Thyssen

For the predecessor of this company, refer to TK Elevator.

Thyssen Aufzüge Caption

General information Native name: Thyssen Aufzüge GmbH Country: (West) Germany Established: 1973 Founder: Not known Headquarters: (West) Germany Website: thyssen.en.com Status: Defunct Notes: Merged with Krupp in 1999 and became ThyssenKrupp in 2001 (present day TK Elevator)

Thyssen Aufzüge was a division of defunct German steel manufacturer Thyssen AG which produced elevators, escalators and moving walkways as well as their related components. It was the predecessor of ThyssenKrupp (TK Elevator since 2021).

Overview

A division of Thyssen AG whose business ran in the steel industry, it was a major German manufacturer of elevators for more than 20 years, having been installing elevators domestically and also overseas. The headquarters was believed to be in either Stuttgart or Neuhaussen.

The history of Thyssen's elevator division started in 1973 when Hamburg based elevator manufacturer Rheinstahl Eggers Kehrhahn (REK), the elevator division of Rheinstahl AG, was sold to Thyssen due to financial difficulties on its parent company Rheinstahl. In 1976, REK was renamed to Thyssen Aufzüge AG. It continued its business under this name until 1999 when Thyssen merged with Krupp AG to form a new company known as ThyssenKrupp, which was officially established in 2001 when the merger was completed. For more details about it, refer to TK Elevator.

Also in 1984, Thyssen acquired the elevator division of German truck and bus manufacturer MAN. Some elevators produced until 1989 were branded as Thyssen-MAN.

History of Thyssen in Indonesia

Thyssen entered Indonesia in 1984 through PT. Thysindo Griatama (now Marico Gria) as its distributor.

After Thyssen merged with Krupp and became ThyssenKrupp, Marico Gria automatically became the distributor of ThyssenKrupp until 2005 when ThyssenKrupp established its Indonesian subsidiary after acquiring Dong Yang's distributor Pura Kencana. It has since spun off and is now a distributor of multiple foreign elevator brands.

They were mainly installed in low to mid rise office buildings and hotel. Escalators were only installed in shopping malls, such as Plaza Surabaya where 33 escalators were installed in 1988.

Elevator descriptions

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: Thyssen elevators (traction and hydraulic) had no known model names unless otherwise stated.

1980s

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These elevators usually have quick startup and leveling, opening the doors before the elevator stops completely. Traction (and possibly hydraulic as well) elevators used Thyssen's Thyssocontrol Integral (TCI) microprocessor controls which made its debut in 1982. Machines for traction elevators were produced by German motor manufacturer Loher.

The fixtures used in 1980s Thyssen elevators consist of Schaefer push buttons and floor indicators LED segmented display. The buttons were made by German elevator fixtures manufacturer Schaefer as the MT 28 series; these buttons are square metal with a tiny dot like lamp on the top left corner. Some buttons have engraved letter and symbol. The floor indicators use red LED segments displays. Hall lanterns are simple triangle arrows which lights up creamish white, and they are often combined with a floor indicator.

In Indonesia, there are only a few 1980s Thyssen elevators left. One of the welk known ones are in Plaza Surabaya in Surabaya, which can still be seen today along with their escalators. Vincentius a Paulo Hospital (or widely known as RKZ Hospital) in Surabaya originally had some old Thyssen elevators but they were recently replaced by Marico Gria into Mac Phuarsa elevators from Spain. According to Marico Gria, they still hold the maintenance contract for the elevators in both Plaza Surabaya and RKZ Hospital since they were first installed.

There is also a Thyssen-MAN branded elevator in Tanah Abang, Jakarta. It looks the same like the regular Thyssen branded elevators except that the buttons are much smaller and round, and the car station is black instead of stainless steel.

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  A 1980s Thyssen elevator at Plaza Surabaya.

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  A set of two 1988 Thyssen elevators at Plaza Surabaya.

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  Typical 1980s Thyssen landing floor indicator.

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  An unusually bigger Thyssen landing floor indicator.

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  Typical 1980s Thyssen car station with Schaefer MT 28 push buttons.

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  One of the service elevators at Plaza Surabaya.

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  The car station of the service elevator, which uses different buttons for some reason.

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  A 1980s Thyssen-MAN elevator in Jakarta (Credit to JC 95 Elevator for the photo).

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  Typical 1980s Thyssen landing floor indicator with lantern (Credit to JC 95 Elevator for the photo).

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  1980s Thyssen hall lantern, terminal floor (Credit to JC 95 Elevator for the photo).

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  1980s Thyssen-MAN call station (Credit to JC 95 Elevator for the photo).

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  1980s Thyssen-MAN car floor indicator. The original segmented number has been replaced (Credit to JC 95 Elevator for the photo).

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  1980s Thyssen-MAN car station (Credit to JC 95 Elevator for the photo).

Known installations in Indonesia

• Jalan Tanah Abang III No. 1, Jakarta (Thyssen-MAN)
• Swiss-Belhotel Pondok Indah, Jakarta (service elevator, replaced into Hyundai WBST1 elevator in the late 2010s)
• Gudang Garam Tower (old tower), Jakarta (1987) (Thyssen-MAN)
• Plaza Surabaya, Surabaya (1988, modernized by another company in 2023)
• Vincentius A Paulo (RKZ) Hospital, Surabaya (replaced into MacPhuarsa elevators in 2017)

1990s

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Thyssen updated their design of elevators in the 1990s, featuring new fixtures and other improvements. Both the traction and hydraulic elevators used Thyssocontrol Integral (TCI) microprocessor controls. Almost all traction elevators were equipped with Thyssen's ISOSTOP frequency drive systems.

The main fixtures line used in 1990s Thyssen elevators was STEPMODUL. It had different types of buttons but the most distinctive and common ones used in many standard elevators were the STEP Basic buttons. These are black square buttons with green labelings and a red dot light. For the floor indicators, they use small green LED dot matrix display.

There were also STEP Module Classic buttons which were grey square buttons with red illuminating edges and engraved letters but these were less commonly used. Only very few Thyssen elevators in Indonesia had ever used these buttons. These buttons are usually paired with a bigger floor indicator with red LED dot matrix display.

An interesting feature here is that it was possible to arrange the floor buttons into custom or unusual layout, such as an L-shape, stair shape (/ or <, etc.), an S-shape, zig zag or any layout based on client's desire.

In 1998, Thyssen launched the "Evolution" machine room less elevator which was later carried over to ThyssenKrupp following the merger.

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  A 1990s Thyssen STEPMODUL call station with customized panel.

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  STEP Basic call button.

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  A typical 1990s Thyssen hall lantern. This particular panel is the same size as the call station panel.

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  A different Thyssen landing indicator with an older design.

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  Car floor indicator.

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  STEP Basic buttons.

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  Closer look of the buttons (upper portion).

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  Another closer look of the buttons (lower portion).

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  Door control buttons (the door open button label is missing), a button for turning on/off the ventilation fan, a keyswitch (probably for enabling the fireman's control) and the alarm button.

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  Typical 1990s Thyssen LED floor indicator. Note that the capacity label also "illuminates" green.

Known installations in Indonesia

• Rasuna Epicentrum complex, Jakarta
  • Apartemen Taman Rasuna (1996-2018, almost all have been modernized by Marico Gria with Shanghai STEP controls)
  • Horison Hotel Rasuna (1997, one has been modernized by WGU Elevator in 2023)
  • Rasuna Office Park (1997, some elevators are now derelict)
• The Media Hotel and Towers, Jakarta (1995)

2000s

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Even after Thyssen merged with Krupp, the Thyssen name was still used in some elevators for a short period so it is not uncommon to see an early ThyssenKrupp elevator bearing the Thyssen name and ThyssenKrupp logo.

These elevators typically use STEP Module Classic push buttons and bigger floor indicators with LED dot matrix display. All traction elevators, regardless of model, use Thyssocontrol Multican (TCM) microprocessor controls.

Known installations in Indonesia

• PLN Headquarters, Jakarta (modernized by Marico Gria with Shanghai STEP components)
• A shoplot in Plaza 5 Pondok Indah, Jakarta
• Vincentius A Paulo (RKZ) Hospital, Surabaya (replaced)

Known Thyssen installations in Indonesia

Existing installations

Below here are some existing Thyssen elevators and escalators that can still be found in Indonesia.

Location	City/province	Year	Notes
Gudang Garam Tower (old tower)	Jakarta	1987	One elevator has been modernized by Marico Gria with Shanghai STEP components.
Jalan Tanah Abang III No. 1	Jakarta	1980s	Branded as Thyssen-MAN. The only known Thyssen-MAN branded elevator in Indonesia so far.
Apartemen Taman Rasuna	Jakarta	1996
Horison Hotel Rasuna	Jakarta	1996	One has been modernized by WGU Elevator in 2023. One of the very few high rise buildings in Indonesia with elevators serving odd and even floors.
Rasuna Office Park	Jakarta	1997	Some elevators are now derelict.
The Media Hotels & Towers (formerly Sheraton Media Hotel)	Jakarta	1995
Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum - Taman Mini Indonesia Indah	Jakarta	1993	Current fate unknown.
The Imperium International Hotel	Bandung	1990s	Hotel closed down and elevator is now derelict.
Plaza Surabaya	Surabaya	1988	One of the oldest known original Thyssen elevators in Indonesia.
WTC Surabaya	Surabaya	1989	Elevators replaced into IFE elevators in the 2010s. Escalators still exist.
Hotel Grand Inna Tunjungan	Surabaya	1980	Service elevator (modernized) has remains of 1980s Thyssen landing floor indicator on certain floors. Two public elevators have been modernized by an unknown company, but it is unknown whether they were originally Thyssen or not. Current fate unknown.
Cyber Plaza (formerly Dieng Plaza)	Malang	Late 1980s	Escalators are known to exist in this mall. It is unknown if the elevators are also Thyssen.

Former installations

Location	City/province	Year	Notes
Central office of PT. PLN Persero	Jakarta	1990s	Modernized by Marico Gria with Shanghai STEP components. In 2022, they were replaced into TKE meta200 elevators.
Swiss-Belhotel Pondok Indah (formerly Apartemen Menara Pondok Indah)	Jakarta	1980s	Three passenger elevators were replaced into Hyundai STVF in 2014 or 2015, while the service elevator remained mostly original until 2019 when it was replaced into a Hyundai WBST1 elevator in the late 2010s.
Vincentius a Paulo (RKZ) Hospital	Surabaya	1980s	Replaced into MP elevators by Marico Gria. Another set of elevators were replaced into Otis.

Unique features and characteristics

Some of these features have been inherited over to ThyssenKrupp following the merger and are still applied today on TKE branded elevators with MC series controllers.

• Arrival chime will sound if the elevator parks with its door open and does not have any calls to serve.

• Apart from the conventional floor button layout, it was actually possible for the floor buttons to be arranged in an unusual layout, such as an L-shape, step shape (/ or <, etc.), S-shape, zig-zag, or any layout based on client's desire. In Indonesia, this option was no longer possible for elevators installed after the mid 2000s especially since ThyssenKrupp started importing China made models.

• There are several error or fault codes shown on the floor indicators when the elevator is experiencing a fault or certain circumstances. Some of the known codes so far are "JU" ("Justierfahr"/adjustment run), "FU", "IF", etc.

• When the elevator has served its final car call and there are no further calls to serve, the direction arrow on the floor indicators will disappear once the floor number changes.

• Almost all Thyssen elevators manufactured in the 1980s and 1990s will not reopen their doors if the landing call button is pressed regardless of travel direction, unless one blocks the door sensors.

Trivia

• The largest known Thyssen project in Indonesia was in Apartemen Taman Rasuna, Jakarta. More than 30 elevators were installed in this massive high rise residential project from 1996 to 1997.

• When ThyssenKrupp began entering the Indonesian market, they were planning to built an elevator factory in Jakarta through a partnership with Marico Gria but this was cancelled because of a disagreement with Marico Gria, who felt that ThyssenKrupp would acquire the company.

• The word "Thysindo" on Marico Gria's former name is most likely a portmanteau of the word "Thyssen" and "Indonesia".

• Thyssen was the second elevator manufacturer from a German speaking nation to enter Indonesia after Schindler.

Gallery

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  Thyssen elevator advertisement (Source: Yellow Pages Indonesia, 1990 edition)

External links

• Official website (Archived)
• Official website of Marico Gria