Hitachi

Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd. Caption

General information Native name: 日立ビルシステム株式会社 Country: Japan Established: 1956 Founder: ? Headquarters: 101, Kanda Awaji-cho , Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Website: hitachi.com/businesses/elevator Status: Operating Notes: 2nd largest elevator manufacturer in Japan

Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 日立ビルシステム株式会社) is the division of Japanese multinational corporation Hitachi Ltd. which manufactures elevators, escalators and moving walkways.

Overview

It was established in 1956, but Hitachi (the parent company) began making elevators as early as in the 1920s. It is one of the largest elevator manufacturers in Japan. It also operates a number of subsidiaries in several countries such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, India and even the United Kingdom.

As of 2007, it is the second largest elevator manufacturer in Japan behind Mitsubishi based on the number of elevators installed. In the global market, it ranks the 5th in terms of revenue sales (as of 2021)

Hitachi elevators in Indonesia

Hitachi entered Indonesia in the 1960s through Sarang Teknik Utama as its distributor. One of the first known Hitachi elevators in Indonesia was installed at the CTC Building in Senen, Jakarta which is now derelict. The first escalators in Indonesia, located in the Sarinah department store in Jakarta, was also from Hitachi. It was installed in 1964 and is now preserved.

Since the 2010s, Hitachi elevators and escalators are distributed by PT. Hitachi Asia Indonesia, the Indonesian representative of Hitachi.

Unlike other major Japanese brands like Mitsubishi, Fujitec and Toshiba, Hitachi elevators are not widely seen and found in Indonesia, even newer installations. They are usually seen in government and/or state office buildings (like ministry buildings) and some older high rise office buildings in Jakarta.

Elevator models

YouTube videos available A blue colored text on a "Known installations in Indonesia" list indicates YouTube video link of the elevator(s) from the listed location. A striked location name means that the elevator(s) in that particular location is no longer exist.

Note: Models listed in Italic have no known names.

1960s

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A-Type

A standard passenger elevator model released in 1961 and was sold until 1968. It is a single or two speed AC geared traction model with relay controls. Basically the buttons are black with white lettering, and the floor indicators are analog with a set of illuminating circles. It was only available with telescopic side opening doors. As of 2023, the oldest known Hitachi elevators in Indonesia are of this model and can be found in CTC Building, Jakarta but they are now derelict.

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  Derelict 1960s Hitachi A-Type elevators in CTC Building, Jakarta.

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  Landing station of a 1960s Hitachi A-Type elevator in CTC Building, Jakarta.

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New A-Type

Released in 1968, it is a two speed AC geared standard passenger model which is basically an improvement of the original A-Type model. The buttons have been changed to white and now illuminate when pressed.

1970s

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Standard passenger elevators (1970s)

An unnamed standard AC geared passenger elevator model produced in the 1970s and is a successor of the Hitachi New A-Type model. The buttons are small round white which light up entirely and the floor indicators are analog display. Later on the design was slightly updated with protruding rectangle buttons that light up on the edges. It is based on the Hitachi BUIL-ACE A and BUIL-ACE P models in Japan.

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Freight elevator

An unnamed standard freight elevator model designed for industrial buildings and often shopping centers. The operation system in this elevator is different than the standard passenger elevator model; it can only handle one call at a time and ignoring other calls while the elevator is being used. In addition, a warning buzzer sounds each time the door is opening and closing. The door type is a telescopic sliding, and was available as horizontal two or three speed, or a vertical two speed type.

Known installations in Indonesia:

• Gajah Mada Plaza, Jakarta (1982-2022, replaced into TK Elevator)
• Hayam Wuruk Plaza, Jakarta (1979, two derelict freight elevators in the car park)

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  1970s Hitachi freight elevators at Gajah Mada Plaza, Jakarta. These elevators have been replaced into TKE elevators in 2022.

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  Interior of a 1970s Hitachi freight elevator, with vertical two speed telescoping doors.

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  Hall station. The "IN USE" light will illuminate each time the elevator is being used.

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  Specification plaque on the control board. "Class F" refers to the elevator type, which is freight elevator.

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  Specification plaque

1980s

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Standard passenger elevators (1980s)

A standard passenger elevator model for low to mid rise buildings. It is based on the Hitachi BUIL-ACE Astro model in Japan which was released in 1979.

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Custom type passenger elevators (1980s)

An unnamed custom type medium speed passenger elevator model. It was mainly installed in low to mid rise buildings.

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High speed elevators (1980s)

An unnamed gearless high speed elevator model for mid to high rise buildings which was sold from 1978 until the late 1980s. These elevators use microcomputer controller (CIP-3800) and usually touch sensitive buttons. The model name is assumed to be "DCGL".

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Computer Control (1980s)

A standard passenger elevator model with microcomputer controls. It is based on the Hitachi BUIL-ACE Quality 80 Series II in Japan which was released in 1981.

1990s

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Computer Control (1990s)

An unnamed model which is basically an improvement of the 1980s "Computer Computer" model. Compared to its predecessor, it uses VVVF inverter and the design has been slightly updated. It is based on the updated Hitachi BUIL-ACE Quality 80 Series II model in Japan.

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Standard passenger elevators (mid to late 1990s)

An unnamed passenger elevator model that was mainly installed in office buildings and hotels from the mid until the late 1990s.

2000s to 2010s

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NPX

This is a passenger elevator model, produced in the 2000s and manufactured in Japan. The capacity range is between 450 and 1600 kilograms, and the speed range is between 1 to 2.5 meters per second.

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UAX

This is a machine room less elevator model, produced in the 2000s and manufactured in Japan.

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VFI

A standard passenger elevator model for low to mid rise buildings, produced by Hitachi Elevator Asia Pte. Ltd. in Singapore during the 2000s.

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VFI-II

Released in the late 2000s or early 2010s, it is the successor and improved model of VFI. In this model, the LED dot matrix patterns have been updated, the number on the LED floor indicator now scrolls when passing between floors, and a floor passing beep has been added. Installations after 2014 may have higher pitched arrival chimes.

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UAG

This is a machine room less elevator model.

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OUG

This is a machine room less elevator model. The difference between this and the UAG model, is that OUG has a capacity range between 1150 and 2000 kilograms and uses a slim gearless machine located on the bottom of the shaft.

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NPX-8000

This is a gearless high speed elevator model for high rise buildings, sold in the 2000s and manufactured in Japan. The capacity range is between 900 and 2000 kilograms, and the speed range is between 3 to 4 meters per second.

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HVF

This is a high speed elevator model for high rise buildings, and possibly a successor of NPX-8000. The capacity range has been revised to between 750 and 1600 kilograms.

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UVF

This is a model of ultra high speed elevator for high rise buildings.

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OVF (Crystal Elevator)

This is a model of panoramic elevator with machine room, also marketed as "Crystal Elevator".

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F-EL

This is a freight elevator model for industrial buildings and warehouses.

2010s to current

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VFI-II

Standard passenger elevator model for low to mid rise buildings. It was launched in the early 2010s and is basically an improvement of the original VFI model.

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UAG Series SN1

It is a machine room less elevator developed by Hitachi Building Systems in Japan that incorporates design from Hitachi UrbanAce elevators in Japan. It was released on September 30, 2016 for markets in Asia and Middle East. The maximum capacity and speed is 1600 kilograms and 1.75 meters per second respectively. This model is no longer sold in Indonesia.

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OUG Series ON1

It is similar to UAG Series SN1, except that the maximum capacity and speed is 2000 kilograms and 2.5 meters per second respectively. This model is no longer sold in Indonesia.

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HVF

This is a high speed gearless model for high rise buildings up to 48 floors. The capacity range is between 900 and 1800 kilograms, and the speed range is between 3 and 4 meters per second.

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UVF

This is an ultra high speed model for high rise buildings up to 64 floors. The capacity range is between 1000 and 2000 kilograms, and the speed range is between 5 and 9 meters per second.

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SVC-SED

A home elevator model for private homes and small buildings. It is jointly developed by Mitsubishi so the design is very similar to Mitsubishi.

Chinese Hitachi elevators

Main article: Chinese Hitachi elevators in Indonesia

Notable installations in Indonesia

Jakarta

• Monumen Nasional (Monas)
• Bank Indonesia - Arsek Tipikal Building
• Sapta Pesona Building (Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy)
• Ministry of Home Affairs
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ministry of Industrial (1983)
• Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries - Mina Bahari II Building
• Indosat Ooredoo Building - Annex (1989)
• Ministry of Education and Culture
• Ombudsman of Republic of Indonesia
• MidPlaza Residences
• Ratu Plaza (1979)
• Plaza Sentral (1984, modernized by Schneider in 2019)
• Plaza Kuningan (1982)
• Gajah Mada Plaza & Tower (1982)
• Skyline Building
• Wisma Argo Manunggal (1984)
• Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) (1987-2010s, replaced into Otis)
• Glodok Jaya (1985)
• Pasaraya Grande - Building A (1986)
• Patra Jasa Tower
• Wyndham Casablanca (1996, formerly The Park Lane Jakarta)
• Wisma Staco (1996)
• Apartemen Golfhill Terraces Pondok Indah (1995)
• Artha Graha Building (1995)
• C.T.C Building, Senen (1960s, one of the first known Hitachi elevators installed in Indonesia)
• Verde Two Apartment
• Fatmawati City Center Apartments (2021)
• Southgate Residence (2020)
• Graha Elnusa (modernized by Otis)
• Bank Central Asia - Rawamangun branch

Other cities/provinces

• Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung (2015)
• GoSkate Building, Surabaya (1979, modernized by Pillar)
• AYANA Segara Jimbaran, Bali (2021)
• AYANA Komodo Resort, Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (2018)
• Senapelan Plaza, Pekanbaru (1990s)

Trivia

• Hitachi is the first of the four major Japanese elevator manufacturers to enter Indonesia, followed by Mitsubishi in 1971. It is a Japanese elevator manufacturer with the longest presence and business in Indonesia.
• Until the 2010s, it was the only one of the four major Japanese elevator manufacturers in Indonesia whose installations and after-sales activities were still handled by a local distributor. All other companies had already discontinued their distributors and established their own Indonesian subsidiaries; Mitsubishi formed its subsidiary in 1996, Fujitec in 1989 and Toshiba in 1998.
• In the 1980s, four technicians who had previously worked at Sarang Teknik Utama formed PT. Elga Prima Perkasa Teknik, a local elevator company whose fate remains unknown today.
• Hitachi scored a few notable "firsts" in Indonesia, such as:
  • The first Japanese elevator brand to entered the Indonesian market in the 1960s, followed by Mitsubishi in 1971.
  • The first elevator manufacturer to installed escalators in Indonesia for the first time at the Sarinah department store in Jakarta in 1964. One remaining unit is currently preserved by Sarinah as a heritage.
  • The first escalator in Central Java, located at Pasaraya Sri Ratu in Semarang, is from this company. It is still operating since 1985.
  • The first elevator manufacturer to have installed a panoramic elevator for the first time in Indonesia at Ratu Plaza (Jakarta) in 1980. However, it was removed in the 1990s when the mall was renovated.
• It currently holds the record of the fastest elevator in the world at the CTF Finance Center in Guangzhou, China which run at 21 meters per second. The record surpassed Shanghai Tower's Mitsubishi elevators (20.5 meters per second), which held the record from 2016 until 2019.

External links

• Official website
• Official website (Hitachi Elevator Asia Pte. Ltd.)
• Official website (Hitachi Elevator Thailand Co. Ltd.)
• PT. Sarang Teknik Utama Indonesia (sole agent/distributor of Hitachi elevators in Indonesia)