The Schindler Aufzüge AG service engineers have their replacement parts delivered right to the construction site at lightning speed

Schindler, the number one in the Swiss elevator and escalator business, transports countless numbers of people every day and insists on the highest quality without exception. Thanks to the dense service network, a service engineer is always quickly on site for repair work or emergencies. For many years, Schindler has relied on swissconnect ag, the fastest and most sustainable courier service in Switzerland, for the express delivery of urgently required construction or replacement parts. In the following text, you’ll find out more about this exciting collaboration.

Outsourcing the courier service

Before collaboration with swissconnect, Schindler operated 18 regional warehouses in Switzerland with their own employees and courier vehicles. When a service engineer urgently needed a particular replacement part, he either drove to the allocated regional warehouse or a member of logistics staff drove out to him in a car to meet him half-way and handed over the replacement part at the meet-up point. In every case, the service engineer had to leave the construction site, lost precious time on the road and the down-time of the system continued even longer. Since 2015, swissconnect has been working together with its local partner couriers, Velokurier Luzern Zug, who took over the delivery of all urgently required replacement parts for Schindler Aufzüge AG.

By outsourcing the express deliveries to swissconnect, we have been able to drive forward centralisation and reduce our fixed costs considerably. The existing central warehouse was expanded, and we were able to close the 18 peripheral warehouses. Since then, not only do our service engineers get the parts they need even quicker, but they can also concentrate completely on the repair work – this benefits our customers.

Darryl Schmid Head Supply Chain Service, Schindler Aufzüge AG

Digital courier order via API interface

The Schindler service engineers always have the parts they frequently need with them in their service vans. But when a special component is required for the repair work, the service engineer sends an order for this out from the work site to the central warehouse via SAP app. The information is transmitted to the swissconnect logistics software via an API interface and Velokurier Luzern sends an order out to the nearest courier for the pick-up in the Ebikon central warehouse. For smaller items, a bicycle or cargo bike is used; the natural gas delivery van is used for larger items or multiple parts. The parts are loaded onto the next available train by the courier in Lucerne and are transported free of traffic jams and practically emissions-free to their destination – Switzerland-wide. A partner courier commissioned by swissconnect is already waiting there on the platform and offloads the express consignment from the closed-off compartment. Shortly before delivery, the service engineer is contacted by telephone and the exact meeting place arranged. The courier hands the replacement part over to him personally at the construction site. The digital order transmission via API interface from the SAP-ERP guarantees an uncomplicated, error-free and, above all, fast order process.

Express logistics plays an important role within the supply chain. Our elevators are also located in important buildings such as hospitals and have to be in constant operation and repaired quickly in the event of a breakdown.

Darryl Schmid Head Supply Chain Service, Schindler Aufzüge AG

CO2 emissions reduced massively through swissconnect

The theme of sustainability is also given highest priority in the core business at Schindler. So, for example, the brake energy of an elevator can be converted into electricity and fed into the building. The collaboration with swissconnect is therefore very fitting, since the logistics software selects the fastest and most environmentally-friendly mix of transport from among bicycle, train, car and delivery van for every express delivery. This means a huge reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional courier services. In 2018, 85 945 kg CO2 for all express deliveries that were made to Schindler service engineers throughout Switzerland. This is the equivalent of saving around 34 378 litres of petroleum.Thanks to the clever swissconnect transport system, the replacement parts arrived with the Schindler Aufzüge AG service engineers faster and most ecologically than with any other courier service in Switzerland.


Schindler Aufzüge AG is based in Ebikon and is the number one in the Swiss elevator and escalator business. The 2500 employees and 300 trainees deliver true Swiss quality day after day. 550 service engineers, 320 installers and 80 maintenance technicians form the densest network of maintenance, assembly and repair personnel in Switzerland.

Christoph Masoner
Are you looking for an express logistics partner for spare parts throughout Switzerland?

Whether on the telephone, via e-mail or a visit in person – we’re here for you.

Christoph Masoner
Chairman of the Executive Board, Key Account Manager
041 244 20 01
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