What Is the Difference Between an Elevator Package and a Combined Elevator?

When it comes to buying an elevator, many building owners and developers run into two common industry terms: the “elevator package” and the “combined elevator.” These represent two different approaches to sourcing components and building an elevator, and choosing the right one has a direct impact on the cost, quality, delivery time, and after-sales service of your project. In this article, we first look at how well-known global elevator brands approach the concept of a “package,” then examine the combined elevator and how it is built, and finally compare the two options side by side to help you make the best choice for your project. If you have any questions while reading, Owjlift's experts are always available for a free consultation.

1. What Is an Elevator Package and What Does It Include?

In elevator industry terminology, the term “package” refers to a coordinated set of mechanical and electrical components required to install and commission an elevator from start to finish — from the drive motor and control panel to the cabin, landing doors, guide rails, wire ropes, safety braking system, and floor-calling equipment. The key point about the package concept is that all, or a large portion, of these components are designed, engineered, and manufactured by a single producer. This integrated approach has several important advantages: full technical compatibility between components, reduced risk of mismatched parts, the benefit of a single, unified warranty for the entire system, and centralized quality control from the factory all the way to installation.

In terms of drive technology, elevator packages are generally divided into a few main categories: traction elevators with a machine room, which use geared or gearless motors; machine-room-less (MRL) elevators, whose motor sits above the shaft and takes up less space; and hydraulic elevators. The choice among these technical systems depends on factors such as the number of stops, travel height, expected traffic, and project budget.

An elevator package is usually also classified according to the building's end use — meaning a separate product family or technical code is defined for each application. For example, a residential elevator package differs clearly from a high-speed commercial package, a hospital package, or a freight elevator package in terms of cabin dimensions, load capacity, speed, and even entrance type. This variety is why major elevator manufacturers around the world design specialized product families, or “packages,” for each market segment instead of offering a single generic product.

2. An Overview of Packages from Reputable Global Elevator Brands

Looking at how several well-known elevator manufacturers around the world approach this concept helps clarify what a “package” really means. The Chinese brand Canny Elevator offers its products as several distinctly labeled packages: a passenger elevator package with a small machine room for residential buildings and renovation projects, an ultra-high-speed commercial package for office towers, a machine-room-less (MRL) package, a panoramic elevator package with a glass cabin, a home-lift package for villas, and specialized packages such as freight elevators, car elevators, and hospital elevators.

Seloon also organizes its products into eight main product families, each representing a distinct package or product series with its own technical code — ranging from passenger and panoramic elevators to freight elevators (THJ series), hospital elevators, machine-room-less elevators, home lifts, and escalators/moving walkways. Shanghai Mitsubishi Elevator and SJEC follow a similar pattern: alongside geared and gearless traction packages, SJEC also offers a machine-room-less package, a hydraulic package for low-rise buildings, and dedicated packages for home lifts and villa elevators.

XJ Schindler likewise categorizes its products under several distinct package lines, including a few different home-lift models, medical elevators, glass elevators, freight elevators, and escalators. Comparing these brands shows that the “package” is a global industry standard for delivering an elevator as an integrated unit, not merely a marketing term — and nearly all major manufacturers worldwide use this same logic to classify their products. It's worth noting for buyers that the final landed cost of these packages also depends on import tariffs and customs regulations in the destination country.

3. What Is a Combined Elevator and How Is It Built?

Alongside the elevator package approach, another common approach in many markets is what's known as a “combined elevator” (sometimes called a mixed or hybrid elevator). A combined elevator is one whose components, instead of coming from a single manufacturer, are selected from several different brands — and even several different countries — and then coordinated and assembled by the installation company. For example, the elevator's motor might come from a European or East Asian brand, the rails and wire ropes from a different supplier, and the control panel and cabin might be custom-designed and installed locally.

In a combined elevator, the control panel is often designed and produced by local companies, while other components such as the motor, automatic doors, or safety systems may be imported from countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, Japan, or China. The main advantage of this approach is the greater local availability of components, which reduces shipping and import costs and shortens the project's delivery time. In addition, since most local installation and maintenance companies are already thoroughly familiar with the installation and troubleshooting procedures for these types of systems, sourcing spare parts and after-sales service for a combined elevator is usually simpler and faster than for a fully imported elevator package.

It's important to understand that a combined elevator does not necessarily mean a drop in quality; the final quality of this type of elevator depends directly on the reputation of the brand behind each selected component and on the installer's expertise in coordinating these parts. For this reason, choosing an experienced, officially licensed company to design and execute the elevator becomes even more important than it is with an elevator package — because with an elevator package, the responsibility for coordinating components rests with the manufacturer, whereas with a combined elevator, that responsibility shifts to the installation company.

4. Advantages and Limitations of the Combined Elevator vs. the Elevator Package

A combined elevator offers several tangible advantages for building owners:

• Lower cost: because components already available in the local market are used and reliance on importing an entire package is reduced, overall project costs tend to be lower. Since the volume and weight of imported parts are lower, international shipping costs are also noticeably lower than importing an elevator package.
• Faster execution: since many components are already available from local suppliers' stock, installation can begin sooner and the overall project delivery time is shorter.
• Easier after-sales service: the widespread familiarity of local elevator service and maintenance companies with these systems makes finding spare parts and resolving faults simpler.
• Design flexibility: the owner can choose a different combination of motor, door, and cabin based on budget and taste.

On the other hand, the elevator package also has its own advantages, which matter more for certain projects:

• Unified warranty: a single warranty is provided by one manufacturer for the entire system.
• Guaranteed compatibility: full technical compatibility between components is ensured from the design stage onward.
• Brand recognition: a well-known global brand can be a competitive and prestige advantage for luxury or international projects.

The main limitation of the elevator package is that its cost depends on import tariffs and customs regulations — meaning the final project cost can change over time. In addition, shipping an entire elevator package internationally costs more than sourcing components locally and can lengthen the project's delivery time, especially where import of components is subject to restrictions or customs delays.

On the other hand, the main limitation of the combined elevator is that its final quality depends on choosing each component correctly and on the installation team's expertise; if the installer lacks sufficient experience, the components may not be properly coordinated, which can affect the device's performance and safety over the long term. One common cause of elevator malfunctions in some projects is precisely this kind of improper matching of combined components — which is why it's strongly recommended that a combined elevator be designed and installed only by a reputable, officially licensed company with a proven track record, to keep this risk to a minimum.

5. Elevator Package vs. Combined Elevator: A Side-by-Side Comparison

To make the decision easier, the table below shows the most important differences between the elevator package and the combined elevator side by side. Note that this comparison represents a general rule and, depending on the chosen brand, elevator type, and the installer's expertise, some details may vary for specific projects.

As the table shows, neither of these two options is absolutely “better” than the other; the right choice depends on each project's specific conditions, including the elevator's structural requirements, the allocated budget, the project schedule, and how important the brand is to the owner. In the next section, we offer more detailed criteria to help with this decision.

6. Which Option Is Better Suited to Your Building? Selection Criteria

The first criterion for choosing between an elevator package and a combined elevator is the building's intended use. For ordinary residential units with a moderate number of floors, a combined elevator usually meets the need and offers a better economic justification. But for high-rise office and commercial towers that require high speed and heavy passenger traffic, or for medical facilities that must meet special standards, an elevator package from a reputable brand is the more reliable choice.

The second criterion is the project's budget and schedule. If you have budget constraints, or your project needs fast equipment delivery due to the construction schedule, a combined elevator can be the more practical option. But if you have sufficient budget and your priority is ensuring full technical coordination and an international elevator standard for a special, luxury project, an elevator package offers greater investment value.

The third — and perhaps the most important — criterion is the choice of the executing company. Regardless of whether you choose an elevator package or a combined elevator, the final quality of the work depends on the installation team's experience, official licensing, and track record. The best way to make the right decision is to consult directly with experts. To purchase an elevator suited to your building's use, number of floors, shaft dimensions, and project budget, simply contact Owjlift's sales experts, who will compare both the elevator package and combined options for you and provide the best recommendation.

7. Summary

In short, an elevator package means receiving a complete, coordinated set of components from a single manufacturer, offering high technical compatibility and a unified warranty, while a combined elevator is made up of quality components from several brands that are coordinated by the installation company, usually at a lower cost and with a shorter delivery time. Neither option is inherently superior; the right choice depends on the building's use, budget, project schedule, and — most importantly — the credibility and expertise of the executing company. Owjlift's elevator consulting team, with more than two decades of experience, is ready to carefully assess your project's needs and recommend the most sensible option between an elevator package and a combined elevator.