When researchers THE USA tried to compare how many lifts They have developed countries, found in front of one unexpected findingThe Greece 10.4 million inhabitants appear to be has about 1.1 million lifts, more proportionate than any other country included in the study. Narin 41 lifts per 1,000 inhabitants, ranked first among the countries examined, in front of Switzerland (27), Spain (23), Italy (17) and far from the United States, which show only 3 lifts per 1,000 inhabitants.
The find comes from Report by the American Center for Building in North America, Think tank dealing with housing, building regulations and construction costs. The study is not an academic research, but a policy report based on data from national sources and attempts to compare the lift stock between different countries.
National Stock Elevators by Head © ELEVATORS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, Stephen Smith, Center for Building in North America
Although precise data for Greece cannot be fully confirmed today, the find is of particular interest as it coincides with the inventory process of the lifts in progress in the country. For the first time, an integrated picture of the total number, age and status of the existing stock is attempted.
What domestic industry says
The estimates for the real size of the Greek lift fleet differ significantly, which explains why the completion of the National Elevator Register is considered crucial for the industry.
According to data from European Lift Association (ELA), in Greece operate approximately 450,000 lifts. On the other hand, the Panhellenic Federation of Industrial Installers for Elevators Notes that the assessment of the American report is close to reality, however, pointing out that there is still no complete record, while estimates of Ministry of Development place the number of lifts between 750,000 and 900,000.
Common place for all market players is that the completion of the inventory and the operation of the National Register will for the first time give a clear picture of the size and characteristics of the fleet, putting an end to estimates that so far differ significantly from one another.
In addition to the issue of recording, the information available shows that it is one industry with a substantial economic footprint.
According to ELA data, the industry employs around 7,400 employees in Greece. For the 2025 It is estimated that About 2,500 new lifts were installed total value of EUR 53,3 million, while the market for modernising existing facilities was formed in about 40 million euros.
How we got here – The «vertical» Development
The Greek phenomenon of lifts is not the result of any particular technological development, but the way the Greek cities developed after World War II.
From 1950s to the early 1980s, Greece met a unprecedented urbanisation processThe movement of population from the countryside to the large urban centres created increased housing needs, while the contribution functioned as the main mechanism for the production of a new residential reserve.
The building It evolved into one of the most important engines of the Greek economy. Thousands apartment buildings built in Athens and Thessaloniki, creating a growth model based on vertical construction.
In addition to the apartment buildings, the number of buildings has increased. lifts. Unlike other countries that developed more horizontally, Greece invested in the vertical development of its cities, creating one of the largest installed lift reserves in Europe.
This development has not only created one huge lift stock, but also the conditions for creating a domestic industry which currently exports products and know-how to dozens of countries.
Industry around lifts
The extensive use of lifts gradually created a strong domestic industry with a strong export character. The lift industry is of particular importance to the Greek economy because of its intense extroversion. Greek companies have managed to develop a strong international presence, exporting know-how and products of high added value and contributing substantially to processing, exports and employment.
According to data from Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Greek exports to the category "Living Machinery", including lifts, were formed in about $93 million in 2024. The OEC database draws data from official international commercial sources and is widely used to analyse global trade flows.
In the development of the sector, a leading role has been played Greek companies with significant international presence.
KLEEMANN, based in Kilkis, exports products to more than 100 countries and is among the most important lift manufacturers internationally. METRON, based in Nigrita Serres, has developed presence in more than 50 countries, while DOPPLER also has strong export activity and presence in dozens of foreign markets.
Like points out in the newmoney Lazaros Limetopoulos, Deputy GM/Product Innovation Director of the KLEEMANN group: «Greece has considerable know-how and a long tradition in the lift industry. This is a sector with high extroversion, which contributes substantially to processing, exports and job creation.
Our company, the KLEEMANN, based in Kilkis, has a leading position in the Greek market and is among the world's most important lift manufacturers, with international sales we represent more than 90% of our turnover.
Our sales network extends to more than 100 countries, with local presence in important markets such as England, the France, the Germany, the Australia and USA, and has a productive activity both in Greece and ChinaAt the same time, through KLEEMANN Greece, we also have a leading position in the field of maintenance services, a sector particularly critical for the safety and reliable operation of the facilities.»
Lazaros Limetopoulos, Deputy GM/Product Innovation Director of KLEEMANN Group
The other side of the record
The large lift stock is also accompanied by important challenges.
One Much of the facilities in the country is several decades, which increases the needs for modernisation, upgrade The Security and improvement The accessibilityAt the same time, the lack of full registration of the fleet makes it difficult to design policies for the maintenance and upgrading of the facilities, making it complete National Elevator Register It is important for the industry.
«The lift inventory is a project that has been pending for more than two decades and its completion will be an important step in the organisation of the market and strengthening user safety», George Papachristos, President of POVESA, points out in the newmoney.
«The lift industry in Greece is represented by more than 1,000 companies operating, maintaining, repairing and modernising lifts throughout the country, most of which employ thousands of qualified technicians.
Their activity is crucial for the safe and seamless operation of a means of movement that serves millions of citizens and visitors of the country daily.», adds.
From the contribution to «Smart» lifts
The Importance of industry is not limited to the past. On the contrary, world market prospects show that demand for lifts and maintenance services is expected to remain strong in the coming years.
According to information invoked by the investigation company Research and Markets, in the report «European Elevators & Scrolling Scales Market – Size & Development Forecast 2025-2030» (Europe Elevator & Escalator Market – Size & Growth Forecast 2025-2030), η εγκατεστημένη βάση ανελκυστήρων στην Ευρώπη εκτιμάται ότι θα φθάσει τα 7,7 εκατ. συστήματα έως το 2030, ενώ η αγορά εκσυγχρονισμού ανελκυστήρων και κυλιόμενων κλιμάκων αναμένεται να προσεγγίσει τα 3 δισ. δολάρια. Η ώθηση προέρχεται τόσο από την ανάγκη αναβάθμισης παλαιών εγκαταστάσεων όσο και από τις επενδύσεις σε νέες υποδομές και κτίρια.
Παράλληλα, σύμφωνα με εκτιμήσεις διεθνών οίκων ανάλυσης της αγοράς, η παγκόσμια αγορά ανελκυστήρων αναμένεται να κινηθεί στην περιοχή των 110-130 δισ. δολαρίων έως το τέλος της δεκαετίας, με βασικούς μοχλούς ανάπτυξης την αστικοποίηση, την κατασκευή πολυώροφων κτιρίων, τη γήρανση του πληθυσμού και την αυξανόμενη ανάγκη για προσβασιμότητα.
Ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον παρουσιάζει η μετάβαση προς τους λεγόμενους «έξυπνους» ανελκυστήρες. Η ενσωμάτωση τεχνολογιών τεχνητής νοημοσύνης, αισθητήρων και συστημάτων απομακρυσμένης παρακολούθησης επιτρέπει πλέον την προληπτική συντήρηση, τη μείωση των βλαβών και τη βελτιστοποίηση της ενεργειακής κατανάλωσης. Οι σχετικές αγορές αναπτύσσονται με ταχύτερους ρυθμούς από τον παραδοσιακό κλάδο των ανελκυστήρων, αντανακλώντας τη γενικότερη τάση ψηφιοποίησης των κτιρίων.
Η εικόνα αυτή επιβεβαιώνεται και από τους εκπροσώπους της ελληνικής βιομηχανίας, οι οποίοι βλέπουν σημαντικές ευκαιρίες ανάπτυξης στην αγορά των εκσυγχρονισμών και των ψηφιακών λύσεων.
«Οι σημαντικότερες προοπτικές ανάπτυξης του κλάδου για τα επόμενα χρόνια συνδέονται με τον εκσυγχρονισμό του υφιστάμενου στόλου ανελκυστήρων για αναβάθμιση της ασφάλειας και προσβασιμότητας, την ενεργειακή αποδοτικότητα, την ψηφιοποίηση και τις «έξυπνες» λύσεις» εξηγεί στο newmoney, o Λ. Ασβεστόπουλος της KLEEMANN. «Την ίδια στιγμή, μία από τις σημαντικότερες προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζει ο κλάδος σε ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο είναι η έλλειψη εξειδικευμένου ανθρώπινου δυναμικού. Η προσέλκυση και η ανάπτυξη νέων τεχνικών και μηχανικών αποτελεί κρίσιμο παράγοντα για τη διατήρηση της ανταγωνιστικότητας και της αναπτυξιακής δυναμικής των επιχειρήσεων του κλάδου».
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