiber hoisting for supertall buildings and KONE ReGenerate regenerative drives for energy recovery. KONE positions its offerings around 'People Flow' - the seamless movement of people through buildings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KONE Care: Preventive maintenance service offering for elevators and escalators
• KONE 24/7 Connected Services
• KONE Health and Well-being Solutions
• KONE UltraRope
• KONE Studio
• KONE Car Designer
• KONE Polaris
• KONE EcoMaster
• KONE MonoSpace
• KONE Infotainment
• People Flow

Products and services

• Elevators KONE elevators designed to fit every industry, from homes to high-rises, including machine room-less (MonoSpace) and digital experience (DX Class) variants. Sold to building developers, property owners, and contractors for new construction and replacement projects.
• Escalators and Moving Walks KONE escalators and moving walks including TravelMaster and TransitMaster product lines, designed to support smooth, uninterrupted people flow in commercial and public buildings. Sold to building developers and venue operators.
• KONE Care Maintenance Preventive maintenance service with tailored maintenance plans, expert service teams, and regular inspections, cleaning, and servicing to ensure elevator and escalator equipment functions as designed. Provided under multi-year service contracts.
• KONE 24/7 Connected Services Smart predictive maintenance services with remote monitoring of elevators and escalators, identifying potential issues before they occur to minimize downtime. Offered as a subscription-style service contract.
• Elevator Modernization Modernization solutions bringing aging elevators of any brand and type up to current standards, with options for full modernization, upgrades, or replacement. Sold to building owners undertaking retrofit projects.
• Escalator and Moving Walk Modernization Modernization services for escalators and autowalks to bring aging equipment up to current standards and efficiency levels. Sold to venue operators and building owners.
• KONE Handrail Sanitizer UV-C LED light technology that effectively kills viruses and bacteria on escalator handrails. Available as both new construction solution and retrofit option for building owners and venue operators.
• KONE Air Sanitizing System Air sanitizing system providing cleaner air within elevator cars for passenger health and safety. Available as a standalone product for building owners and operators.
• KONE Elevator Call Touchless solution for calling elevators, reducing contact points and germ transfer risk. Sold as retrofit solution to building operators.
• KONE RemoteCall Mobile application for smartphones enabling users to call elevators and control building access remotely. Deployed by building owners and operators.
• KONE People Flow Planning Expert consultation service to assess, plan, and design seamless people flow within buildings, optimizing movement through vertical and horizontal transportation. Sold to building developers and property owners.

Quantifiable outcome

• KONE MonoSpace 500 is up to 90% more energy efficient than 1990s counterparts
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature8 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Otis Worldwide Corporation: Largest global elevator and escalator manufacturer and service provider, spun out of United Technologies in 2020. Directly competes with KONE across new equipment, maintenance, and modernization, with a particularly large North American service base.
• Schindler Group: Swiss-based global elevator and escalator company with strong presence in commercial and high-rise segments. Directly competes with KONE on new installations, modernization, and service contracts across the US.
• TK Elevator (Thyssenkrupp): One of the world's largest elevator and escalator companies, operating across new equipment, service, and modernization. Directly competes with KONE in US commercial and infrastructure projects.
• Mitsubishi Electric (Elevator & Escalator Division): Major Japanese elevator manufacturer with significant US presence through Mitsubishi Electric US. Competes directly in high-rise new equipment and increasingly in service and modernization.
• Hitachi (Hitachi Elevator): Global elevator and escalator manufacturer, including its US operations. Competes with KONE in new high-rise equipment and premium modernization projects in North America.
• Fujitec: Japanese elevator and escalator company with US operations serving commercial, residential, and institutional customers. Competes with KONE on mid- and high-rise installations and service.

Emerging players

• Hyundai Elevator: South Korean elevator manufacturer expanding internationally with a smaller but growing US footprint. Provides additional competitive pressure in commercial and residential segments.
• Cibes Lift Group: European manufacturer specializing in low-rise residential and accessibility lifts. Partial overlap with KONE's residential segment, particularly for retrofit and modernization in low-rise buildings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KONEAmericas
• Facebookfacebook.com/KONE.Elevators.Escalators
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kone-americas

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KONE US