KONE joins forces with IBM for IoT cloud services and advanced analytics technologies

KONE, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, has signed an agreement with IBM, which will transform KONE's operations and technology capabilities around the world, using IBM's technology and experience to harness the potential of digitalization and the Internet of Things (IoT).

KONE will use IBM's Watson IoT Cloud Platform to collect and store equipment data, build applications and develop new solutions. The platform will gather data from sensors and systems connected to elevators, escalators, doors and turnstiles in KONE's maintenance base. With IBM's advanced analytics engine, that information will be used to enable new services and new experiences for KONE's customers.

With the IoT platform, KONE ecosystem partners and third parties can create new services and integrate existing services via Application Programming Interfaces. These new services will range from solutions which improve People Flow in buildings and new smart building applications; to others that advance the speed, reliability and safety for elevator maintenance, remote monitoring and servicing.

Over the next few years, KONE will connect its global maintenance base of more than one million elevators, escalators and building doors to cloud-based services. By gathering the vast amounts of data from equipment operations and using sophisticated analysis and connectivity, downtime can be minimized and repairs carried out more quickly.

KONE will also work with IBM and its partners from various industries, through IBM's global facilities, real estate and IoT developer ecosystems. This will bring global scope and scale to a development environment for new kinds of services for some of the world's busiest cities and buildings. Examples include applications that provide information for people during busy times of the day, such as traffic reports and public transport schedules.

"Our agreement with IBM is exciting and it is an important stepping stone to deliver the best People Flow experience," says Henrik Ehrnrooth, President & CEO of KONE Corporation. "We operate in a connected world and by working with IBM, new solutions like improved remote diagnostics and predictability means we will deliver better services for our customers and great experiences for the people who use our equipment."

"Efficient, people-centric cities and buildings are better for business, societies and economies. Central to this is how people move around within them, and intelligent systems are poised to make their experience more convenient, intuitive and enjoyable," said Harriet Green, General Manager, IBM Watson Internet of Things. "With IBM's cognitive IoT technologies, KONE is embedding intelligence across its operations and driving a wave of innovation in smarter buildings."

Liisa Kivelä, Director, Communications, KONE Corporation, tel. +358 204 75 4330, media@kone.com

Read more

Press release September 17, 2015 - KONE established a new technology and innovation unit

People Flow magazine - Digitalization issue

For images, please visit the KONE MaterialBank.

IBM is an established leader in the Internet of Things with more than 4,000 client engagements in 170 countries, a growing ecosystem of over 1,400 partners and more 750 IoT patents which together help to draw actionable insight from billions of connected devices, sensors and systems around the world. Building on the company's $3 billion USD commitment to bring Watson cognitive computing to IoT, IBM in December 2015 announced that Munich, Germany will serve as the global headquarters for IBM's new Watson IoT unit, bringing together 1,000 IBM developers, consultants, researchers and designers to drive deeper engagement with clients and partners. For more information on IBM Watson IoT, please visit www.ibm.com/iot

KONE is one of the global leaders in the elevator and escalator industry. KONE's objective is to offer the best People Flow® experience by developing and delivering solutions that enable people to move smoothly, safely, comfortably and without waiting in buildings in an increasingly urbanizing environment. KONE provides industry-leading elevators, escalators, automatic building doors and integrated solutions to enhance the People Flow in and between buildings. KONE's services cover the entire lifetime of a building, from the design phase to maintenance, repairs and modernization solutions. In 2015, KONE had annual net sales of EUR 8.6 billion, and at the end of the year close to 50,000 employees. KONE class B shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd in Finland.

KONE is the only elevator and escalator company to have been ranked as one the world's most innovative companies, by Forbes Magazine. In 2015, KONE was ranked 48th of 100 making the list for the fifth consequtive year and was named as the 5th most innovative company in Europe.