Elevators: between reliability, inclusion, sobriety, the reality of a sector that acts, far from preconceived ideas

A reaffirmed mobilization in a context of media distrust

This meeting took place in a sensitive media context, following the publication of an investigation by France Info on May 9, entitled "One and a half million elevators break down each year in France, how did we get here?" While the interest in equipment safety is legitimate, the angle adopted and the figures put forward reflect an outdated bias, out of step with the current reality of a profoundly transformed sector.

A profession proactive in the face of today's challenges

On the occasion of this day, the Elevator Federation recalled the reality of its daily commitment:

• A sector undergoing rapid technological, regulatory and organizational change;
• Real competition, with a growing share provided by SMEs, now major players in maintenance;
• Massive investments in training, equipment reliability, and transition support.

Florence Bigé, the new President of the Elevator Federation, appointed at the General Assembly, stressed the need to increase investment in elevator renovations and the installation of new equipment, particularly in collective housing, priority city neighborhoods, public buildings, and areas experiencing high population growth.

For Florence Bigé: "The French are right to demand greater reliability, greater availability, and above all greater accessibility. It is our collective responsibility, along with all stakeholders, including tenants, owners, lessors, and institutions, to respond with concrete, innovative solutions adapted to the technical realities of existing buildings."

The profession's 2024 figures

In a complex economic and real estate context, the sector maintains its stability and confirms its capacity to adapt, despite a lack of modernization in the face of urgent challenges of renovating the stock:

• Total turnover: 2,80 billion euros (stable)
• Operating fleet: 653.000 devices
• Sales of new devices: 11.100 (+1%)
• Complete replacements: 2.910 (+1%)
• Modernization: €235 million (-10%)
• Workforce: 17.200 employees

Responding to criticism: a sector that takes on its structural challenges

It is illusory to analyze an elevator fleet as evolving as that of France – more than 600.000 units – with references dated 10 or 15 years ago. Over the past decade, the sector has undergone profound transformation:

• On-board technologies have evolved;
• Regulatory standards have been strengthened;
• Societal expectations for inclusion and sustainability are at the heart of industrial strategies.

Furthermore, the Federation highlighted the diversity of the sector, which is a reality: in France, there is no monopoly. More than a hundred players, including many dynamic SMEs, participate in the maintenance and modernization of the fleet.

Finally, the Federation recalled that breakdowns are not, in the majority of cases, the responsibility of elevator operators:

• An old park, sometimes located in degraded co-ownerships where charges are unpaid;
• Vandalism, which represents up to 2/3 of interventions according to some landlords;
• An unrealistic expectation of total availability, with a unique challenge: maintaining equipment that is sometimes 40 years old, with parts that have disappeared from the market.

At a time when a bill on elevators is under discussion, the Federation is making its voice heard by institutions and the media, reminding them that improved reliability also requires maintenance, renovation, and accountability from all stakeholders, and is warning of the risk of abuses linked to a poor political understanding of the issue. The so-called "Brun" bill illustrates this lack of understanding, risking economic hardship for SMEs in the sector and increasing costs for the most vulnerable users.

Concrete answers: a mobilized and constructive sector

The profession is taking action. For several years, significant investments have been made to structure and modernize the sector:

• Training and recruitment: the "being an elevator engineer" platform aims to promote the sector's professions and support vocations, in line with recruitment and skills needs; development of dedicated training (BTS, specialization certificate), recruitment prospects with 1.000 to 1.500 recruitments per year;
• Institutional framework and field commitment: the profession is fully committed to the continuation of the Lift Plan following the interministerial committee on disability of March 6, 2025. The Minister in charge of the city, Juliette Méadel, asked 30 departments to carry out an inventory of the operation of elevators, following what was tested in Doubs, Charente-Maritime and Mayenne. Elevator professionals are involved in the deployment of the Lift Plan experiment in priority neighborhoods of the city policy, with a schedule currently being put in place;
• Traceability: support for the establishment of an elevator register to improve transparency and monitoring, and thus (re)give owners all the information needed for the proper management of their equipment;
• Accessibility and transition: launch of the Access Label, integration into MaPrimeRénov', promotion of renovations in the 2024 Manifesto.

Building the city of tomorrow requires verticality

Faced with the intersecting challenges of demographic aging, ecological transition, and social emergency, the profession is clearly asserting itself: inclusion, sustainability, and excellence will be the pillars of 2025-2026. Far from outdated observations, it is moving forward with responsibility, innovation, and ambition.

For Florence Bigé: "The elevator is more than just a device: it's a future solution for inclusive, sober, and accessible cities. In the era of the Elevator Plan, the challenge is to support transitions, not to remain stuck in an outdated vision."

With its 2024 Manifesto, the sector is charting a course resolutely focused on the future. The time has come to elevate vertical mobility to the rank of national priority.

For Florence Bigé: "There will be no sustainable city without reliable vertical mobility. The elevator is a pillar of tomorrow's urban planning. Now is the time to support the transitions underway with innovative, efficient, and sustainable solutions."