Some employees in the Quad Cities will help modernize the busiest airport in the world. This week, Kone announced it's won a contract with Atlanta's airport to replace 29 escalators and people movers.
Brent Andrews is Kone's Escalator Products Manager, and works at the Kone Center in Moline. He says the contract will complete the Atlanta airport's modernization project, which started several years ago. And the 15 escalators and 14 "auto-walks" will be built at the Coal Valley factory.
"Some of the larger escalators are taking riders from the main level down to the lower tunnel level where the train runs between all the different concourses and terminals."
Next, a team of engineers will visit the Atlanta airport and then start working on design plans. Andrews also says Kone will probably hire new employees because of the new contract.
"With this and other orders, they're looking at the need for additional engineering resources. Certainly on the factory floor, you're looking at welders, assemblers, and packaging personnel."
Montgomery Elevator equipment was installed in the Hartsfield-Jackson airport when it was built in 1979. Kone bought Montgomery in the mid-1990s. Andrews says it's one of only two companies that's had ongoing service contracts with the Atlanta airport over those 33 years. Production could begin in the spring, and Andrews says it should be finished in 20-15.