Many people today who are building their dream homes up instead of out are also designing with elevators in mind to ensure they won't be stuck on one level when they can no longer use the stairs.

And no wonder. Thanks to innovative manufacturer CemcoLift, residential elevators are handsome, quiet, reliable, and affordable.

While few of the baby boomers building now need help to access every level of their new homes, the idea of an elevator for the future makes sense to them and their home designers. By putting an hydraulic residential elevator into their house designs now, they can instruct their contractor to frame out the necessary hoistway now for a future elevator - a great savings of money.

In the meantime, the homeowners can make use of the additional closet space provided by the future hoistway.

Until the mid-80s, when CemcoLift entered the residential market, home elevators were noisy, utilitarian crank devices used primarily to move wheelchair occupants from floor to floor. CemcoLift introduced the first hydraulic elevator for home use: its residential elevator is a heavy-duty unit that provides a quiet, smooth ride. The cost of installing a residential elevator has come down considerably, making it more affordable as well. It varies from state to state, but depending on options, a home elevator will cost between $15,000 and $20,000 in a two-story new construction. In an existing home, renovation is usually more costly. Home elevators, once almost unheard of and only for handicapped persons to get from floor to floor, now are a "luxury" item in about 80% of the sales.

CemcoLift offers a line of different cabs, cab styles and finishes, including laminates and natural woods. All provide a whisper-quiet, velvety-smooth ride. Options include polished or brushed bronze or stainless steel button plates and automatic doors. Interior cab doors may be made of laminates, hardwoods or Plexiglas(R) inserts.

Today, a CemcoLift home elevator can be fashioned to replicate a fine piece of furniture. CemcoLift Elevator Systems can customize a residential elevator to suit anyone's construction circumstances and home décor. While many manufacturers offer a single standard product, CemcoLift can accommodate a variety of preferences and situations. CemcoLift anticipates further growth in the residential market, as much as 30% per year. The renowned elevator company projects that it will sell more than 2000 residential units in 2003, representing about 20% of company's total sales volume.

History of CemcoLift

William Corbett's Corbett Elevator Company began installing and maintaining elevators throughout Philadelphia in 1920. The company prospered, and Walter Herrmann Sr. joined Corbett in 1954. When Herrmann purchased the company 13 years later, he changed the name to Corbett Elevator Manufacturing Company. CemcoLift's new era of expansion was sparked by the manufacture of hydraulic elevator components.

CemcoLift has consolidated all its operations in its new Hatfield plant, from outgrown facilities in Bedminster and Plumsteadville, Pa. The move into a modern facility will result in efficiency improvements that will result in better lead times and enhance our reputation as a leader in the industry.

In 1996, CemcoLift merged with LGIS in Korea. This created an important export market for CemcoLift, the powerhouse in hydraulic-or low-rise (up to 5 stories)-elevators and components, as well as a source of high-rise traction systems, escalators and components through LGIS. When LGIS merged with United Technologies at the end of 2000, CemcoLift became a United Technologies company, joining such companies as Pratt-Whitney, Otis Elevator and Carrier.

Along with its long-standing production of standard-package hydraulic elevators for typical use in office buildings, CemcoLift makes hydraulic cylinders and plungers for other manufacturers as well as custom passenger, residential and freight elevators and parts and components for all of these applications.

"Because we can manufacture a superior jack - the piston and cylinder - so quickly, we can meet the growing demand for replacement jacks created by more stringent national codes," says Jeff Grisan, jack department manager. "These require that jack assemblies be replaced more often, and we're able to meet that demand with an excellent quality product that's easy to install and maintain."

Emery Wilcox is President and General Manager. Joining Emery on the management team is Doug Stokes, Director of Sales & Marketing and Rudy Boyance, Chief Financial Officer.

 

CemcoLift
2801 Township Line Road
Hatfield, PA 19440
(800) 962-3626
(215) 799-2900