Schindler sponsors Expo 2008

The world fair, Expo 2008, in the Spanish city of Zaragoza is a special event for Schindler – not only is the Group an official sponsor, it's also the Expo's official mobility provider.

By the time Expo 08 opens in June, the exhibition area will be equipped with 104 Schindler elevators. For the three-month duration of the event, these will provide fast, safe and efficient transport for an estimated six million visitors.

Success in Seville

Schindler had an edge when bidding for the contract because of its excellent performance as the mobility provider at Spain's last world fair in Seville in 1992.

The Expo will boast some spectacular architecture, not least an entrance designed by star architect, Zaha Hadid. The structures housing the pavilions tend to be low-level horizontal shapes, both to complement the overall design of the site, and so they can be developed as a business park once the Expo is over.

Mobility requirements

The mobility requirements at Zaragoza 2008 are driven by the normal considerations of safety, reliability and efficiency. But because this is an international exhibition, being able to view the pavilions from every possible vantage point is also important.

Schindler's panoramic elevators will be very much in evidence, from the shuttles at the "Fluvial Aquarius" - a thematic pavilion containing nearly three million litres of fresh water – to the "Tower of Water" where passengers will be able to view a waterfall 73 metres high from the safety of a Schindler elevator.

Heavy-duty lifts

Behind the scenes, Schindler is also taking care of Expo's goods transport needs. Schindler's heavy-duty freight lifts may be seldom noticed but they are a vital part of the infrastructure in any building where heavy goods need to be transported vertically.

Expo 2008 has as its theme water and sustainable development and has been designed to reveal gradually to the visitor a picture of how water is supplied and consumed, and how it can be sustainably managed.