KONE Elevators: What Every Building Buyer Should Know Before Signing

KONE Elevators: A Practical FAQ for the Building Buyer

If you're involved in specifying or purchasing vertical transportation for a commercial or residential project, you've got questions. Maybe you've heard the name KONE, maybe you haven't. Maybe you're trying to figure out if their apprenticeship program is worth looking into for your maintenance team. Or maybe you just need to know how to secure those sliding doors before your next tenant walk-through.

I manage purchasing for a mid-sized property management firm—roughly 400 employees across three buildings. When we started looking at elevator modernization back in 2023, I had zero clue where to start. After a few vendor meetings, some site visits, and one very expensive lesson in door specs, here's what I wish someone had told me.

1. Is KONE a reliable elevator brand for commercial buildings?

Short answer: yes. KONE is one of the global big four in elevators and escalators. They're Finnish, been around since 1910, and have a solid reputation for reliability—especially in mid-to-high-rise buildings (think 10 to 40 floors). Their technology is generally considered on par with Otis or Schindler.

What I've found, though, is that reliability isn't just about the brand name—it's about the local service team. We had a KONE unit in one of our buildings (circa 2019 install) that performed flawlessly for three years until we switched maintenance providers. The new provider wasn't KONE-authorized and… well, let's say the response time went from hours to days. Lesson: If you go with KONE, make sure the service contract is tied to their authorized network.

2. What is the KONE elevator apprenticeship program? Is it worth looking into?

KONE runs a formal apprenticeship program (sometimes called the KONE Elevator Apprenticeship) aimed at training technicians for installation and maintenance. It's typically a multi-year program combining classroom learning with on-the-job training.

From my perspective as a buyer, having a maintenance partner who graduated from a manufacturer's apprenticeship is a green flag. It means they've been trained specifically on KONE's proprietary systems (their Ecodisc motor, for example, or their DX generation controllers). A general elevator mechanic might be able to fix a lot of things, but some KONE components require proprietary knowledge—which can make a difference in response time.

Honestly, I'm not sure every building needs a KONE-certified tech. But if you're in a city with high labor competition for elevators techs (like New York or Chicago), having a team that's been through the apprenticeship can save you headaches when service calls spike.

3. Wait—glass cleaner? What does that have to do with elevators?

This one surprised me too. When we were doing a pre-modernization audit, one of the KONE sales engineers mentioned that the type of glass cleaner used on the elevator cab doors could affect the door sensors. Specifically, some ammonia-based cleaners (like traditional Windex) can damage the rubber seals and interfere with the photoelectric sensors.

Our cleaning crew had been using a standard glass cleaner for years. We switched to a non-ammonia, pH-balanced cleaner after that recommendation. It's a small thing, but door sensor failures are one of the most common nuisance calls in elevators (especially for sliding doors). A $8 bottle of the right cleaner can potentially save you a $300 service visit. (As of January 2025, that was our local rate for a call-out.)

So yes—glass cleaner matters. If your facility uses elevators with glass cab doors or glass panels near the sensors, it's worth checking your cleaning protocols.

4. How do I secure sliding elevator doors properly?

Sliding elevator doors—either on the cab or the landing—are usually secured by a door lock mechanism and a door interlock system. The interlock prevents the elevator from moving if the door isn't fully closed and locked.

For security purposes (like preventing unauthorized entry between floors), many modern elevators have additional features:

• Key switches on the lobby panel that require a key to activate the car
• Card readers or fob systems integrated with the building access control
• Automatic door reopening sensors that detect obstructions

One practical tip: if you're getting recurring complaints about doors closing on people (or on equipment), check the door reopening sensitivity settings. On KONE elevators, this can usually be adjusted by the authorized technician. We had a situation where our maintenance vendor (not KONE-authorized) cranked the sensitivity too high as a workaround, which caused the doors to reverse mid-close—leading to a lot of nuisance stops. Avoid that. Get the proper adjustment done by someone trained on the specific controller (KONE's LCE or DX type, for example).

5. KONE, Otis, Schindler—how do they really compare for maintenance costs?

I have mixed feelings about comparing maintenance costs across the big three. On one hand, KONE's parts are generally competitively priced. On the other, proprietary parts (like specific circuit boards or motor assemblies) can be more expensive if you're not on a full-service contract.

Here's something I learned the hard way: when we were evaluating modernization quotes, KONE's initial price looked good—about 15% lower than the Otis quote for a comparable package. But I didn't factor in the cost of the proprietary components for future repairs. After a conversation with a building engineer who had worked with multiple brands, I learned that KONE's parts costs, while not outrageous, tend to be on a subscription-style pricing basis if you're not on their maintenance plan.

In my opinion, elevators are not a commodity purchase. The brand matters less than the quality of the local service network. If KONE has a strong presence in your region (they do in most major US cities), their maintenance costs are likely to be competitive. But if you're in a smaller market, weigh the risk of a thinner service network against the upfront price.

6. Is there any downside to choosing KONE?

Part of me wants to say no—they're a good brand. Another part remembers the difficulty we had getting a specific spare part for a 2018 model (a door operator board) during the 2022 supply chain crunch. The part was backordered for 12 weeks. That's not unique to KONE, but it was frustrating.

Key takeaway: if you pick KONE, plan for lead times on proprietary parts. Have a backup plan (like a maintenance partner who can source generic parts for non-critical components). And if you're in a building with a custom cab or special features, make sure your contract specifies what's covered under service—and what's billed separately.

7. Final thought: what should I do before signing the contract?

• Get a list of authorized maintenance partners for your region—don't assume you'll get one automatically
• Check the KONE apprenticeship program in your area—if you're building a team, it's a potential pipeline
• Ask about door sensor settings and cleaning recommendations (yes, including the glass cleaner question)
• Read the fine print on parts availability and lead times

(This is based on my experience managing vendor relationships since 2020. Things change—verify with KONE directly for current models and policies.)