Russia's Elevator Fleet: Between Import Substitution and Infrastructure Wear

The Scale of the Task: 88,000 Elevators

According to the PPK Fund for Territory Development, 632,000 elevators are installed in apartment buildings. By 2030, 88,000 elevators must be replaced—14% of the total. Of these, regional operators plan to replace 47,800, while 40,200 will be replaced through special accounts.

The Fund's press service explains:

"Elevator replacement in apartment buildings is carried out within the framework of regional capital repair programs. To date, all 79 regions with outdated elevators in apartment buildings have approved five-year replacement plans. These plans contain information on the number of elevators and funding sources for their replacement, including elevators in apartment buildings with special accounts."

In 2025, more than 18,550 elevators were replaced—higher than in previous years. The main funding source is homeowners' capital repair contributions (80%), with another 20% coming from budget support, including through the mechanism of writing off budget loans.

According to the Fund, the share of elevators requiring replacement decreases annually. However, the scale of accumulated wear remains significant.

Import Substitution: 80% Localization and Vulnerable Components

The elevator industry was traditionally considered dependent on foreign technologies. However, in recent years, Russia's production base has strengthened substantially.

As noted by the head of the Russian Elevator Association (RLO) Pyotr Kharlamov: about 30 manufacturers operate in the country: 10 large ones, around 15 medium-sized producers, and 5 in the small segment.

"We are one of the industries that has advanced the most and can achieve up to 80% import substitution in production."

In conversation with Argument Media, Pyotr Kharlamov said that despite the high level of localization, the industry still maintains dependence on imports for several technologically complex components. This primarily concerns frequency converters, which ensure smooth cabin movement and door operation, as well as certain types of winches—especially gearless systems, which still require further import substitution. Additionally, bottlenecks remain even in basic components: for example, bearings for elevator equipment continue to be supplied from abroad.

Alexey Zakharov, First Vice President of the National Elevator Union, adds:

"The most critical items are high-speed elevators with speeds above 4 m/s and lifting heights above 100 m. Domestic models have just completed certification tests and are preparing to enter serial production."

Thus, the industry remains vulnerable in the electronics and complex drive systems segment.