Stay Calm During Earthquakes! Elevators Combined with IoT Monitoring for Instant Rescue Hitachi Yungtay Elevators: "People-Oriented" Approach Upholding the Spirit of Craftsmanship

Step into the Hitachi Yungtay Elevator showroom, where a wide array of elevator components adorn the walls. Bathed in warm, soft lighting, the space exudes an elegant and noble ambiance, allowing customers to leisurely select the perfect combinations at their own pace. Yet, in one corner, a futuristic glow inevitably draws the eye—the nation’s first VR-integrated elevator experience. Leading the market to provide a truly immersive visual journey, Hitachi Yungtay invites customers to put on a VR headset and explore the 'outfit' of their elevator in a whole new dimension.

While still marvelling at the innovative breakthrough between tradition and technology, I turned around and my eyes were involuntarily drawn to a screen. This screen, as wide as a wall, is filled with data that updates second by second in a rolling fashion. This is the latest IoT (Internet of Things) remote monitoring system, installed in Hitachi Yungtay elevators according to customer needs to monitor and transmit data in real-time. Every number displayed on the screen symbolizes the safety of each elevator. If a disaster occurs, all affected areas are visible at a glance, allowing the isolation of passengers to be resolved in the shortest possible time. Hitachi Yungtay Elevator remains strictly cautious, solely to ensure the peace of mind of every passenger.

As the interview time drew near, we entered the meeting room. The overall gray, black, and white tones exuded a sense of calm and stability, perhaps echoing the philosophy the company wishes to convey to its clients. General Manager Shen Yu-shun walked slowly into the room, holding a notebook. Despite his seemingly serious style, his first words after sitting down were said with a smile: "Let's keep it light! I can talk about anything; I'm not used to such formal interviews." This contrast made the participating colleagues burst into laughter, breaking the silence and revealing his approachable side.

"The most important soul of a company is actually its people," Shen began, sharing a profound realization from his years of experience. Having started from the grassroots level installing elevators, he deeply understands the technical details and the importance of safety, but he understands even more that "people" are the core of the enterprise. He believes the soul of a company is not a single leader, but the collective wisdom and effort of all employees.

In his 36th year at Hitachi Yungtay, Shen was promoted to General Manager. Leading the team over the past year, his sole policy has been: "Don't be afraid to act just because you fear making mistakes." Hitachi Yungtay encourages employees to innovate and learn from errors. Shen shared his early experience handling the elevator replacement project for the Presidential Office. While many contractors were afraid to take the job, he relied on his belief in his company's products to overcome difficulties and successfully complete the mission. Recently, during two consecutive tenders for the Legislative Yuan's elevator replacements, only Hitachi Yungtay bid and ultimately secured the contract.

"If the product is good, what is there to fear? If you buy an elevator from me, you can sleep soundly." Talking about his products, Shen smiled and patted his chest as a guarantee. Having served as an elevator salesperson in the past, he knows that customers value safety above all. "Our products must not only comply with regulations but, most importantly, be safe and comfortable so that customers have no safety concerns." Throughout the interview, he repeatedly mentioned "safety and peace of mind." His firm tone reflected the company's confidence in product quality and its commitment to passenger safety. This confidence and bold spirit are backed by the hard work of all employees and the deep technical foundation of Hitachi Yungtay’s continuous innovation.

Precisely because Hitachi Yungtay Elevator dares to innovate and boldly embraces technology, it led the industry during the pandemic by creating comprehensive epidemic-prevention elevators. Among these, the "touchless elevator" was particularly striking; using gestures or voice control to call the elevator, along with non-contact buttons and infrared light curtains, allows passengers to achieve "zero contact."

By introducing interactive touch devices and immersive VR experiences in the showroom, customers can intuitively understand various elevator components and functions. They can clearly see the replacement process for every internal part and the differences before and after, ensuring that an elevator is no longer a difficult-to-understand piece of electrical equipment. These innovations not only enhance the convenience and human-centric design of the products but also continue to lead the market trends.

Corporate innovation requires a certain atmosphere, and that is exactly the case at Hitachi Yungtay Elevator. "In meetings, I require employees to present their own ideas. I'm not afraid of you having an idea; I'm afraid of you having none! It doesn't matter if you're wrong, but at least you must think." Having been with the company for nearly 38 years and seasoned by a Japanese management style, Shen Yu-shun has become adept at listening and encouraging. He always manages to spark new inspiration from the ideas of grassroots employees. "In Taiwan's past, the boss had the final say—for instance, if the company wanted to buy land, it was bought as soon as the boss said 'OK.' Now, the emphasis is on 'consensus decision-making.' For example, when discussing a project, everyone meets first to gather all opinions before a decision is made."

Speaking of international green energy trends, Hitachi Yungtay Elevator is not missing out, developing energy-saving and carbon-reducing elevator products relying on two major innovative technologies: PM permanent magnet motors and energy feedback devices. Shen Yu-shun uses hybrid cars as an example: "A hybrid car is equivalent to an exchange of energy. Utilizing the vertical operation of an elevator going up and down, when the elevator ascends with a light load or descends with a heavy load, the main engine is in a power-generating state, and the electricity generated can be fed back into the building's power grid."

Hitachi Yungtay remains committed to green energy and sustainability, aiming to offer diverse options in both equipment and passenger experience. Whether for new installations or flexible modernizations of older units, the company strives to integrate green energy conversion with IoT systems to provide customers with safe, versatile solutions.

However, the journey toward net-zero emissions has not been without its challenges. General Manager Shen Yu-shun recalls that during the early stages of transition and the peak of economic growth, green energy was not a priority for many. As environmental awareness has risen—fueled by the promotion of Green Building and Intelligent Building certifications—more clients are prioritizing energy efficiency and sustainability. Given that elevators are high-usage equipment, they play a crucial role in carbon reduction. Consequently, the company's "PM Permanent Magnet Motor" and "Energy Feedback Device" solutions have increasingly gained recognition and favor in the market.

It is worth mentioning that the enterprise has implemented solar power systems not only for its products but also for its factories. In addition to the solar panels providing self-sufficient clean energy, this ensures that the carbon emissions generated during the manufacturing process are relatively low when customers use Hitachi Yungtay products. The factory's solar system reduces carbon emissions by approximately 700 tons of $CO_2$ annually, equivalent to the area of two Daan Forest Parks. To implement energy saving and carbon reduction more comprehensively, efforts have also been made in maintenance transportation. In collaboration with a well-known motorcycle manufacturer, the official vehicles used by employees for elevator maintenance have been switched from fuel-powered to electric motorcycles, supporting sustainable development and creating future business value.

However, as the company charged forward in all directions, it was met with an onslaught of challenges, including a market downturn, aggressive price-cutting from competitors, and geopolitical risks. Yet, Shen Yu-shun remains optimistic. Although the new elevator market has declined, the company has flexibly adjusted its strategy by expanding its modernization (old elevator renovation) business and carving out a niche with high-quality maintenance services. "Our business is built on customer trust," Shen believes. He asserts that by staying customer-centric and continuously improving product and service quality, the company can maintain a firm footing in a highly competitive market.

As the interview drew to a close, Shen concluded with the phrase "a heavy responsibility and a long road ahead" (renzhong daoyuan). He envisions Hitachi Yungtay becoming a 10-billion-dollar enterprise, continuing to lead its employees toward steady growth in a rapidly changing market. "I hope to be a company that consistently provides safety, peace of mind, and a sense of happiness for all our employees."

This article is reprinted in its entirety from MyHousing Magazine.