Our history

1980's

1981:

• Schindler Group establishes a subsidiary in Australia with headquarters in Melbourne. I from Johns Perry Elevators is appointed the first Managing Director. Schindler Australia expands with acquisitions such as, HD McCreedy and Independent Lift Services up until 1984.

1983:

• The first traction installation of Schindler Miconic B equipment is completed in Sydney.

1984:

• Schindler purchases Precision Elevators and moves headquarters to Sydney.

1987:

• The Queensland branch is established.

1989:

• Schindler purchases 50% of Grant Elevators in Western Australia and starts manufacturing doors and cars under licence.

1990's

1992: 

• Schindler Group purchases Devehissar in Sweden thus bringing Deve Australia into the Group.

1993: 

• Schindler purchases Transtair in Adelaide to start the South Australian Branch.

1994: 

• Richard Lauder is recruited from Honeywell as Managing Director following the retirement of David Reilly.

1995: 

• Schindler takes over the premises and portfolio of Deve Australia to start the ACT branch.

1996: 

• Schindler purchases the Australian portfolio of GEC Elevators.

1999: 

• Fernando Xavier takes over as Managing Director and starts the process of integrating Deve Australia.

2000's

2000:

• Product Line Manager Silvia de Ridder is awarded the international Schindler 'Gold Medal' for her work in introducing the Schindler 300P mid rise elevator system to the Australian market. The 300P is the first standardised Group product to incorporate Australian requirements ex factory.

2001:

• The first 'destination control' elevator system to be installed in Australia by the Schindler Group at 35 Clarence St, NSW.

2002:

• The Smart MRL 002 is introduced to the low-mid rise elevator market in Australia.

2003:

• Schindler's first range of machine room-less elevators are introduced to Australia and the Asia Pacific with the launch of the Schindler 300P MRL - the first product fully designed in Asia Pacific.

2004:

• The first stage of Sydney's largest residential high rise building.
• World Tower is completed, incorporating 12 Schindler 7000 high rise elevators.
• Schindler Australia installs the first integrated system of Schindler ID, Schindler E-Vision and Miconic 10 at Civic Tower in NSW.

2005:

• Schindler introduces a new range of low-mid rise passenger elevators to the residential and commercial elevator markets, utilising state of the art traction media technology and machine room-less design. Products include the Schindler 3100 and 3300 for the residential market and the Schindler 5300 for the commercial building market.
• Schindler also introduces the first range of modular freight elevators to Australia, known as the Schindler 2400, 2500 and 2600 for general goods, hospital beds and heavy duty freight movement respectively.
• The first modernisation in Australia to convert conventional elevator control to a state of the art 'Destination Control' system at 45 Clarence St, Sydney.

2006:

• Schindler Australia wins the international 'Schindler Trophy' in recognition of a strong dynamic and action oriented management team. effective installation processes which allowed for efficient and on time installations a successful reentry into the high rise market with Schindler 7000 a successful service strategy to protect their growing maintenance portfolio excellent trend in customer satisfaction figures (50% of all installation surveys rated a 5 out of 5 for very satisfied.
• Schindler Australia wins the 2006 Australian Business Excellence Award in the category of Success & Sustainability.

2007:

• Dec 17 Schindler Head Office moves from 52-54 O'Dea Avenue Waterloo to its fresh new facility in Botany.

2008: 

• Schindler Lifts Australia's success continued by securing the two largest New Installation projects of the year. 111 Eagle Street, Brisbane and the City Square Building (now known as Brookfield Place), Perth. These two projects now in use, showcase what Schindler is about. The highest quality and leading installations in the country.

2010's - Today

2011:

• Schindler Australia celebrates its 30th anniversary.
• Managing Director Fernando Xavier ends his time with Schindler Australia and is appointed new Chief Executive for Jardine Schindler Group.

2012:

• Alex McFarlane succeeds as new Managing Director moving up from his role as Existing Installations Operations Manager.
• Schindler wins 'Barangaroo South', the largest and most important property development project in Sydney. Covering a total area of 22 hectares, and valued at A$6 billion, ‘Barangaroo’ is an entire city quarter in itself and aims to demonstrate how urban populations can live sustainably. It is being built on the western edge of the Sydney CBD, and will command a large area of the city’s harbour.

2013:

• Rob Seakins leaves Schindler Hong Kong, and returns to Schindler Australia to take up the appointment of Managing Director.