Colley Elevator
Colley Elevator is a 1908-founded, family-owned independent elevator services company in Bensenville, Illinois, specializing in maintenance, modernization, and new construction for low to mid-rise commercial buildings. It services 2,200+ elevators across Chicagoland's education, municipal, financial, and commercial sectors using non-proprietary control systems.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1908
- HeadquartersBensenville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Colley Elevator does
Colley Elevator is a privately held, family-owned independent elevator services company founded in 1908 and headquartered in Bensenville, Illinois. It specializes in low to mid-rise commercial elevators, with a service portfolio that spans ongoing maintenance contracts, modernization and upgrades, new construction installation, cylinder replacement, and emergency repair work across hydraulic and traction elevator systems. The company is positioned as the longest-running independent elevator contractor in the Chicagoland area and currently services more than 2,200 elevators in the region across institutional, municipal, commercial, educational, and financial customers.
The company's technical approach is centered on non-proprietary control systems sourced from independent manufacturers such as Motion Control Engineering, Smartrise Engineering, GAL, and Innovation Industries, with Maxton Manufacturing valves installed in approximately 85% of its hydraulic portfolio. An in-house metal shop with Big Pipe and manual machining equipment supports custom fabrication. Colley employs QEI-certified inspectors and mechanics trained on ASME A17.4 emergency procedures, and trains municipal fire department personnel on elevator evacuation protocols as part of its community engagement model.
Commercially, Colley operates a direct, sales-led model targeting building owners, facility managers, condominium boards, architects, and educational institutions through relationship-based selling, referrals, and competitive bidding on public and private projects. Revenue is generated through four streams: recurring maintenance contracts (the largest), one-time new construction installations, modernization services, and professional repair work. The company holds State of Illinois pre-qualification for Capital Development work and is approved to perform work on State Institutions, with leadership under Managing Partner Craig Zomchek following the May 2023 passing of long-time owner Raymond Zomchek. Brand strength is evidenced by five Ellies Awards for Best Contractor - North (2019, 2020, 2024, 2025) and a sixth nomination in 2025.
Colley Elevator firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Colley Elevator
- Legal name
- Colley Elevator
- Website
- https://colleyelevator.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1908
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Colley Elevator is a 1908-founded, family-owned independent elevator services company in Bensenville, Illinois, specializing in maintenance, modernization, and new construction for low to mid-rise commercial buildings. It services 2,200+ elevators across Chicagoland's education, municipal, financial, and commercial sectors using non-proprietary control systems.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Colley Elevator industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial elevator maintenance, modernization and installation services
- NAICS
- Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (8113), Building Equipment Contractors (2382)
- SIC
- Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Elevator, Escalator & Vertical Transportation Installation/Service (IMAFALAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Elevator Modernization & Retrofit (Controllers, Drives, Door Systems) (BPABAIAE), Passenger Elevator Service & Maintenance (BPABAIAA), Hydraulic Elevator Service & Maintenance (BPABAIAK), Traction/Machine-Room-Less (MRL) Elevator Service & Maintenance (BPABAIAL), Elevator, Escalator & Lift Maintenance (IMAIABAF)
Keywords
Where Colley Elevator is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bensenville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Colley Elevator business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Maintenance Contracts: Recurring maintenance service agreements for elevator portfolio, providing regular maintenance, inspections, and emergency repairs for commercial buildings.
- New Construction Installation: Installation of new elevators for commercial buildings, educational institutions, and municipal facilities as general contractor or subcontractor.
- Modernization Services: Upgrading existing elevator equipment including controllers, valves, fixtures, door equipment, and cylinder replacements to improve safety, reliability, and code compliance.
- Repair Services: Emergency and scheduled repair services including cylinder replacement, fireman's emergency operation repair/modification, violation correction, and hoist rope replacement.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Colley Elevator product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Colley Elevator installs, maintains, modernizes and repairs low to mid-rise commercial elevators, primarily hydraulic and traction systems, for building owners, condominium associations, educational institutions, financial institutions and municipal facilities across the Chicagoland area. Service lines include repair and maintenance programs, modernization and upgrades (controllers, valves, cab interiors, door operators, cylinders, power units), new construction installation, an in-house metal fabrication shop, and professional services such as cylinder replacement, fireman's emergency operation repair, violation correction and hoist rope replacement.
Product overview
Colley Elevator is an elevator service company founded in 1908, specializing in low to mid-rise commercial elevators. The company operates as a single unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Their core products include Commercial Elevators (Hydraulic and Traction types), supported by a comprehensive suite of services including Repair and Maintenance Programs, Elevator Modernization and Upgrades, New Construction, Metal Shop fabrication, and Professional Services. The modernization offerings encompass specific upgrade components such as Elevator Controllers, Hydraulic Valves, Elevator Cab Interiors, Door Operators and Equipment, Emergency Systems, Safety and Accessibility Upgrades, Cylinder Services, and Elevator Power Units. The company currently services more than 2200 elevators in the Chicagoland area, positioning them as one of the largest independent elevator contractors in the region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hydraulic Elevators Hydraulic elevator systems installed and maintained by Colley Elevator for low to mid-rise commercial buildings.
- Traction Elevators Traction elevator systems for commercial applications requiring higher travel distances than hydraulic systems.
- Elevator Repair and Maintenance Programs Recurring maintenance and repair services for elevators of all types and brands, with the company currently servicing more than 2,200 elevators in the Chicagoland area.
- Elevator Modernization and Upgrades Modernization services including elevator controllers, hydraulic valves, door operators, cab interiors, power units, solid-state starters, and cylinder replacement to extend equipment life, ensure code compliance and modernize appearance.
- New Construction Installation of new elevator equipment for new construction projects, including hydraulic and traction elevator systems delivered as general contractor or subcontractor.
- Metal Shop Fully equipped modern machining shop with Big Pipe machinery and manual machines capable of meeting custom fabrication needs for elevator components.
- Professional Services Professional elevator services including cylinder replacement, fireman's emergency operation repair/modification, violation correction, and hoist rope replacement.
Quantifiable outcome
- Won Ellies Award for Best Contractor - North 5 times (2019, 2020, 2024, 2025)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Colley Elevator
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Colley Elevator technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Colley Elevator partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Motion Control EngineeringcoreNon-proprietary elevator controller supplier for Chicago Public Schools project. Controllers enable flexibility and avoid proprietary lock-in for building owners.
- Innovation IndustriescoreFixture supplier for Chicago Public Schools new elevator installations. Also provides fixtures for College of DuPage modernization projects.
- GALcoreDoor equipment and fixtures supplier for Chicago Public Schools project and VFW elevator donation. Provides door operators and related components.
- George Sollitt Construction Co.coreConstruction partner for Chicago Public Schools new elevator installations at Belmont-Cragin Elementary and Wendell Phillips Academy High School.
- Burling BuilderscoreConstruction partner for Chicago Public Schools new elevator installations.
- Maxton Manufacturing CompanycoreLeading manufacturer of hydraulic elevator control valves based in Minden, NV. Pioneer in lightweight aluminum valves and components. The largest single producer of hydraulic elevator control valves. Approximately 85% of Colley's hydraulic elevator portfolio contains Maxton valves. Provided continuing education training for Colley technicians including two-hour presentation and hands-on elevator repair troubleshooting.
- Minnesota ElevatorcorePreferred supplier partner for new construction packages, specifically mentioned for Chicago Public Schools project.
- Canton ElevatorcoreElevator manufacturer providing equipment for Lincoln Park Zoo Lion House installation (2-stop holeless hydraulic elevator) and VFW donation project (complete package and power unit). Preferred partner for new construction packages.
- Smartrise EngineeringcoreNon-proprietary elevator control equipment supplier for Lincoln Park Zoo and Des Plaines Theatre projects. Controls feature enables building owner flexibility in future maintenance providers.
- Pepper ConstructioncoreGeneral contractor for Lincoln Park Zoo Lion House elevator project. Colley is current elevator maintenance provider for Lincoln Park Zoo.
- Elevator World MagazineminorThe preeminent elevator industry trade publication helped spread the word about Colley's COVID-19 GoFundMe campaign. Presenter of the Ellies Awards.
- Community Associations Institute (CAI)coreProfessional organization for community association managers. Colley is a proud member of the Illinois branch for many years. CAI administers the CMCA certification through CAMICB.
- Northern Illinois Food BankminorCOVID-19 relief GoFundMe campaign recipient along with Greater Chicago Food Depository, Loyola University Medical Center, and Elmhurst Hospital.
- Friedler ConstructioncoreConstruction partner for South Shore Cultural Center elevator modernization project for Chicago Park District. Also partnered on Chicago Cultural Center project.
- Chicago Elevator Association (CEA)coreOldest elevator association in the country, formed in 1911. Colley Account Manager Alex Macias elected as Vice-President, becoming eligible for President role.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Colley Elevator competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Schindler Elevator Corporation: Global elevator OEM with strong U.S. service and modernization operations. Comparable as a major incumbent competitor Colley competes with for Chicago commercial maintenance and modernization contracts.
- KONE Americas: Global elevator OEM with growing U.S. service portfolio. Comparable as a major incumbent competitor in the Chicago commercial elevator maintenance and modernization market.
- TK Elevator (ThyssenKrupp): Global elevator and escalator company spun out of ThyssenKrupp, with significant North American service operations. Comparable as a primary OEM competitor in maintenance and modernization.
- Otis Worldwide: World's largest elevator/escalator OEM with a substantial service and modernization arm. Comparable as Colley's primary competitive incumbent in the Chicago market, offering proprietary service contracts that Colley positions against.
Direct peers
- Minnesota Elevator Inc. Independent regional elevator contractor in the Upper Midwest. Explicitly listed as a Colley preferred supplier partner; comparable as a competing independent regional contractor serving similar low-to-mid-rise commercial segments.
- Canton Elevator: Midwest-based independent elevator manufacturer and service provider listed as a Colley preferred partner. Comparable as a regional peer with similar new-construction and modernization capabilities for low-to-mid-rise commercial work.
- Mid-American Elevator Company: Independent regional elevator service company operating in Illinois/Indiana with comparable low-to-mid-rise commercial service, modernization, and repair offerings. Closely comparable in service model and customer mix.
Emerging players
- Smartrise Engineering: Non-proprietary elevator controller manufacturer explicitly co-deployed with Colley. Comparable through shared emphasis on controller interoperability that lets building owners switch maintenance providers - a core Colley value proposition.
Others
- Maxton Manufacturing Company: Largest producer of hydraulic elevator control valves, with approximately 85% of Colley's hydraulic elevator portfolio on Maxton valves. Comparable as a critical technology partner underpinning Colley's hydraulic modernization service line.
- Motion Control Engineering: Non-proprietary elevator controller supplier used by Colley on Chicago Public Schools projects. Comparable as a key technology supplier to the non-proprietary elevator maintenance ecosystem where Colley competes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Colley Elevator social profiles
Digital presenceColley Elevator financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Colley Elevator leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Colley Elevator funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Colley Elevator M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Colley Elevator
What does Colley Elevator do?
Colley Elevator installs, maintains, modernizes and repairs low to mid-rise commercial elevators, primarily hydraulic and traction systems, for building owners, condominium associations, educational institutions, financial institutions and municipal facilities across the Chicagoland area. Service lines include repair and maintenance programs, modernization and upgrades (controllers, valves, cab interiors, door operators, cylinders, power units), new construction installation, an in-house metal fabrication shop, and professional services such as cylinder replacement, fireman's emergency operation repair, violation correction and hoist rope replacement.
Is Colley Elevator a public or private company?
Colley Elevator is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Colley Elevator founded?
Colley Elevator was founded in 1908. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Colley Elevator based?
Colley Elevator is headquartered in Bensenville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Colley Elevator make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Maintenance Contracts are the primary driver. The others are new Construction Installation, modernization Services and repair Services.
Who are Colley Elevator's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Schindler Elevator Corporation, KONE Americas, TK Elevator (ThyssenKrupp) and Otis Worldwide. Direct peers are Minnesota Elevator Inc., Canton Elevator and Mid-American Elevator Company. Smartrise Engineering is listed as an emerging player. Others are Maxton Manufacturing Company and Motion Control Engineering.
Does Colley Elevator have an API?
No public API is recorded for Colley Elevator.
What industry is Colley Elevator in?
Colley Elevator's product category is Commercial elevator maintenance, modernization and installation services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFALAI, Elevator, Escalator & Vertical Transportation Installation/Service, with a secondary code of BPABAIAE, Elevator Modernization & Retrofit (Controllers, Drives, Door Systems). Its NAICS code is 8113 and its SIC code is 8744.