KONE’s new factory in Mexico to take over all elevator manufacturing operations for North America

Production of elevator doors and cars for the North American market got underway in KONE’s purpose-built facility in Torreon, Mexico. KONE has now decided to transfer the current elevator component manufacturing activities in McKinney, Texas, to Torreon by the middle of 2007. This will affect approximately 55 production related positions within the KONE’s McKinney operation.

In line with KONE’s global manufacturing processes, the new factory in Mexico employs the same modern production technology as other KONE component plants. The Torreon factory currently employs 60 persons, and extension of the facilities has recently begun to meet the forthcoming capacity needs.

Torreon offers an excellent logistics network and pool of qualified labor to serve the new factory. Most of the management and personnel have been recruited locally, and KONE is actively cooperating with local suppliers.

Sender:

KONE Corporation

Heikki Leppänen Executive Vice President, New Elevators and Escalators

Minna Mars Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & IR

KONE is one of the world’s leading elevator and escalator companies. It provides its customers with industry-leading elevators and escalators and innovative solutions for their maintenance and modernization. KONE also provides maintenance of automatic building doors. In 2005, KONE had annual net sales of EUR 3.2 billion and about 27,000 employees. Its class B shares are listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.