Month: April 2022

42 years of history and more than 140,000 installations worldwide

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 21, 2022. Posted in News.

The history of Vimec is a history made of people: the people who have trusted us by choosing our product, the partners who collaborate with us all over the world, and the members of the Vimec team, together with the network of suppliers.

Since April 1980 we have grown as a big family, designing and implementing solutions that improve people’s lives: in 42 years of history, which we celebrate today, we have exceeded 140,000 installations worldwide.

This wonderful birthday makes us proud and puts us in a position to face the challenges of the future, guided by the values we want to express – passion, integrity, commitment – at the service of people and a world without barriers.

Disabilities and planes: how to fly without barriers

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

Travelling can seem extremely complicated for people with disabilities or mobility problems, especially when using means of public transport. Thanks to the European Guidelines and Regulations designed to ensure that the rights of all passengers are respected, planes are perhaps some of the most accessible means of transport.

In fact, airlines offer flights that are safe and comfortable for all passengers by researching special solutions and services for people with permanent and temporary disabilities.

Accessibility at the airport

Certain Italian airports, such as Rome Fiumicino, Turin and Milan Malpensa, feature “Sale Amiche” (Friendly Rooms), where people with disabilities can obtain information and assistance. In addition to televisions, nurseries, and children’s toys, these rooms also contain telephones for the deaf, lavatories free of architectural barriers, newspapers and magazines in Braille, and special armchairs for people with disabilities. People with disabilities and their assistants can contact the check-in desks at all Italian airports for any information or necessity.

Safe gates

Airlines cannot deny boarding for reasons associated with disabilities or mobility problems.

Passengers with disabilities also have the right to check or carry on two mobility devices free of charge.

A wheelchair is available on board to facilitate the movements of disabled passengers, and aisle seats with folding armrests are reserved for people with disabilities.

In many cases, guide dogs are even permitted in the cabin, provided that they are muzzled and on a leash, otherwise they can travel in a special kennel in the baggage compartment.

Know before you go

In order to avoid unpleasant mishaps at the airport, it is recommended to ask the airline beforehand about the procedures and time frames necessary for the various communications and requests. According to the European guidelines, a passenger is required to notify the airline of any special requirements he/she may have at least 48 hours prior to departure, so that the airline can arrange the necessary assistance.

Be sure to carefully read your selected airline’s terms and conditions, as this will allow you to enjoy your air travel experience in complete comfort and with the utmost peace of mind, without any problems or inconveniences.

Dolce Vita Chair Stairlift: extremely easy to use

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

Everyone wants to be able to move about their homes easily and independently. So why should the expectations of the elderly be any different?

With Vimec’s Dolce Vita model chair stairlift, reaching the second floor of the home is child’s play, thanks to its extraordinary ease of use.

The ergonomic joystick on the armrest allows the chair to be moved in both directions: all it takes is a simple gesture!

The chair is also equipped with a red button just below the joystick: this control allows the chair to be stopped at the desired point in the event that the user should choose to stop its movement before reaching the destination floor.

And if the stairlift is used by someone else, it can be easily called back to the desired floor thanks to the easy-to-use radio controls and the infrared remote control.

The convenient and easy to use DolceVita model chair stairlift is the perfect solution for complete freedom of movement!

For more information about Vimec’s Dolce Vita model chair stairlift, fill out the “Contact Request” form… our experts will be at your complete disposal!

Dolce Vita Chair Stairlift: the only one Made in Italy

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

LHome is a place of love, family, and memories… it’s an extremely important part of our lives. That’s why we continuously seek to improve it, by renovating it with the best available materials, or furnishing it with fine and elegant furniture.

We strive to make it comfortable and suitable for our needs, which are constantly changing. We want to enjoy it in complete freedom, without any limitations and in maximum comfort.

That’s why Vimec has come up with an elegant and refined product that’s capable of adapting to any type of home: the Dolce Vita Chair Stairlift.

This next generation chair stairlift is the ideal solution for effortlessly overcoming the home’s staircase, which, over the years, can come to pose a serious obstacle within the home.

The Dolce Vita model is unique.

Among all the chair stairlift models, it’s the only one designed and manufactured entirely in Italy, and it even guarantees an excellent price/quality ratio.

There are various benefits to choosing a Made in Italy product:

no middlemen: from the factory directly to your home;
custom design and construction, based specifically on your needs and requirements;
wide-reaching after sales support: possibility of directly contacting the support centre nearest your home.
free technical and fiscal advice.

Like all Vimec products, the Dolce Vita chair stairlift is built according to the high quality standards required by the European regulations: high quality means excellent durability.

Contact one of our consultants now to help you choose the perfect Dolce Vita chair stairlift for your home.

Co-housing: a solution for everyone

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

Co-housing, or rather the choice to live together with other families, and to share not only your living environments, but also your free time, has become increasingly popular in recent years, even in Italy.

Many families choose to jointly build a common housing complex, which, in addition to the individual apartments, also contains various common areas, like laundry rooms, play rooms for children, gardens, libraries, and often even a kitchen and dining area for shared meals.

This isn’t just a way to save money by sharing expenses, but it also allows for numerous social benefits to be obtained.

In fact, co-housing allows people to avoid being alone, and can be an ideal housing solution for the elderly, who, while still retaining their own private quarters, have various opportunities to enjoy the companionship of other families, and can make themselves useful, for example, by helping them out with small domestic or maintenance tasks, or can even serve as adoptive grandparents for their children, who might need to be looked after while their parents are busy.

Guaranteed accessibility

One important aspect for residential co-housing complexes is the elimination of architectural barriers, in order to ensure that there are no limitations for the inhabitants or any guests.

An excellent solution in this regard is to install a lift, which ensures greater home comfort for everyone, above all for people with disabilities, the elderly, and mothers with small children strollers.

Furthermore, the current electric lifts, such as the EcoVimec, offer the eco-compatibility characteristics required for co-housing structures. In fact, the sharing of rooms and resources naturally leads to behavioural and attitude changes that favour energy savings and the eco-sustainability of the community itself, such as ethical purchasing groups, or car sharing, for example.

Co-housing is an important life choice that offers countless advantages!

Maximum safety with Vimec’s Dolce Vita chair stairlift

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

The issue of safety is increasingly important nowadays: whether we’re talking about safety at home, in the car, or at the workplace, there are many rules, measures, and available tools for rendering every moment of the day, and every movement that we make, as safe as possible.

The home is certainly the place where we feel safest and most at ease, because we know it like the back of our hand. In fact, since we want it to remain safe and well-suited to our needs over the course of years, the installation of a system for overcoming architectural barriers can prove to be an excellent decision.

Safety is an extremely important element for Vimec as well, and its products are equipped with all the features and characteristics necessary to render them as safe as possible.

Vimec’s Dolce Vita chair stairlift includes all the features necessary to ensure maximum reliability and comfort for the user:

Safety sensors positioned on the tread platform and automatic carriage: the chair comes to a gentle stop if an obstacle is encountered
Safety belt: with an automatic rewinding mechanism, to adapt perfectly to the user’s physical structure
Tread platform with non-slip surface and safety edges
Seat designed to rotate 75°, to allow the passenger to exit safely and conveniently
User joystick on the armrest for optimal control over the chair’s direction of movement
Slowed departure and arrival feature

Vimec’s technology and experience guarantee the safety of its customers!

How much does a stairlift cost?

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

Our daily goal is to offer increasingly better services and to ensure the satisfaction of those who choose Vimec for their comfort and mobility needs.

We are always available to provide those who contact us for the first time with any information they may require about our products and solutions for easily and conveniently overcoming staircases at home. One of the questions that we hear most often from new customers regards the price of a new stairlift (such as the Vimec Dolce Vita stairlift) and the reason the price isn’t specified in the catalogue or on the website.

The answer is simple: it’s not possible to provide a single fixed price for the installation of a stairlift.

All of Vimec’s systems are made to measure in order to meet the specific needs of their buyers and their installation environments. Every stairlift installed is unique, and the cost therefore changes based on various factors:

Type and length of the staircase: it is important to and determine the side of the staircase upon which it needs to be installed, as well as the length of the run, the number of curves, and any intermediate stops required;
The most suitable model: since each customer has different requirements, it is necessary to identify the most suitable stairlift by taking all of their particular needs into account;
The living environment: in addition to eliminating the problem of overcoming the stairs within the home, a stairlift must also have characteristics and finishes that allow it to be perfectly integrated within the surrounding living environment. Your Vimec consultant will be able to determine the best solution for your home.
Special installations: not all staircases are suitable for installing a stairlift, and, in certain cases, it is necessary to come up with ad hoc solutions in order to achieve this goal.

All it takes is a free, no-commitment, on-site inspection by a technical consultant to evaluate the type of staircase to be overcome, and the most suitable stairlift model to be installed.

The consultant will also provide you with a detailed illustration of how Vimec will create a solution tailored to your needs, complete with all the customisation possibilities, in order to meet all of your requirements, even in terms of pricing.

The S11 platform lift: a versatile accessibility solution for public places

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

Versatility, modern design, and ease of use: these are the main characteristics of Vimec’s S11 model platform lift.

A perfect solution for guaranteeing accessibility to various public buildings:

it perfectly meets the functional and aesthetic requirements of any environment, even the most prestigious, thanks to its modern and elegant design;
it’s easy to use thanks to the controls located on-board and at the floor stations, and is particularly comfortable (soft start/stop system), thus providing wheelchair users with complete autonomy;
it requires a minimal opening (0-165), so it’s installation is truly made to measure;
it’s available with five types of runs, for height gaps of up to 2.99 m;
advanced safety systems: safety nut catch device, anti-shearing bellows, photocells on the exit side.

The S11 platform lift can be installed both indoors and outdoors, in three different configurations:

1. Free-standing
2. Vano con protezione in acciaio
3. Masonry shaft

Special installations

The S11 model is never self supporting, and must always be secured to the wall. If the turret cannot be secured to the load-bearing wall due to offsets, balconies, windows, or protrusions, special brackets can be created to support the entire system.

The S11 platform lift an excellent solution for providing access to any public building, and is built according to Vimec’s high quality standards.

Teaching accessibility

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

In recent years, the issue of accessibility has become increasingly important, and this has increased the need to ensure the complete accessibility of public places and buildings, such as museums, exhibition venues, theatres, monuments, tourist attractions, etc.

When we think of architectural barriers, we usually think of steps, uneven flooring, and anything else that might pose a physical obstacle for people in wheelchairs or with mobility problems; we rarely realise, however, that there are also other types of “barriers” that people with disabilities have to face everyday.

These barriers depend upon the awareness of the community itself, which often doesn’t fully understand the needs of people with disabilities.

The aim of creating a culture of accessibility is not only to render every place accessible to all, but also to provide instructions on the right way to handle each type of disability, and to raise awareness of what each of us can do every day to help make people with disabilities feel like they’re an integral part of our communities.

One excellent example is provided by the City of Milan, which in recent years has sought to

www.milanopertutti.it), especially to tourists with disabilities, even by launching a website dedicated to accessible tourism (www.milanopertutti.it), where people with disabilities can find all the information needed to visit the city without any limitations.

Numerous places of interest have been rendered accessible to everyone. For example, a Vimec V64 platform stairlift has now been installed at the San Siro Stadium. Many public offices also have platform lifts for people with disabilities, such as the V65 stairlift present at the Pontechiasso post office.

The city has also created an e-learning platform for all those who work in direct contact with the public, and therefore need to receive training with regard to accessibility and the accommodation of people with disabilities: www.milanoaccogliente.it.

This website provides free online courses for people operating in the tourism and social services sectors, such as restaurant managers, taxi drivers, travel companions, welfare workers, etc.; the courses explain how to interact with people based on their type of disability, with particular attention being placed upon the needs associated with the various disabilities themselves.

It’s a concrete form of assistance for everyone, and represents one more step towards a world that’s completely accessible to everyone!

The Vimec Dolce Vita chair stairlift: in complete harmony with your style

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

The home reflects the tastes of its inhabitants… of those who have chosen it as the place to love and nurture their family; over the course of the years it’s embellished, maintained, enriched with memories and keepsakes, or carefully selected furnishings.

That’s why the installation of a lifting system (whether a chair stairlift or a homelift) is an important step, as it changes the layout and the contours of the home, even from an aesthetic standpoint.

It’s an element that will enrich the home and improve the lives of all of its inhabitants with greater comfort and accessibility, while at the same time remaining in perfect harmony with the style of the house itself, and with the tastes of those who live there.

Vimec has designed and created the Dolce Vita chair stairlift in such a way that it can be harmoniously inserted within any kind of environment, from the most traditional to the most modern. In fact, the available customisations allow the chair stairlift to blend in as much as possible with the existing décor, or, conversely, to make it a focal point, while nevertheless remaining consistent with the style of the surroundings.

With three different seat colours available and a guide rail that can be customised with any colour from the RAL range, the Dolce Vita chair stairlift can be prepared based on the specific tastes and preferences of the customer.

Three different installations of the Vimec Dolce Vita model, each with different customisations, in order to create elegant, refined, and accessible environments, complete with all the comfort and practicality typical of Vimec stairlifts.

An ivory coloured seat and guide rail allow the chair stairlift to completely blend in to the staircase; the contours of the guide rail simultaneously follow and become part of the staircase’s banister, thus resulting in an elegant and refined style.

The guide rail features a lively colour tone, as requested by the customer, in such a way as to bring out the wood tones of the staircase itself; the brown seat is particularly elegant, and goes well with the rest of the furnishings.

Vimec Platforms to Mexico City

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

Vimec ensures accessibility to Mexico City Underground
Through a joint effort with one of its dealers in Latin America, Vimec will be able to ensure accessibility for disabled people in 4 metro stations which belong to line 12 of Mexico City Underground.

With over twenty million people, Mexico City is one of the biggest cities in the world and the line 12 one of the most crowded lines of this Central American metropolis.
The installation of Vimec platforms will take place in the first half of 2012.

Vimec Presents the Unique Ecovimec

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

The ecological and unique traction lift ECOVimec is a great solution for several reason:

· D.M. 42/2006 compliant
· MRL-Machine RoomLess
· Without counterweight
· Load capacity up to 400 kg

· 5 stops, travel 14,6 m
· Automatic sliding doors
· Space saving
· Easy maintenance – accessible from within cabin
· Quick installation

Click here to reach the product details.

A splendid Capri chairlift

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

We’d like to show you a really great chairlift installation, an extremely satisfied customer and a photo that we share with pride.

The lady who contacted Vimec received a visit by the professional consultant for the free site inspection, and was able to assess the quote alongside all the various incentives available under Italian law.

The support provided in choosing the most suitable solution for this user’s needs and those of her family, combined with the aim to enhance the aesthetic value of her home, led to the decision to install the Capri chairlift.

Our customer congratulated Vimec for our fast response and the excellence of the installed system, which fits seamlessly into the home environment, and she allowed us publish some photos of her home.

S10, the flexible steplift by Vimec

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

The S10 platform lift ensures ACCESSIBILITY to:

-Private premises (banks, restaurants, shops, offices)

-Public buildings (schools, institutes)

-Homes and residential buildings

S10 is available with three travel distances:
• 1.100 mm
• 1.600 mm
• 2.100 mm

Standard equipment:

• Door, guards and gate posts in painted metal (RAL 7040)
• Hold-to-run controls both on the lift and at the floors
• Emergency stop on lift
• Controls at floor and on lift with removable key
• 24 VDC auxiliary circuit
• Electromechanical locks with removable contact;
Electric locks with EN certification
• Automatic overspeed safety valve
• Manual descent function for use in the event of blackout
• Door can be opened from exterior with key
• Anti-crushing edge guard
• Safety edge-under platform proximity sensors

Vimec will be among the Italian excellences present at Interlift in Augsburg, Germany.

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

During the world’s main Trade Fair dedicated to lifts and vertical transport in general (INTERLIFT – Augsburg, Germany, from 15 to 18 October 2013), Vimec will be present at the Magnificent Italy stand, with its S10 platform liftand a T09 Roby model mobile stairclimber.

The Magnificent Italy stand arose from a joint initiative between the German trade fair organizer AFAG and the Italian publication Elevatori, with the aim of creating a space dedicated to Italian excellences, with a focus upon the undisputed prestige of several manufacturers in the industry, and flanking it with major brands and flagship products from the Italian market: Ferrari, Ducati, various Fashion Designers (Prada, Armani, Flos), and companies associated with Italy’s Wine & Food culture.

At the Magnificent Italy stand, visitors can admire Italian excellences next to the products of Italian companies like Vimec, and take a break in the tasting area, where samples of Prosecco, genuine Parmesan cheese, pizza, and pasta will be offered on a daily basis.

Vimec at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi (Russia) 2014

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

For the first time in its history Russia will host the Winter Olympic Games, during the month of February 2014. The event will take place in the southern russian resort city of, Sochi on the Black Sea.

For this large-scale event several projects are being implemented with the aim to build a winter paradise. A particular importance inside the planning for the Olympic Games is given to the needs of people with disabilities, by ensuring them accessibility and mobility, through a project to which Vimec will take part.

In the Olympic village and the nearest dedicated areas 350 Vimec installations will ensure accessibility and mobility for people with disabilities. Russian’s dealers support has been essential to gain the contract, and Vimec is going to supply more than 350 stairlifts with platform.

This is an unique opportunities for Vimec to promote its tailored solutions and its own brand, with the opportunity to strengthen trade relations with its partners, not only in Russia but all over the world.

A Venice accessible to everyone: is it even possible?

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

A grandiose work of art, the city of Venice, has recently found itself embroiled in controversy on the Internet. The complaint of a Venetian girl has ignited a controversy about the inability to get around and live in Venice due to the numerous architectural barriers, thus mobilising the likes of Bernardo Bertolucci, and even Mayor Orsini himself. After recalling the recent interventions carried out to facilitate the mobility of people with disabilities in Venice, the city’s mayor nevertheless declared that no historical city is entirely accessible to the disabled.

And yet the fact that it took the web reporter, armed with crutches and a wheelchair, more than three and a quarter hours to go from the train station to St. Mark’s Square makes you wonder. The thirteen bridges that separate these two points of the city have transformed themselves from splendid attractions into difficult obstacles. How can one admire the architecture of Ponte Calatrava or Ponte della Paglia when they have become unscalable walls for so many people?

Will the world’s most beautiful city, which arose from the fusion of Venetian, Byzantine, and Gothic art, ever be accessible to everyone? We’re not just talking about tourists, but also hundreds of Venetians with disabilities or elderly people with mobility issues. We like to think that one day it will be. The market of overcoming architectural barriers is always ready to offer both vertical and horizontal solutions, and Vimec will certainly do its part to offer solutions made it to measure, thus ensuring the mobility of people with disabilities in complete safety and comfort. The Venetian building code has already changed, and now even permits the installation of outdoor lifts on historic buildings. These will allow people to get out of the house and move about more freely. Finally, with projects like “”Gondolas without barriers””, which will provide people in wheelchairs with direct access to gondolas, the city of canals will gradually become increasingly accessible.

The future looks promising.

https://youtu.be/3qqFtMGtAbw

A new design for Vimec’s S10 platform lift

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

Ideal for ensuring independence and freedom of movement for people with mobility issues in both public and private buildings, the S10 platform lift is perfect for overcoming height gaps of up to 3 metres.

The S10 platform lift is capable of overcoming height gaps ranging from 1.1m to 2.99m. Useful for people with disabilities confined to wheelchairs, as well as for the entire family.

Suitable for any environment

The S10 platform lift adapts perfectly to the functional and aesthetic requirements of any environment thanks to its meticulous design and various customisation possibilities. The S10 is finished in painted steel (RAL 7040), and can be furnished with a stainless steel structure upon request, complete with charcoal coloured polycarbonate bumpers to protect the edges and the floor gate.

Safe and comfortable

The S10 model is designed to ensure maximum safety for the entire family (both for people who want to bring greater value to their homes, as well as for the elderly and people with disabilities), and features the following safety systems:

access bar or gate
shaft protection with bellows
double bottom with pressure sensitive edges to prevent any possibility of crushing.

Thanks to its soft start/stop system, the motor (equipped with inverter) renders the unit’s functionality particularly smooth.

Reduced installation times

The platform lift comes furnished preassembled, and allows the system to be installed either indoors (inside a shop or office building, to connect two floors) or outdoors (on the façade of a private home or condominium, in order to provide access to a balcony from the ground floor).

In addition to being quick, safe, and easy to use, the S10 does not require any structural interventions.

Vimec and its dealers: teamwork makes all the difference!

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

There are 84 days left until the start of the 2014 Olympics and Para Olympics in Sochi, and the preparation work for the participating athletes and around the Olympic village is intensifying.

As previously reported, Vimec is also engaged in this process, as it is reinforcing its commitment to ensuring accessibility and freedom of movement throughout Sochi with the installation of 370 Vimec systems.

In order to share our experience in the field with our partners, we are developing a dedicated website aimed at reinforcing our partnerships with our dealers around the world.

The project is currently in progress, and the website’s publication will be announced in the near future.

Vimec’s relationships with its dealers are based on a successful teamwork model, which the company intends to reinforce by encouraging the exchange of information and experiences.

Car sharing: a service for everyone

Written by Olesea Mihalas on April 19, 2022. Posted in News.

Car sharing is becoming an increasingly popular service, both for getting around in the city, as well as for pleasure trips, like vacations. In fact, in large cities, where public transport is efficient and readily available, people are increasingly choosing not to own a car, and instead to make use of rental services whenever they might need one.

Car sharing is likewise becoming increasingly popular among people who are visiting cities on business or vacation, after having arrived by air or by train.

Autonomy and independence are needs shared by all. People with disabilities often find themselves having to depend upon others, and having to ask for help for even small journeys, like travelling just a few km by car.

For this reason, many Italian municipalities are launching car sharing services with drivers dedicated to people with disabilities, or are offering rental cars with special controls suitable for those who are able to drive on their own.

In Milan, for example, the Easy Move rental car and driver service has expanded its fleet to include cars and buses equipped for transporting people with mobility problems. The drivers are specialized in the transport of people with disabilities, and, despite having registered offices in Milan, the service is nevertheless available all over Italy 24/7.

In January of 2017, a major car sharing project for the disabled, titled “Guido io”, was launched in Palermo, the concept of which was entirely different from that of Milan. In fact, it’s a car rental service that offers cars with special controls for people with disabilities who are able to drive on their own, and therefore don’t require a driver. This significant milestone makes Palermo the only Italian and European city to offer a car sharing service of this type for people with disabilities. The 4 cars will be operational as of 1 February, and will be rendered available to any users who may request them at various locations throughout the city.

These two different ways of improving the lives of people with disabilities are aimed at ensuring increasingly accessible mobility, and are two examples that we hope will be copied in other Italian cities and beyond, for a “world that’s truly accessible to everyone”!

Month: April 2022

Accessibility at the airport

Safe gates

Know before you go

For more information about Vimec’s Dolce Vita model chair stairlift, fill out the “Contact Request” form… our experts will be at your complete disposal!

The Dolce Vita model is unique.

Guaranteed accessibility

Special installations

Suitable for any environment

Safe and comfortable

Reduced installation times

Contact Us