Fully imported lifts: pros, cons and when to choose one
"Is an imported lift better?" is the question ASAHI hears most. The short answer: a fully imported lift is a good choice when the owner wants one particular design or brand and accepts the waiting time and higher cost. For most townhouses, a joint-venture lift with genuine core components strikes a better balance between durability, cost and speed of service.
1. What a fully imported lift is
A fully imported lift (often just called an "imported lift") is a set manufactured as a whole in a foreign factory, including the machine or drive, controller, cabin, doors, rails and sometimes the shaft frame, then crated and shipped to Vietnam for installation. A joint-venture lift, by contrast, uses imported core components (machine, controller, inverter, safety devices) combined with a cabin and landing doors fabricated locally to the actual shaft dimensions.
2. Advantages
- Integrated design: the whole system is designed and tested together at the factory, with a high level of finish and a recognisable brand style.
- Specialist solutions: many imported lines have their own technologies, such as pitless screw-drive lifts, hydraulic lifts for low-rise homes and all-glass cabins.
- Clear origin documents: certificates of origin (CO) and quality (CQ) for each shipment.
- Brand value: suits premium projects that want a specific international brand.
3. Drawbacks to consider
- Waiting time: made-to-order production and international shipping usually take several months, plus installation time.
- Fixed sizes: cabins are made in standard modules, so an "off-standard" townhouse shaft may need a smaller cabin or shaft alterations.
- Spare parts: some proprietary components must be ordered from abroad. VnBusiness reported cases where a replacement controller from a foreign manufacturer took 3 – 5 months to arrive, leaving a building without a lift for a long time.
- Cost: equipment, duties, shipping and maintenance usually cost more than a joint-venture lift of the same capacity.
- Dependence on the distributor: warranty and maintenance are tied to the authorised dealer; check the strength of their technical team in your area.
4. Compared with Japanese-configured joint-venture lifts
| Criteria | Fully imported | Japanese-configured joint venture |
|---|---|---|
| Core equipment | From the lift set manufacturer | Machine, controller and safety devices from specialist Japanese and European manufacturers |
| Cabin, landing doors | Manufacturer's modules | Fabricated to the actual shaft measurements |
| Lead time | Usually several months | More controllable, fabricated locally |
| Spare parts | Some must be ordered from abroad | Common components, stocked in Vietnam |
| Investment cost | Cao | More reasonable for the same capacity |
| Best for | Projects wanting a specific design or brand | Most townhouses and villas |
The key point: a lift's safety does not depend on the word "imported" but on the quality of its safety components, installation, inspection and maintenance. An imported lift installed in a poorly built shaft will still shake and be noisy; a joint-venture lift with a genuine machine and controller, installed correctly, runs smoothly and reliably for many years.
5. When to choose an imported lift
- The house is finished, no pit can be dug and a specialist screw-drive or hydraulic line is needed.
- The owner wants one particular design or brand for a premium villa.
- The construction schedule allows several months of waiting.
An expert quoted by Thương hiệu & Công luận also advises buyers to put fit with the house dimensions ahead of price, and to ask whether the supplier has technicians and a service centre near the project. ASAHI offers both options and advises based on the actual shaft. When an owner chooses an imported lift, ASAHI helps check the documents and handles installation, inspection and maintenance.
6. Documents to check when buying
- Certificates of origin (CO) and quality (CQ) matching the model and serial number.
- A certificate of conformity under current regulations; this is checked at the initial inspection under the procedure issued with Circular 12/2021/TT-BLĐTBXH.
- Warranty terms, guaranteed response time for faults, and a list of spare parts stocked in Vietnam.
- An inspection report before the lift is put into service.
Frequently asked questions
Are imported lifts more durable than joint-venture lifts?
Not by default. Durability depends on the safety components, installation quality and maintenance. A joint-venture lift with a genuine machine and controller, serviced on schedule, can run reliably for many years.
Why do imported lifts take so long to arrive?
They are made to order in a foreign factory, shipped internationally and cleared through customs before installation.
What documents are needed when buying an imported lift?
CO, CQ, a certificate of conformity and an inspection report before use; check the warranty and spare parts terms carefully.
- Circular 12/2021/TT-BLĐTBXH – lift safety inspection procedure (LuatVietnam, in Vietnamese)
- What to look out for when buying a lift for the first time (Thương hiệu & Công luận, in Vietnamese)
- Chaotic lift maintenance pricing (VnBusiness, in Vietnamese)
This article is for general reference. Figures for each project follow the site survey and the lift supplier's drawings; regulations may be updated, so owners should check the original texts.
Engineers who survey and install home lifts at Vinhomes Ocean Park and Vinhomes Global Gate.
