The tower, which will rise to 246 metres upon completion, will serve as the testing site for ThyssenKrupp’s mobility solutions

 ThyssenKrupp Elevator’s new test tower in Rottweil reached the milestone height of 100 metres on 24th May, within just two months. Designed by renowned architects Helmut Jahn and Werner Sobek, the structure represents the merging of innovative and sustainable engineering with Rottweil’s historic landscape of towers and steeples, and even before completion it is proving to be a popular attraction for tourists in the area.

Regarding the tower’s role in ThyssenKrupp Elevator’s future plans, Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of ThyssenKrupp Elevator, said, “The test tower is a vital element in ThyssenKrupp Elevator’s global research and development strategy, and will play a significant role in our future successes with innovative mobility solutions. Since the limitation on space in urban areas has translated into mid and high-rise buildings as the most viable construction options, there is a co-related increase in the demand for elevators. Rising to meet these demands, this tower will enable the quicker development of solutions that address challenges such as increased energy efficiency, faster travel times, and advanced security.”

Three of the tower‘s twelve test shafts, measuring 100 metres each, will be dedicated to the new MULTI system announced by ThyssenKrupp in November of 2014. Presented as a solution for mid and high-rise buildings, MULTI realizes the long-pursued dream of operating multiple, rope-less cabins in the same elevator shaft, increasing the shaft transport capacity by up to 50%, and making it possible to reduce the elevator footprint in buildings by as much as half.

Andreas Schierenbeck added, “We are well on track for completion by the end of next year, and are looking forward to making a great contribution to the city of Rottweil, with which we have partnered in this landmark project.”

In addition to the new jobs that will be created at the R&D facility at the tower, ThyssenKrupp is also moving its German Research and Innovation Center (RIC) to Rottweil. These facilities, along with the company’s Neuhausen elevator manufacturing site and its Pliezhausen R&D development centre will represent a cluster of innovation in elevator technology and form a part of the Stuttgart-Zurich innovation axis. An estimated ten thousand students of engineering are also enrolled at universities in the area, including Stuttgart and Konstanz in Germany, and  St. Gallen, Winterthur and Zurich in Switzerland, providing a wide recruitment base for ThyssenKrupp.

Visitors to Rottweil, known as the City of Towers owing to its medieval churches and defence towers, are already frequenting its newest addition, which is set to be one of the tallest structures in Germany. Besides serving as a functional testing site for advanced mobility solutions, the tower will also have a glass viewing platform at 232 metres which will offer visitors panoramic views of the Black Forest, the Schwäbische Alb mountains, and, on clear days, the Alps.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator provides the Group’s solutions in passenger transportation systems. With sales of 6.4 billion euros in fiscal 2013-14 and customers in 150 countries, ThyssenKrupp Elevator is one of the world’s leading elevator companies. With more than 50,000 highly skilled employees, the company offers innovative and energy-efficient products designed to meet customers’ individual requirements. The portfolio includes passenger and freight elevators, escalators and moving walks, passenger boarding bridges, stair and platform lifts as well as tailored service solutions for all products.