Otis Elevator Company, the United Technologies Corp. unit which powered cities skyward and moves passengers up and down structures as diverse as the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building and the Kremlin, celebrates its 160th anniversary with the promise to harness the power of the sun.
Founder Elisha Otis sold his first elevator in 1853, after developing the safety brake designed so that, “if the rope breaks the platform cannot fall.” Over the past 100 years, Otis, a $12 billion unit of UTC, has provided elevators to eight of the ten World’s Tallest Buildings, including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and the Shanghai World Financial Center in China, as well as the iconic Empire State Building in New York City.
Not content to rest on its laurels, Otis recently launched the Gen2 Switch™ elevator, an evolution of its groundbreaking Gen2™ family of products. The Gen2 Switch™ elevator, being sold today in most of the world, eliminates the need for three phase power, is solar-power capable, and uses battery technology to continue to run when the power goes out.
“After 160 years, Otis is just getting started. We are meeting the challenge of building elevators for today’s skyscrapers with tomorrow’s technology, all the while with an unwavering commitment to safety, quality and ingenuity,” said Pedro Baranda, President of Otis Elevator Company.
To meet increasing demand and maintain leadership in key global markets, Otis has announced the opening of three new state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities around the world, with locations in Sao Paolo, Brazil; Bangalore, India; and Florence, South Carolina. This global focus has positioned Otis as an industry leader and led to the development of key new research facilities, such as the high-rise center of excellence in Shanghai.
“As countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China build the mega cities of the future Otis will be in their markets to anticipate their needs and exceed their expectations for technology and service,” said Daryl Marvin, Otis Director of Innovation.