KONE has inaugurated its first Digital Experience Centre in Pune, bringing together artificial intelligence, connectivity and data-driven tools designed to demonstrate how digital technologies can improve decision-making and service management across the building lifecycle.
The centre, opened on Friday, combines KONE’s business, technology and engineering capabilities in a facility where customers can interact with digital solutions linked to People Flow and smart buildings. The company said the initiative marks an important step in its digital transformation and its effort to create technology-led customer experiences.
Visitors can explore interactive applications covering building design and configuration, product experiences, digital interfaces, customer lifecycle visibility and real-time service insights. The demonstrations are intended to show how information can be used at different stages of a building’s lifecycle, from early design choices to ongoing equipment servicing.
KONE said the centre will allow customers to examine how digitalisation, connectivity, artificial intelligence and data-driven insights can create value across buildings. The company also linked these tools to greater transparency and more proactive service management, although the release did not disclose the centre’s investment, workforce size or the number of customer projects expected to be supported from Pune.
Philippe Delorme, President and CEO of KONE, said the facility was the first of its kind in the elevator and escalator industry in India. “The Centre gives our customers an opportunity to experience how digitalisation, connectivity and AI are shaping the future of People Flow,” he said, adding that India was an important market for KONE and that the facility would bring innovation closer to customers.
Amit Gossain, Managing Director of KONE India, said the centre would give customers a first-hand view of how digital technologies could create value across the building lifecycle.
The Pune facility reflects a wider shift in building systems from standalone equipment towards connected services that generate operational data over time. In the elevator and escalator sector, this can place greater emphasis on service visibility, equipment performance and the management of customer interactions, in addition to the installation of physical products.
The company’s announcement does not provide details on specific artificial intelligence models, connectivity standards, data-management arrangements or the performance outcomes of systems demonstrated at the centre. It also does not state whether the facility will be open to the public or serve only existing and prospective KONE customers. The next stage will depend on how these digital tools are adopted in building projects and service operations in India.
