A MULTI-BRAND COMPANY PROJECTED TOWARDS THE FUTURE
Today I want to talk to you about something much more important than technology or business; I want to speak to you about peace of mind, and trust, and how we have been elevating not only people but also dreams, families, and entire communities since 1971. I introduce you to Sotecsa Ascensores S.A., a company that has grown with a clear purpose: Making your day-to-day life easier, safer, and worry-free. Founded by two visionaries, Víctor Montenegro and Patricio Lofat, Sotecsa is more than a company: It is synonymous with a commitment to quality and safety.
From the start, Sotecsa Ascensores S.A. adopted a clear vision: To be a multi-brand company. What does this mean? We have always had access to the best, choosing what works, and what makes the difference for our customers. We make sure to stay at the forefront of technology and innovation, serving 30% of the elevators in the V region, with a presence in Santiago and Iquique. The reason why so many people choose Sotecsa and continue to choose us for decades is that we offer something that no one else can match: A 10-year electronic modernization guarantee.
Think about this for a moment: Imagine investing 30 million pesos in two elevators, with the peace of mind that your investment is 100% covered for 10 years. 10 years of guarantee without worrying about failures, without extra costs!
We solve any problem without you having to pay a penny more. We do not just offer technology; we offer security, and that is invaluable.
We know that the initial cost of modernizing an elevator can be a challenge for some communities or companies that is why at Sotecsa Elevators we go one-step further: We offer flexible financing. If there are cash flow problems, we have the solution. Our goal is clear: we want our clients to modernize without financial stress, always with the latest in technology and security.
Now, let us talk about something even more important: Safety. Our founder Victor Montenegro was part of the team that developed the NSH 2840/1 standard in 2004, raising safety standards in the industry. While the MINVU requires 2,500 UF coverage for elevator accidents, we offer 10,000 UF. Why? Because at Sotecsa we believe that, there is no price for the safety of our users and workers. If an accident occurs along the installation or during maintenance, your elevators are covered, and our workers are protected with an additional 3,000 UF coverage.
Our commitment is not just to install elevators; it is to offer complete solutions. We care about every detail, so that you can focus on what really matters. With Sotecsa Elevators, your projects are not just investments; they are long-term peace of mind.
So I invite you to join the Sotecsa Ascensores S.A. family, where your safety is guaranteed and your peace of mind is our promise. Thank you for your time, and we look forward to continuing to elevate your projects with confidence, innovation and safety!
Below is the interview we had with Revista del Ascensor in Santiago de Chile at the end of last October.
Patricio Lofat
Revista del Ascensor: – How many elevators do you maintain today?
Víctor Montenegro: – We maintain more than 1,500 elevators. There are about eight hundred in Viña del Mar, five hundred in Santiago, and two hundred in Iquique. It is important to highlight that our great Rosa Agustina Guanaqueros project opened to the public on January 2, 2025: A project comprising the sale and installation of 15 state-of-the-art elevators.
The client’s request gradually grew because of the professionalism of SOTECSA and resulted in the expansion from Viña to Santiago and Iquique.
R del A.: – Tell me, how did you start?
V.M.:- I entered INACAP in 1975 a technical institute in Chile, to study mechanics. My first job after graduating in 1981 was in a textile company. I quickly achieved the highest standard and hit the ceiling. When I decided to get married and to start a family, I resigned from my position to look for another job.
Patricio Lofat :- I am a Commercial Engineer from the University Of Santiago De Chile. I started in elevators in Heavenward S.A. where I worked in the financial and commercial area. Little by little, I have to know this wonderful trade.
R del A.: – Victor, did you already have something in mind at that time?
V.M.: – I had nothing but I did not want to be another cog in the industry either.
P.L.: – I always thought about creating an elevator company with a partner who was involved in what we do and today time has proven me right, more than 25 years together.
R del A: – It was a different time in elevators
P.L.: – Yes, in elevators there was much more monopoly, the main companies were Otis, Thyssen, Schindler and Heavenward.
V.M.: – I showed up at Otis and immediately started as an apprentice installing elevators. I quickly learned what had to be done, the technique used at that moment was less complex than today. I worked on the scaffolding, installing wires.
After six months, I had already made a significant journey. I moved on to other areas such as maintenance, and repair of major installations, and I became Head of Repairs.
R del A.: – It is clear that you learned quickly.
V.M.: – At Otis there were many training courses. I took all the courses there were. I was hungry for knowledge. There was a boss in Santiago, who was the boss of all bosses, who always asked me to help him and assist him in Viña, where I lived. There came a time when I was doing everything myself, and when I realized that, after 10 years of continuous learning and accumulating experience, I decided to become independent together with two partners.
R del A.: – You decided to go on your own.
V.M.: – I had all the knowledge I had accumulated up to that moment,
I no longer had the engineer with me, nor anyone else to support me, but I was well prepared and that is when the bigger commitments began as well. Now if I made mistakes I had to take responsibility. However, from then on it became easy, since I mastered all the areas.
Over time and for different reasons I finished the original company and with Patricio, started Sotecsa Ascensores in 2003.
R del A.: – And you, Patricio had such a meteoric career?
P.L.:- As I told you before, I am in charge of the administrative part of Sotecsa. Anyway, during my time at Heavenward, I asked the manager to let me go on the road, because I wanted to know about the elevators job. I went for two months and learned everything. Then I understood how an elevator worked.
R del A.: – When did you become partners?
P.L.: – We have known each other for a long time. Precisely at Heavenward, when it represented LG. Victor was uncharged of installing the LGs in Viña del Mar. We were not yet working together but Victor asked me to audit his company where he shared the management with another partner. From there we established a very good bond and began our partnership. I have always said that in partnerships there has to be compatibility. At Sotecsa, Victor handles his own thing very well and I handle mine very well also. Each one does what he is supposed to do. That has motivated my taste for sales, something that awoke in me over time. I started selling, looking for information, making new clients; I know just what is necessary to sell the product and to be able to close a sale.
V.M.:- And I do not get involved in Patricio Lofat’s area. When we arrive at a business meeting where there are four or five people, I review the engineering part with the engineers and Patricio attends to the financial and commercial issues.
Mr. Montenegro tells us that their company employs 25 people in its three locations and, speaking of the technical-business profile of the firm, he explains that they specialize in installations, maintenance, repair and modernization of elevators. “All the materials we use come to us directly from abroad,” he adds – “mostly from Europe and Asia. We do not manufacture, we prefer to work with approved and certified materials and components. “The ease of importing that we have in Chile discouraged manufacturing, but facilitated our activity, says Don Victor.”
R del A. – What market sector have you focused on?
V.M.: – We mainly serve residential buildings, clinics, medical centers, hotels, resorts, which requires constant attention due to the high frequency of traffic they have. We also work with community managers who hire our services.
R del A.: – Some companies have gained a lot of ground against multinationals in recent years. Do you compete with them in the market?
V.M.: – We got the skills, training and experience for any type of installation, but we are interested on that target and do no enter in prices competition.
R del A.: – Regarding the training and qualification of your operators, what can you tell us?
V.M.: – As in all the countries I have visited, there are good and bad workers, but the majority of serious accidents or fatalities have occurred in large companies, you only need to look at the statistics. Regarding qualifications, it is relative since it can be someone very qualified who makes mistakes. Rather, the experience matters.
For this reason, in Chile, the certification of labor competencies has been implemented through an organization called Chile Valora which highlights the candidate’s using a guideline of aptitudes and attitudes required for each labor competency.
R del A.: – Are your families going to continue with the company?
V.M.: – Yes. My son-in-law, my daughter who joined now, and my wife work at Viña. Otis wanted to buy the company from me, but we will continue with the family. What concerns to me now is to prepare those who will come after me.
P.L.: – I am not sure yet, since my children are in college and after they graduate, if they choose to continue, I will respect that decision.
When we asked Don Victor if he has a hobby, he answered jokingly: “I work in elevators, I sell elevators and I dream of elevators. I also have a plot of land that belongs to my wife, and there we have planted peaches, quinces and other fruits. We go there every weekend and enjoy family life. I also travel a lot. I know Chile from end to end. I have visited many elevator fairs. Last year, I assisted with a group of colleagues to the WEE fair in Shanghai. And this year I plan to travel to Interlift in Germany.”
P.L.: – My hobby is to play sports every day, racquetball, paddle and gym, and my dream is to make Sotecsa became an elevator leader company at a national level.
Contact
SOTECSA ASCENSORES S.R.L.
Address: Viña del Mar: Manuel Villagra 830 (Valparaíso) / Santiago: Lynch Norte 561, La Reina (Santiago)
Phone: Viña del Mar: +56 32 236 6799 / Santiago: +56 2 2933 1432
Mail: Viña del Mar: vmontenegro@sotecsa.cl / Santiago/ Iquique: plofat@sotecsa.cl
Web: www.sotecsa.cl
Facebook: sotecsa-ascensores-sa
Instagram: @sotecsa.ascensores
