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Recently, at the manufacturing facility of ZOIRSAN Elevator (Ningbo) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "ZOIRSAN Elevator"), a truck fully loaded with ZS5000 elevators stood ready for shipment to the Paishe Tixiang Residential Community in Beilun District.

"This is the fourth elevator retrofit & modernization project we have delivered, following the projects at Xingye City Jiayuan, Jingdi Apartments, and Yingshuihao Residential Community. In addition to projects in the local market, we also have multiple projects scheduled for delivery in Jiaxing, Jinhua, Wenzhou, and other cities," said Chen Yongtuo, General Manager of ZOIRSAN Elevator (Ningbo) Co., Ltd., while pointing to the shipping schedule.

Elevator Retrofit & Modernization Project at Jingdi Apartments   Photo by Mao Feiying

As the complete elevator brand of Lilong Group, ZOIRSAN Elevator has achieved "breakthrough via niche market strategy". In 2017, when the company, backed by more than 40 years of experience in elevator component manufacturing, decided to move from "component supplier" to "complete elevator manufacturer", the market for complete elevator systems had already become intensely competitive.

"If we had remained solely a component manufacturer, it would have been difficult for us to stay closely attuned to end-user market demand. Expanding into complete elevator systems was therefore an inevitable strategic choice. During that process, we identified the residential elevator segment as a promising niche. Demand in this market is highly personalized and customized, making it difficult for manufacturers focused on large-scale standardized production to respond with sufficient flexibility." According to Chen Yongtuo, by focusing on the residential elevator market, ZOIRSAN Elevator has turned challenges into competitive advantages by developing the capability to translate diverse customer requirements into standardized and modularized internal processes.

This strategy, entering through a niche market before gradually expanding into the broader passenger elevator sector, enabled ZOIRSAN Elevator to avoid direct competition with industry leaders in the mainstream market while building a distinctive competitive advantage in customized elevator solutions.

According to the 2025-2030 China Elevator Industry Competition Analysis and Development Outlook Report published by the Zero Power Intelligence Institute, China's installed elevator base exceeded 12 million units by 2025. Elevators that have been in service for more than 15 years account for over 30% of the total, creating the world's largest elevator retrofit & modernization and maintenance market. ZOIRSAN Elevator's customization capabilities are highly aligned with the needs of the elevator retrofit & modernization market.

"Every existing building presents unique hoistway conditions, structural constraints, and environmental requirements, placing exceptionally high demands on an elevator manufacturer's adaptability. Elevator retrofit & modernization projects cannot rely on standard products; each installation requires a customized 'one elevator, one solution' approach." Chen Yongtuo explained that after surveying numerous residential communities in urgent need of retrofit & modernization, the company specifically developed the ZS5000 model, which is particularly well suited to elevator retrofit & modernization projects. "The ZS5000 has a rated capacity of 1,050 kg and accommodates up to 14 passengers. It is built around three core design principles: safety, quiet operation, and long-term durability. Based on this platform, we tailor each installation to the specific conditions of the residential community, enabling efficient, large-scale production while further shortening delivery time."

"The ZS5000 is equipped with an overspeed governor & safety gear assembly and an independent emergency power supply, ensuring that the elevator can stop safely at the nearest landing and automatically open its doors in the event of a power outage." Liang Yuhai, Head of the Technical Department at ZOIRSAN Elevator (Ningbo) Co., Ltd., explained that safety is the lifeline of elevator retrofit & modernization. The company maintains extremely stringent machining tolerances for critical components, limiting dimensional deviations to less than 0.02 mm, approximately one quarter of the diameter of a human hair. At the company's quality testing center, guide rails undergo micron-level straightness calibration, while steel wire ropes must withstand up to two million cyclic tensile tests to verify their long-term fatigue resistance and operational reliability.

In addition to safety, ride comfort is another key concern for residents of older buildings. The ZS5000 series incorporates low-noise guide rail technology, reducing noise levels during no-load operation to below 40 dB(A), well below the national standard of 55 dB(A) and comparable to the ambient noise level of a library.

"The elevators in our residential community have been in service for more than 20 years. Abnormal noise and vibration have frequently resulted in complaints from residents," said Wu Jingnian, Property Manager of Jingdi Apartments.

After using the new elevator, Lou Hedi, a 67-year-old resident, said with delight: "Since the new elevator was installed last month, it has been running faster and much more smoothly. I feel far more reassured every time I use it."

"We have introduced advanced automated equipment, including an automated bending line from Murata of Japan and a panel bending center from Salvagnini Italy. Customized design parameters can be imported directly into the production system, allowing machining programs to be adjusted rapidly. 

From order data import to production commissioning, the lead time for a customized elevator can be shortened to just one week," said Chen Yongtuo.

After eight years of focused development, ZOIRSAN Elevator has expanded its product portfolio from residential to passenger elevators. "This year, we will continue to strengthen both our complete elevator business and elevator component operations, helping the Group's total output value exceed RMB 1.5 billion."

Chen Yongtuo revealed that the company will continue to strengthen its presence in the domestic market by capitalizing on the growing demand for elevator retrofit & modernization and the opportunities created by China's Beautiful Countryside Initiative, while accelerating its expansion into markets across Belt and Road partner countries as well as developed markets in Europe and North America. "Within the next three years, we plan to increase our annual production capacity for complete elevator systems to 40,000 units, driving the Group's total output value beyond RMB 3 billion."