Hyundai Elevator Commercializes World's First Modular Construction Method 'InnoBlock'

Hyundai Elevator announced on the 19th that it has succeeded in installing elevators in high-rise buildings using modular construction methods for the first time in the world.

Hyundai Elevator announced on the 19th that it has succeeded in installing elevators in high-rise buildings using the modular construction method for the first time in the world. Hyundai Elevator

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On April 17, Hyundai Elevator successfully completed a commercial demonstration and quality inspection of its 27-story application of the modular construction brand "InnoBlock" at the Hillstate Center Park site in Songdo, Incheon. InnoBlock is a next-generation solution in which elevator modules are pre-manufactured and then assembled and installed on-site. This marks the first time in the world that modular elevators for residential buildings with more than 20 floors have been commercialized.

Constructing high-rise buildings requires complex technological elements. Precise construction expertise is essential for factors such as load, cumulative error, and seismic design. Hyundai Elevator addressed these challenges through a "mobile assembly plant." Even a small space of less than 33 square meters can be transformed into a compact factory on-site. Large-volume modules are transported by section and assembled in the shop. This approach increases logistics efficiency and maximizes space utilization, allowing InnoBlock to be installed regardless of location constraints.

InnoBlock reduces high-risk processes such as working at height inside the elevator shaft, which was essential with conventional installation methods. Over 90% of key components are pre-assembled, so only coupling and fastening are required on-site, eliminating hazardous tasks.

The government is strengthening regulations for workplaces where serious industrial accidents have occurred, including restricting participation in public bids and reflecting safety records in financial reviews. It is also considering the enactment of special legislation to boost the supply of "modular housing," which is central to off-site construction. As InnoBlock draws attention in the construction industry, it is also seen as a potential beneficiary of such policy measures.

In particular, InnoBlock can reduce elevator installation time by up to 80% compared to traditional methods, resulting in a shorter overall construction schedule. This enables lower construction costs, earlier occupancy, and improved quality of completion. Its partial application at the Hillstate Center Park site in Songdo demonstrated a reduction in construction time by about 40 days. If applied to the entire site, it is expected to shorten the construction period by more than two months.

Hyundai Elevator has filed numerous patents related to InnoBlock not only in Korea but also in the United States, the Middle East, and other regions. Approximately 50 patents have been filed or applied for, covering modular structures, high-rise applications, and improvements to elevator shafts. The company also plans to file an additional 20 patents based on mobile assembly plant systems and technologies related to module replacement and on-site assembly.

Jo Jae-cheon, CEO of Hyundai Elevator, said, "InnoBlock is a groundbreaking solution that will transform the construction and development paradigm by reducing high-risk work, inefficiencies, and environmental burdens. We will take the lead in elevating the status of 'K-Elevator' from the world's first to the global standard."

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