What National Elevator Industry does

National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1934 (predecessor organization dating to 1914), headquartered at 5537 SW Urish Road, Topeka, Kansas, with a mailing address in Centreville, Virginia. It represents manufacturers, contractors, and suppliers in the North American elevator and escalator industry, with member companies collectively employing more than 25,000 people in the United States and covering approximately 85% of industry hours worked in the region. The membership roster is anchored by the six major international elevator manufacturers — Fujitec, KONE, Mitsubishi Electric, Otis, Schindler, and TK Elevator — plus more than 15 smaller associate member companies operating across manufacturing, contracting, and supplier segments.

NEII's core deliverable is the development and stewardship of industry codes and standards, most notably the NEII-1 voluntary standard for hoistway venting, supported by participation in more than 40 ASME, ICC, NFPA, ISO, and CSA technical committees. The organization also produces the Field Employees Safety Handbook and the "9 Safety Absolutes" workforce safety framework, and operates the CodeFinder subscription database, which tracks code adoption across U.S. jurisdictions and is sold as a $1,500 add-on to membership. A newer product line, an elevator energy calculator, is being co-developed with ASHRAE and the University of Kansas to extend the association's footprint into measurable sustainability analytics.

The business model is membership-dues-driven: Premier membership is tiered starting at $15,000+ per year (paid primarily by the major OEMs), Associate membership is set at $2,750 per year (suppliers and smaller firms), and additional Trust/contractor membership tiers exist alongside ancillary revenues from CodeFinder subscriptions and a small e-commerce shop. The association operates with a lean remote staff of approximately 12 named professionals led by Executive Director Amy Blankenbiller, with functional leadership across Codes & Safety (Kevin Brinkman), Government Affairs (Philip Grone), and Safety & Workforce (Dot Mynahan, joined September 2024). Day-to-day operations focus on code committee participation, OSHA alliance management, state-federal regulatory engagement, and workforce development partnerships including SkillsUSA and Construction Inclusion Week.

Name

National Elevator Industry

Legal name

National Elevator Industry, Inc.

Website

https://nationalelevatorindustry.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Short description

National Elevator Industry (NEII) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association representing North American elevator and escalator manufacturers, contractors, and suppliers, covering ~85% of industry hours worked and developing codes, safety standards, and the CodeFinder database for its members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Topeka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NEII generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues billed in January. Premier membership is priced at $15,000 per year (starting rate based on annual sales), Associate membership is $2,750 per year, and Trust membership has its own dues structure. Additional revenue comes from CodeFinder access add-ons at $1,500 for unlimited access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NEII is a non-profit trade association that delivers codes and standards, safety resources, and regulatory advocacy to the elevator and escalator industry. Its primary offerings include the NEII-1 Building Transportation Standards & Guidelines and the CodeFinder safety code database, alongside membership services spanning safety training resources, government affairs, and industry communications for elevator manufacturers, installers, and component suppliers across North America.

Product overview

NEII (National Elevator Industry, Inc.) is a premier national trade association for the elevator and escalator industry, not a product company in the traditional sense. Its offerings center on industry standards, safety resources, and member services. The core products include NEII-1: Building Transportation Standards & Guidelines (a comprehensive set of architectural, engineering, electrical, and performance standards updated in real-time), the CodeFinder Database (a member-only safety code reference), the 9 Safety Absolutes (field safety best practices), and the Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook. Additionally, NEII is developing an Elevator Industry Energy Efficiency Calculator in partnership with the University of Kansas. The organization also publishes downloadable safety guides covering elevator safety, escalator safety tips, and stalled elevator procedures, along with COVID-19 resources. NEII does not offer AI-powered products, public APIs, or software integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NEII-1 Building Transportation Standards & Guidelines A comprehensive set of building transportation standards and guidelines including architectural and engineering layout standards, electrical standards, performance standards, modernization guidelines, and maintenance guidelines. Available electronically at no cost and updated in real-time; serves architects, engineers, building owners, and elevator industry professionals across North America.
• CodeFinder Database A member-only comprehensive safety code database for the elevator and escalator industry, providing search access to ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Code data and code requirements/compliance information. Provided to NEII Premier members (unlimited access), Associate members (two designated employees and 12 reports per year), and available as an add-on subscription ($1,500/year).
• 9 Safety Absolutes Best-practices framework for reducing injuries in the elevator industry, developed by NEII's Field Employee Safety Committee. Covers fall protection, electrical safe work practices, jumpers, lockout tagout, mechanical stored energy, car top access, pit access, moving work platforms, and hoisting and rigging for field personnel.
• Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook Comprehensive safety handbook developed by NEII's Field Employee Safety Committee and published by Elevator World. Provides safe work practices and protocols for educating elevator field employees on proper procedures.
• Elevator Industry Energy Efficiency Calculator A universal web-based energy calculator tool developed in collaboration with the University of Kansas Capstone Design program to provide consistent energy measurement across multiple elevator manufacturers; being developed to evaluate and improve energy efficiency of elevators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Represent 85% of total industry hours worked
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of Labor OSHAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEII is a member of the OSHA Elevator Industry Safety Partners Alliance, working together with other industry organizations to develop best practices, training materials, communications, and educational tools for the industry and construction trade to ensure personnel and riding public safety.
• Elevator Industry Safety Partners (EISP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEII collaborates with the EISP Best Practices Committee and OSHA Alliance, working with EIWPF, IUEC, ECA, NAEC, and NEIEP to advance safety standards and develop best practices for the elevator industry.
• National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEII partners with NEIEP on workforce development initiatives including SkillsUSA participation to promote career opportunities in the elevator industry and develop training programs for union elevator constructors.
• Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEII partners with EIWPF on workforce development and training initiatives, jointly participating in SkillsUSA events and supporting apprenticeship programs for elevator constructors.
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEII partnered with ASHRAE to evaluate and improve energy efficiency of elevators, initially focusing on lighting and ventilation, then transitioning to operating drive systems. Jointly developed a web-based energy calculator tool.
• University of Kansas School of EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEII collaborated with KU's Capstone Design program, where engineering students developed an elevator industry energy efficiency calculator tool. NEII's Kevin Brinkman and the Central Code Committee framed the project.
• SkillsUSAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNEII participates in SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (Techspo) to raise awareness about elevator industry career opportunities among students and educators.
• Construction Inclusion WeekminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNEII serves as a key industry partner for Construction Inclusion Week, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the building transportation industry.
• Tradewomen Build NationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNEII facilitates company breakout sessions at Tradewomen Build Nations to introduce women to career opportunities in the elevator industry.
• Elevator WorldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNEII contributes a monthly column to Elevator World magazine and collaborates on content related to codes, safety, and industry issues.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• European Lift Association (ELA): European counterpart trade association for the elevator and escalator industry. Operates an equivalent membership and codes-advocacy model for EU jurisdictions, providing a regional benchmark for what an elevator-industry trade body looks like outside North America.

Direct peers

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): Not-for-profit membership organization that develops and publishes consensus-based safety and building codes (e.g., NFPA 70, NFPA 101). Shares NEII's business model of dues-funded standards development and committee-based code maintenance, and is one of the four standards bodies NEII participates in.
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME): Not-for-profit professional society that co-develops the A17.1/CSA B44 elevator and escalator safety code with NEII. ASME operates the same membership + standards publication model in mechanical engineering more broadly, making it the closest structural peer to NEII.
• International Code Council (ICC): Member-based standards organization that develops the I-Codes used in U.S. jurisdictions. ICC is the direct counterpart to NEII for building-level codes that incorporate elevator requirements, and is another of the four primary code committees NEII engages with.
• ASHRAE: Global society focused on built-environment standards for HVAC&R and energy efficiency. ASHRAE is a confirmed NEII partner (jointly developing the elevator energy efficiency calculator) and mirrors NEII's membership-dues + standards-publication model for an adjacent building-systems discipline.
• Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC): Not-for-profit trade association for plumbing and HVAC contractors, with membership dues, codes-and-standards advocacy, workforce development (apprenticeships), and government affairs functions. Closely comparable operating model to NEII for an adjacent building-trades vertical.

Broad incumbents

• Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA): Trade association for commercial real estate owners and managers, a downstream audience for NEII's codes and modernization guidelines. Operates a similar membership + advocacy model but from the building-owner side of the value chain rather than the OEM/contractor side.
• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): Larger construction-industry trade association with similar federal/state advocacy, codes-and-standards, and workforce development functions. Shares NEII's not-for-profit, member-funded operating model but covers the much broader residential construction industry.
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA): Larger trade association representing electrical equipment manufacturers that supply into elevator and building systems. Operates a similar consensus-standards model but across a much broader electrical-equipment portfolio rather than specializing in elevators.

Others

• Elevator Industry Safety Partners (EISP): Industry safety coalition co-led by NEII, IUEC, ECA, NAEC, NEIEP, and EIWPF. Functionally an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor; useful as a peer reference for how NEII's safety-program work extends into a coalition structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/neii_tweets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5UDjdwUvjLwCDnGdPvAOVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/NEII
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-elevator-industry-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/neii_tweets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 National Elevator Industry