Emch Elevators

What Emch Elevators does

EMCH Aufzüge AG, trading as EMCH Elevators, is a Swiss elevator manufacturer founded in 1880 and headquartered in Bern. The company operates the largest independent SME-scale elevator manufacturing operation in Switzerland, producing all major elevator components—rope-driven, hydraulic, and specialized drive systems—at its Bern factory under DIN EN 1090 structural-steel certification. Its portfolio is centered on custom and special elevator systems rather than standardized residential or commercial lifts, including glass and design elevators, inclined elevators (up to 73 degrees), freight elevators (1 to 30 tons), recessed/sidewalk elevators, shaftless installations, rotating car platforms, explosion- and earthquake-protected systems, and a niche heavy-lifting platform line (H2SE 55x30). Customer references span luxury retail (Hermès Geneva and London, Bucherer Paris), watchmaking (Richard Mille), pharmaceutical (Novartis Campus Basel), cultural institutions (FIFA Museum Zurich, Centre Paul Klee, Casino Bern, Abteikirche Bellelay, La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich), telecommunications (Swisscom), banking (Zähringer Privatbank), government (Federal Palace Bern, Rathaus Zurich), and public transport (tl Lausanne).

The business model is hybrid and project-driven. New elevator installations are sold via direct enterprise field sales through architect and building-owner engagement from the pre-project phase; sales staff include architecturally trained personnel (MSc Architect ETH) positioning the firm as "lift architects" for bespoke solutions. Revenue streams are (a) one-time new installations using highest-quality purchased drive/control components combined with in-house structural manufacturing, (b) recurring maintenance and service via the EMCHService brand, which runs a 24/7 emergency-call center serving both EMCH and competitor lifts, and (c) one-time modernization, retrofit, and replacement projects that extend the lifecycle of installed assets. Pricing is project-specific, not publicly disclosed, and the company maintains offices in Bern (HQ + manufacturing), Zurich, and Paris (EMCH Ascenseurs France SAS subsidiary for French-speaking markets). International sales exceeded 10% of total installations by 2016, and project execution has been documented in Germany and the UK.

The company remains privately held under fourth-generation family ownership, with Bernhard Emch as Geschäftsleiter / CEO and Hansjürg Emch as President of the Board / Verwaltungsratspräsident. No funding rounds, M&A transactions, partnerships, or executive discontinuities are disclosed in the source data; the most recent public corporate signal is the KMU SWISS Award 2026 recognizing Swiss SME excellence. Operating geographies include Switzerland, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, with no claim to a global footprint.

Name

Emch Elevators

Legal name

EMCH Elevators Ltd.

Website

https://emch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EMCH Aufzüge AG is a Swiss independent elevator manufacturer founded in 1880, headquartered in Bern, that designs, manufactures, and services custom and special elevator systems for architects, luxury retailers, museums, government, and property developers across Switzerland and select European markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Elevator Installation: Design, manufacture, and installation of custom elevator systems including passenger, freight, design, and special application elevators. Includes complete shaft construction capability and architectural integration.
2. Maintenance and Service Contracts: Ongoing maintenance services with three service models, 24/7 emergency response, repairs, and modernizations. Service is provided for EMCH lifts and competitor systems.
3. Modernization and Retrofitting: Upgrade and renovation services for existing elevator installations including component replacement, efficiency improvements, and aesthetic updates.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EMCH designs, manufactures, and installs custom elevator systems at its Bern factory, including passenger, design, freight, special-application, and modernized elevators. The company produces all components in-house (rope-driven, hydraulic, and specialized drive systems) and delivers complete shaft construction including glass shafts. Beyond manufacturing, EMCH provides 24/7 maintenance, repair, modernization, and emergency call services for its own lifts and competitor systems.

Product overview

EMCH Elevators is a Swiss elevator manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of elevator systems and services. The core offerings include Neuanlagen (new installations), Designanlagen (design elevators), Spezialanlagen (special/custom elevators), and a full range of modernization and service capabilities. The product range spans passenger elevators, glass elevators, inclined elevators, freight elevators, car elevators, recessed elevators, and rooftop elevators. Special requirements such as explosion protection, earthquake safety, vandalism protection, and hygiene standards are addressed through their Spezialanlagen division. The company operates as a lift manufacturer with in-house production in Bern, Switzerland, and provides complete lifecycle support through EMCHService including 24/7 emergency response, maintenance, and repairs. Products like the EMCH Master (hydraulic) and named product lines such as H2SE 55x30 for lifting technology represent specific solutions within their portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EMCHDesign: Design elevator product line from EMCH featuring high optical and qualitative standards, allowing customers to play with forms, colors, and materials for exclusive passenger elevators.
• EMCH Master
• EMCHService
• EMCH Magazin

Products and services

• Neuanlagen (New Elevator Installations)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 140 years of operational history demonstrating durability and reliability of installations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Others

• Wittur Group: Italy-based global supplier of elevator components (doors, drives, safety gear). A potential supplier/ecosystem participant to EMCH rather than a direct competitor, but relevant as a comparable elevator-industry player operating at scale in Europe.

Emerging players

• Cibes Lift Group: Swedish manufacturer specializing in low-rise, space-efficient, and accessibility-focused elevators for retrofits. Overlaps with EMCH's existing-building and accessibility retrofit offerings across Europe.
• Savaria Corporation: Canadian manufacturer of accessibility and residential elevators, stairlifts, and lifting platforms. Comparable in its focus on custom, accessibility, and specialty vertical-transportation products similar to EMCH's residential and special-installations lines.

Broad incumbents

• TK Elevator: German-headquartered global elevator company (formerly ThyssenKrupp Elevator, including Haushahn). Competes with EMCH in the German and Swiss markets, including the premium design and heritage-retrofit segment where Haushahn has historical strength.
• Otis Worldwide: U.S.-based global leader in elevator manufacturing, installation, and service. Competes broadly with EMCH in Switzerland and across Europe, especially on modernization and service contracts.
• Schindler Group: Swiss-headquartered global elevator and escalator manufacturer and service provider. Direct country-of-origin peer and the dominant incumbent in the Swiss market, though Schindler operates at vastly larger scale across standard and premium segments.
• KONE: Finnish global elevator and escalator major with strong presence in Switzerland and Europe, competing across new installations, modernization, and maintenance. Overlaps with EMCH in service and modernization segments.

Direct peers

• Haushahn: Historic German premium elevator brand (now part of TK Elevator) known for design-driven and custom installations across Europe. Directly comparable to EMCH's positioning in the design-elevator and architectural-integration segment.
• Habegger Aufzüge: Swiss independent custom elevator manufacturer specializing in bespoke and design-driven installations, similar to EMCH's positioning. The closest direct competitor in the Swiss small/independent elevator space.
• Stannah: UK-based, family-owned manufacturer of stairlifts, homelifts, and platform lifts with a strong British heritage and European presence. Comparable in being a long-standing, family-run specialist with emphasis on custom solutions and direct customer relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Emch.Umbau

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Emch Elevators