Tired of awkwardly avoiding eye contact as the lift labours up to your floor? Help may be at hand.

Hitachi has announced that its new high-speed elevator for the Guangzhou CTF Financial Centre will travel at a stomach churning 1,200 meters per minute (45mph), a speed that will allow it to reach the 95th floor in just 43 seconds.

Along with its sister machine it is to be the flagship of a 95 lift fleet that will bear economists, officials and guests up and down the 530 meter tall building. The sky scraper will even be fitted with double decker lifts to utilise all vertical space.

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The company told reporters that the lift will employ the latest technologies to ensure a smooth ride and to prevent vibrations and noise.

The lifts safety was also guaranteed with state-of-the-art brakes fitted that can sustain temperatures of over 300 degrees Celsius and still operate.

Hitachi holds 15% of the elevator market whilst sales in China by all companies accounted for 60% of the world’s total.

Until today the record holder for speedy elevation was held by the lift in the Tapei 101 building in Taiwan which travels at 37.7 mph and reaches its top floor in just 30 seconds.

The first commercial passenger elevator was installed by the Otis Elevator Company in 1857 in New York City, climbing at a then-staggering rate of 40 feet per minute.