Technicians from Elevator Manufacturer Kone on the Road with Cargo Bikes

KONE service technicians travel in Vienna using e-cargo bikes and e-scooters to reach elevators. They pick up spare parts and tools from microhubs, which are also supplied by cargo bikes. For the city of Vienna, LOGSTEP is a step towards becoming a Smart City. The flagship project for sustainable urban logistics enters its hot phase on June 1, 2021.

(Vienna) KONE, one of the world’s leading elevator manufacturers, is focusing on climate-friendly logistics. On June 1, 2021, the unique project LOGSTEP (“Logistic Solutions for Technical Personnel”) will enter its hot phase: In Austria’s capital, four KONE service technicians will travel to elevators using e-cargo bikes and e-scooters to maintain the systems and rescue trapped individuals in emergencies. The federal states of Vienna and Lower Austria, the respective chambers of commerce, and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Protection support the flagship project. KONE aims to transfer the insights gained in Vienna to urban areas around the world.

More Flexible and Faster with the Bike

KONE service technician Momcilo Kostic is enthusiastic: “With the bikes, we are more flexible and faster than with cars – and we are also using green electricity.” His electric cargo bike accelerates to a maximum speed of 25 km/h. To keep the routes short for Kostic and his colleagues, KONE has set up several microhubs in the inner districts of Vienna: support points that serve as material storage and package stations around the clock and are located a maximum of 1,500 m from the elevators. “The technical staff can pick up spare parts and tools at the microhubs at any time while safely disposing of recyclable materials and packaging materials,” explains Petru Huurinainen, Managing Director of KONE Austria. But not only the “last mile” is emission-free. Transport to and from the microhubs is also done by cargo bikes, in this case by the bicycle courier service Heavy Pedals. “This way, we relieve the city of car traffic and reduce CO2 emissions,” Huurinainen explains. For the city of Vienna, LOGSTEP is one of the flagship projects on its way to becoming a Smart City. “Efficient logistics is an integral part of the supply, disposal, and services we need every day in a million-city like Vienna,” emphasizes Thomas Madreiter, Planning Director of the City of Vienna.

LOGSTEP Supports KONE on the Path to CO2 Neutrality

For KONE, LOGSTEP is also of particular importance, as the company aims to operate completely CO2-neutral worldwide by 2030 with its more than 60,000 employees. “The insights we gain in Vienna will be transferred to as many urban areas in Europe and worldwide as possible,” says the managing director, who sees the company well-prepared for stricter restrictions on car traffic in metropolitan areas. The hot project phase starting in June 2021 was preceded by several months of preparation. During this time, KONE relied on the support of the Vienna-based logistics consulting firm Econsult, which analyzed the ordering and delivery processes in detail. “We rethought and organized all steps to ensure efficient transport chains and eliminate delays in the work of the technical staff,” explains Jürgen Schrampf, Managing Director of Econsult. “The technicians will therefore be able to maintain the same number of systems daily as before.” However, the participants do not only want to test microhubs and cargo bikes. They also want to learn more about the requirements that innovative logistics concepts place on the communication and information technology of companies. “The question is how we can connect to our existing IT systems and interfaces during a rollout,” explains Huurinainen.

Project LOGSTEP with Broad Support

The exemplary nature of the project ensures broad support: The federal states of Vienna and Lower Austria and the respective chambers of commerce have included LOGSTEP in their joint project “Sustainable Logistics 2030+ Lower Austria-Vienna,” short “Logistics 2030+”. The Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Protection (BMK) also supports LOGSTEP financially as part of its “Logistics Promotion” program. “With LOGSTEP, the essential building blocks of future-proof logistics are ideally connected,” says Franz Schwammenhöfer, Head of Logistics Coordination at BMK, referring to the key components of the project: the redesign of logistical processes, the use of alternative transport means, and the establishment of microhubs. Photo: © Kone