FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2018 (Shanghai, China and Oshawa, Canada) ─ EHC Global (EHC), a leading manufacturer of components and integrated solutions to the vertical transportation industry, is pleased to announce that Ronald Ball, founder of EHC, has received the prestigious 2018 Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award in recognition of his many contributions to the City of Shanghai over the past two decades. The awards were presented to fifty foreign individuals representing nineteen countries in an official ceremony held on September 12 in Shanghai with many government officials, business leaders, and other distinguished guests in attendance.
First presented by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government in 1989 and named after the City’s official flower, The Magnolia Silver Award is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a foreigner by the Shanghai government. The award is given annually to expatriates in recognition of their extraordinary contribution to the City of Shanghai in fields such as economy and trade, finance, education, science, technology, health and culture. To date, 1158 individuals have received this award.
“I am honoured and grateful to receive the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award and am delighted to share this award with the EHC staff and family in recognition of their commitment, passion and relentless determination,” Mr. Ball said. “I am very proud to call Shanghai home for more than twenty years and am humbled to be one of approximately fifty Canadians to have been bestowed this prestigious award.”
Mr. Ball founded Escalator Handrail Company, now EHC Global, in 1977 with only two employees in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Within five years, EHC would become a dominant handrail supplier in the North American lift industry. Building on this success and equipped with new technology and production capacity, EHC focused its efforts on globalization and establishing manufacturing and supply chain capabilities strategically located in close proximity to leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
By the early 1990s, EHC began looking at setting up manufacturing in Europe. Jeno Eppel (now EHC President and Chief Executive Officer) and his wife, Diane, moved to Baesweiler, Germany, to launch European production. Since that time, EHC's European operations have grown to include manufacturing, distribution and installation facilities in France and Spain.
At around the same time, two of the world’s largest escalator manufacturers had started to realize some significant success in China and were followed soon after by other OEMs with expansion plans of their own. Taking notice of China’s increasingly significant role in international trade, manufacturing and the shift of production of escalators and elevators to Asia, Mr. Ball moved to China in 1996 to set up a handrail manufacturing plant in Shanghai, which would grow to become one of the largest integrated handrail manufacturing operations in the world.
In the company's 20 years in China, EHC has diversified and introduced additional products. Its Engineered Polymers division opened in 2005 in Shanghai, producing polyurethane rollers for the lift, automotive and agricultural industries. In 2014, EHC's Shanghai High Tech Center began manufacturing composite belts for elevators, enhancing EHC's materials and processing capabilities. Today, EHC operates two manufacturing plants in Shanghai and employs over 300 people. Mr. Ball continues to reside in Shanghai and is frequently asked to share his insights and success story with industry associations, government, business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Last October, Mr. Ball received the prestigious Governor General’s Medallion from the Canadian Government in recognition of his many contributions to international trade and for his efforts in fostering a strong relationship between Canada and China. He is a long-time member of The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Manufacturers’ Business Council. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Ryerson Polytechnical University in Toronto and attended Durham College in Oshawa, Canada. In 2016, EHC Global established the Ronald H. Ball Family Scholarship at Durham College in recognition of EHC’s long-standing relationship with the institution. This annual scholarship is based on academic performance and is granted to a student in Durham College’s School of Business, IT and Management.
About EHC Global Inc.
Established in 1977, EHC Global Inc. (EHC) is a leading manufacturer of handrails, rollers and lift components for escalators, elevators and moving walks. Each day, EHC helps millions of people all over the world move safely and comfortably in public transit systems, shopping malls, airports, office buildings, hospitals, convention centres and other metropolitan spaces. EHC is committed to developing sustainable solutions that optimize safety, enhance value and meet the challenging demands of OEMs, designers, building owners and facility managers. To accomplish this, EHC employs top material scientists and engineers and continues to invest in R&D, product development, and next-generation polymer and composite extrusion technology. EHC has manufacturing and distribution facilities in Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Brazil and China and a global network of sales offices including Mexico, Slovakia, United Kingdom and the USA as well as EHC partners in all major markets globally. For more information about EHC, visit www.ehc-global.com.
-30-
Media Contact:
John M. Calderon
Director of Marketing
EHC Global
1287 Boundary Road, Oshawa, ON L1J 6Z7 (Canada)
O: 905-432-6600, Ext. 217
M: 647-456-7547
www.ehc-global.com
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.