Issue 1/2006
01/02/06
A day in Langfang
On the kind invitation of Mr. Zhang Lexiang I spent November 30th, 2005 in Langfang, accompanied by Mr. Kenneth Chan of LM LIFTMATERIAL (Hongkong) Ltd. Mr. Zhang had expressed the invitation on interlift 2005, where we met last. The visit was dedicated to two goals: First, to personally view the fairground in Langfang and second to pay visit to the National Elevator Testing Centre (NETEC), the most important “Notified Body” in China.
Category: Issue 1/2006
Posted by: Editor
The journey from our hotel in Beijing to Langfang took 75 minutes, whereas that morning we had been unlucky with traffic, because of adverse weather conditions we spent about 10 minutes in a traffic jam. This however gave the good occasion to discuss with Mr. Zhang in the car about several aspects of the lifts standards and to come to know the Chinese thinking about the standards written in Europe generating some surprising opinions. Like known the Chinese lift standard is by 99 % identical with the European series of EN 81 and the conversation showed that in China Elevator Association (CEA) one is considering also own ways for standards.
Having arrived I was enthusiastic about generous shaping of the fairground. Chinese people always combine the useful with the beautiful: The fairground disposes of a vast green area at the fair gate, large pathways lead to the halls and one can easily imagine that during brakes the green area is used to catch fresh air and to run confidential conversations “under four eyes”. Right hand side the conference and administration centre is to be found disposing about an enormous number of conference rooms in which both large and smallest events can be held. Coffee shops, restaurants and shops complement the conference rooms within an atrium forming the core of the building. The tea house even dispose of a “German room”, furnished in the style of knights.
Langfang not yet disposing of hotels on international standard, the city council has already decided to take on construction of such hotels, one of them shall be located directly adjacent to the fairground. Unfortunately these facilities shall not yet be available for the fair, but certainly for the event in 2008.
The halls itself have been set up generously and renounce, where ever possible, to columns on the space of exhibition. Hall C was still under construction, however shall be ready for the fair from April 18th, to 21st, 2006. The area of 35,000 square meters is meanwhile now fully occupied; This might be leading to the thought about increasing the exhibition area after the fair.
The representative of the Langfang fair management, Mr. Ma, who participated into the tour of the halls gave full information about the possibilities of the fairground. All in all it is my opinion that the fairground in Langfang is very well suited for China World Elevator and Escalator Expo in 2006 and that we shall enjoy a successful event in coming April. The pictures in this article are certainly convincing enough.
After an excellent Chinese meal we continued for NETEC. Arrived there we have been received by the manager of the testing centre and have been made acquainted with the testing facilities. All safety components of lifts and escalators can be tested here. The free fall tower for safety gears belongs to the devices of the testing centre like the wear and tear testing rig for door locks. In conformity to Chinese regulations NETEC not only tests the obligatory safety components. Also drives, guide rails and rope anchorage are being tested in accordance to the prescriptions in force and are being certified. The 80,0 m high lift test tower offers a wonderful sight over the city of Langfang. In a meeting after the tour of the premises Mr. Ma presented to us the methodology for the tests, which were found not to be as bureaucratic like expected. Technical competence and vast experience are synonymous for the members of staff of NETEC, the centre looking backwards to a long history in the testing of lift safety components.
The day ended with a dinner in a specialities restaurant in Beijing. I would like to thank all my conversation counterparts in Langfang for their hospitality and the open atmosphere of the discussions. This day shall for ever remain in my memory and I look forward to be again guest in Langfang at the occasion of the China World Elevator and Escalator Expo from April 18th to April 21st, 2006 !
Stephan Kretzschmar
Member of the board for national and international fairs
VFA-Interlift e. V.
Member of the board for national and international fairs
VFA-Interlift e. V.
1/2006
