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| PEOPLE FLOW
Waves of change deliver
opportunity in China
TEXT:
LESLIE MCMANUS
PHOTOS:
KONE
Like a pebble dropped in a pool, an enormous
population shift in China is creating
far-reaching ripples. For KONE
China, this translates
into waves of
opportunity.
R
apid urbanization is driving
huge population swings
in China. In 1990, the
country’s rural population
accounted for 74 percent
of the national total. By late
2006, rural population had dropped to
56 percent – more than 730 million of
the total population of 1.3 billion. By
2035, it’s predicted that 70 percent of
the Chinese people will live and work
in urban areas.
“Urbanization has been the leading
driver for our business – that, plus in-
creasing home ownership,” comments
William B. Johnson
, managing director
of KONE China. “The immediate trend
is to own your own property, so that is
especially driving the elevator element.
Infrastructure projects are also multiply-
ing as people move from the country-
side to the cities. At the same time, the
standard of living is increasing.”
URBANIZATION SPURS GROWTH
There will also be pressure on the use
of land, Johnson adds, so building will
continue upwards – and downwards.
“That plays right into our hands as an
elevator and escalator solutions com-
pany. It’s a scenario that puts particular
importance on People Flow™ and
KONE’s life cycle approach to its busi-
ness.”
Dramatically changing demograph-
ics in China are creating ‘a fantastic ap-
plication’ of KONE’s People Flow con-
cept. “In this country, they are not only
looking at using elevators in individual
buildings, but across neighborhoods,
linking metros with urbanized walkways
and the rest of the infrastructure,” he
notes. “Here, you don’t just build in
isolation. You need to understand how
the building fits into the context of the
community.”
EMBRACING OPPORTUNITY
The company’s commitment to envi-
ronmental excellence and sustainability,
however, put it in an enviable position.
“We are introducing the right kind of
eco-efficient technology that China is
looking for,” Johnson says. “The gov-
ernment is taking the environment
seriously, adding ‘green’ requirements
to every aspect of building and con-
struction, so energy savings and eco-
efficiency are at the forefront.”
Features like those were showcased
in KONE projects familiar to millions
during the 2008 Olympic Games in
Beijing. High profile Beijing installa-
tions include the National Stadium (also
known as the Bird’s Nest, the main
venue of the 2008 Olympics), the Bei-
jing Capital Airport and the National
Grand Theater.
KONE IN CHINA