Germany has one of Europe's most established elevator markets, covering new installations, modernization, maintenance, accessibility solutions and specialized vertical transportation.
The VDMA Lifts and Escalators trade association represents nearly 90 companies from the German lift, escalator and component industries, accounting for around 90% of the German market and more than €2 billion in turnover.
For building owners, developers, contractors and procurement teams, however, the best elevator company depends less on brand recognition alone and more on the type of building, required capacity, local service coverage, modernization needs, technical standards and project budget.
This 2026 guide compares 10 elevator companies active in Germany using publicly verifiable company and product information.
Get Elevator Solution for Germany
German elevator companies, also commonly searched as German lift companies, include TK Elevator, Schindler, KONE, Otis and several specialist German manufacturers such as Schmitt + Sohn, osma, HIRO, VESTNER and LUTZ.
| Company | Main Strength | Typical Products | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|
| TK Elevator | Large German service network and high-rise technology | Passenger, freight, home lifts, escalators | Large commercial, infrastructure and high-rise projects |
| KONE | Digital and energy-efficient elevator systems | Passenger elevators, escalators, modernization | Residential and commercial developments |
| Schindler | Broad product and lifecycle service portfolio | Passenger, freight, modernization | Residential, commercial and public buildings |
| Otis | Large international brand and digital maintenance | Passenger, heavy-duty, escalators | Commercial and long-term service projects |
| Schmitt + Sohn | German manufacturing and customized engineering | Passenger, freight, bed elevators | Projects requiring German-made customized systems |
| HIRO LIFT | Accessibility and compact elevator solutions | Home lifts, passenger lifts, platform lifts | Residential and barrier-free projects |
| VESTNER | Flexible load capacities and modernization | Passenger, freight, escalators | Mid-sized and specialized projects |
| LUTZ Aufzüge | Customized and difficult installation conditions | Passenger and freight elevators | Existing buildings and special shafts |
| osma | Residential elevator specialization | Residential passenger elevators | Apartment and residential developments |
| BroBeil | Custom German elevator manufacturing | Passenger, freight, car and glass lifts | Customized regional projects |
This list is not based purely on company size or brand recognition.
For the 2026 update, we reviewed companies using six factors:
The company should have identifiable operations, offices, production facilities or service capabilities in Germany.
We considered whether the supplier provides passenger elevators, freight elevators, accessibility lifts, escalators or specialized elevator solutions.
A supplier that can support both new installations and modernization may be more suitable for building owners managing elevators throughout their lifecycle.
Maintenance availability, emergency support, spare-parts capability and geographic service coverage are important for long-term operation.
For projects in Germany and the European Union, buyers should examine applicable conformity documentation, technical standards and project-specific approval requirements.
Different suppliers are better suited to different applications. High-rise buildings, residential developments, hospitals, existing buildings and accessibility projects should not all be evaluated using the same purchasing criteria.
The companies below are therefore presented as 10 suppliers worth comparing rather than an absolute numerical ranking.
Best for: Major commercial buildings, infrastructure, high-rise developments and projects requiring extensive German service coverage.
TK Elevator is one of the largest elevator companies operating in Germany and is the current brand formerly known as thyssenkrupp Aufzüge.
Its German business provides new elevators, escalators, modernization, replacement and manufacturer-independent maintenance.
The company's German portfolio includes EOX elevators for low- and mid-rise buildings, HELIX and TWIN systems for higher-performance projects, home lifts and freight elevators.
TK Elevator states that it operates through more than 35 locations across Germany.
Key strengths
Extensive German service network
Passenger and freight elevators
High-rise elevator technology
Escalators and moving walks
Modernization and replacement
24-hour service support
Best for: Modern residential, office and commercial buildings where digital connectivity, efficiency and lifecycle service are priorities.
KONE Germany provides elevator planning, installation, modernization and maintenance together with escalators and automatic building doors.
Its current DX elevator range combines elevator operation with digital connectivity and energy-efficiency features.
For existing buildings, KONE also provides manufacturer-independent modernization, replacement and maintenance services.
Key strengths
New building elevators
MRL passenger elevators
Digital building integration
Energy-efficiency solutions
Modernization
Long-term maintenance
Best for: Residential developments, offices, hotels, healthcare buildings, shopping centres and public transportation facilities.
Schindler maintains a substantial product and service portfolio in Germany.
Its German product documentation currently includes Schindler 3000, 3400, 5000 and 6000 passenger elevators together with freight, car and small-goods elevators.
Schindler also provides modernization, maintenance, repair and digital service solutions.
Key strengths
Wide passenger elevator range
Freight and special-purpose elevators
Modernization
Maintenance and repair
Planning documentation
Nationwide project capability
Best for: Commercial buildings, offices, infrastructure and customers prioritizing an established service network.
Otis operates a dedicated German elevator and escalator business covering new installations, maintenance, modernization and repair.
Its current German offering also includes Otis ONE, a cloud-connected elevator monitoring solution designed to support remote monitoring and predictive maintenance.
Otis Germany provides 24/7 fault support and operates through locations across the country.
Key strengths
Passenger elevators
Heavy-duty elevators
Escalators
Digital monitoring
Modernization
Nationwide service support
Best for: Buyers seeking a German manufacturer with strong customization, engineering and lifecycle service.
Schmitt + Sohn was founded in 1861 and remains a family-owned elevator manufacturer.
The company manufactures passenger, freight and bed elevators and operates production facilities in Germany and Portugal.
According to company figures, Schmitt + Sohn produces approximately 2,100 elevators annually and services around 50,000 installations each year.
Its business combines new elevator production, modernization and ongoing service.
Key strengths
German manufacturing
More than 160 years of elevator experience
Passenger and freight elevators
Customized elevator dimensions
Modernization
24/7 service capability
Best for: Home elevators, accessibility projects, low-rise buildings and buildings with limited installation space.
HIRO LIFT specializes in mobility and accessibility solutions.
Its portfolio includes passenger elevators, home lifts, outdoor elevators, platform lifts and stairlifts.
This makes HIRO particularly relevant for residential buildings, accessibility upgrades and existing structures where conventional elevator layouts may be difficult.
Key strengths
Home lifts
Passenger elevators
Accessibility solutions
Outdoor elevators
Compact installation
Residential projects
Best for: Residential, commercial, modernization and projects requiring unusual load capacities.
VESTNER provides elevators, escalators and associated service solutions.
Its standard elevator portfolio covers rated loads from approximately 250 kg to 2,500 kg, while customized systems can exceed 10,000 kg.
The company also maintains multiple branches across Germany, including Munich-area, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Berlin, Frankfurt and Hanover locations.
Key strengths
Passenger elevators
Heavy-load customized elevators
Escalators
Modernization
Multiple German service locations
Customized engineering
Best for: Existing buildings, difficult shaft conditions, architectural projects and highly customized elevator requirements.
LUTZ focuses strongly on customized passenger and freight elevator systems.
Its project capabilities include small shafts, limited pit or overhead conditions, external shafts, round elevators, listed buildings and other difficult installation environments.
The company also provides maintenance and repair services with emergency support.
Key strengths
Customized elevator engineering
Passenger and freight elevators
Difficult shaft solutions
Existing-building installation
Historic building projects
Maintenance and repair
Best for: Apartment buildings and residential developments.
Unlike companies covering every type of vertical transportation, osma focuses heavily on residential elevators.
The company states that it has more than 100 years of experience, 12 branches in Germany and several hundred employees.
Its current residential products emphasize accessibility, low noise, space efficiency and lifecycle operation.
Key strengths
Residential elevator specialization
Apartment projects
Accessibility
Space-efficient designs
German branch network
Modernization and service
Best for: Customized residential and commercial elevator projects, particularly in southern Germany.
BroBeil is a German elevator manufacturer and service provider with more than 150 years of company experience.
Its portfolio includes passenger elevators, glass elevators, freight elevators, goods lifts, car elevators and other customized systems.
The company emphasizes project-specific manufacturing rather than only standardized elevator models.
Key strengths
Passenger elevators
Freight elevators
Car elevators
Glass elevators
Customized manufacturing
Regional German expertise
A well-known elevator brand is not automatically the best supplier for every building.
Before requesting quotations, compare suppliers across the following areas.
First determine whether the project requires:
A completely new elevator
Replacement of an existing elevator
Partial modernization
Accessibility improvement
Maintenance only
Companies specializing in modernization may be more suitable for existing buildings, while large manufacturers may offer stronger standardized solutions for new developments.
The elevator specification should reflect whether the project is a:
Residential building
Hotel
Office building
Shopping centre
Hospital
Warehouse
Industrial building
Public building
Traffic demand, car dimensions, load, speed and door arrangement can change significantly between applications.
Elevators placed on the EU market must be evaluated against applicable European and national regulatory requirements.
One of the central legal frameworks for lifts in the European Union is Directive 2014/33/EU on lifts and safety components for lifts.
Standards such as EN 81-20 and related EN 81 standards are commonly used in elevator design and conformity assessment.
Before placing an order, buyers should confirm the exact conformity assessment, documentation, CE marking, notified-body requirements and local inspection obligations applicable to the project.
Elevators remain in operation for decades.
The purchasing decision should therefore consider:
Emergency response
Preventive maintenance
Spare-parts availability
Technician coverage
Remote monitoring
Modernization capability
Long-term component support
A low initial equipment price may not result in the lowest lifecycle cost.
For many German projects, choosing an established local manufacturer offers clear advantages in installation coordination, maintenance response and regulatory familiarity.
However, developers, distributors and international contractors may also compare imported elevator systems where customization and equipment cost are major considerations.
The correct model depends on who is responsible for:
Technical conformity
Import procedures
Installation
Local inspection
Commissioning
Long-term maintenance
An imported elevator should not be selected on equipment price alone.
Delfar is a China-based elevator manufacturer supplying passenger elevators, freight elevators, hospital elevators, home elevators, escalators and moving walks for international projects.
Delfar was established in 2011 and has an annual production capacity of approximately 5,000 elevator units.
Available company certification information includes CE, EN 81-20-related documentation, EAC, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
Delfar can support international buyers with:
Elevator configuration
Customized shaft solutions
Passenger elevators
Freight elevators
Customized cabin design
Factory testing
Export documentation
Remote installation guidance
Spare-parts support
After-sales technical assistance
For Germany or other EU projects, all technical specifications, conformity documentation and local installation responsibilities should be reviewed before the final order.
Send us:
Building type
Number of floors
Elevator quantity
Rated load
Required speed
Shaft width and depth
Pit depth
Overhead height
Project location
Request an Elevator Configuration & Quote
There is no single best elevator company for every German building.
For large-scale commercial or infrastructure projects, companies such as TK Elevator, KONE, Schindler and Otis offer broad product portfolios and extensive lifecycle services.
For German-made customized solutions, Schmitt + Sohn, VESTNER, LUTZ and BroBeil may deserve closer comparison.
For accessibility and home-lift projects, HIRO offers a more specialized product focus, while osma concentrates strongly on residential buildings.
The best purchasing decision should be based on building requirements, technical compliance, installation responsibility, maintenance coverage and total lifecycle cost rather than brand name alone.
Major companies operating in the German elevator market include TK Elevator, KONE, Schindler, Otis, Schmitt + Sohn, HIRO LIFT, VESTNER, LUTZ, osma and BroBeil.
They differ significantly in product range, geographic coverage and project specialization.
Companies with substantial German manufacturing or engineering operations include Schmitt + Sohn and several specialist German manufacturers such as BroBeil and osma.
Production location should still be verified for the specific elevator model being purchased.
TK Elevator, KONE, Schindler, Otis and many German regional elevator companies provide modernization and replacement services.
The best option depends on the existing equipment, manufacturer, age of the elevator and scope of modernization required.
EU elevator projects should consider Directive 2014/33/EU together with the applicable harmonized standards and German project requirements.
EN 81-20 and related EN 81 standards are commonly used for elevator safety design and conformity assessment.
German suppliers can offer advantages in local installation, maintenance and regulatory coordination.
Imported elevators may offer greater configuration flexibility or equipment-cost advantages, but the buyer must confirm conformity documentation, installation responsibility, commissioning, local inspection and long-term servicing before ordering.
A supplier will normally need the building type, number of floors, load, speed, shaft dimensions, pit depth, overhead height, door arrangement and installation location.
Providing architectural or elevator shaft drawings produces a more accurate quotation.
Compare the technical configuration before comparing only the price.
Delfar can review your building drawings and prepare a project-specific passenger or freight elevator configuration, including load, speed, shaft requirements and equipment scope.
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