Saleh Fareed

Saudi Gazette



JEDDAH – Otis Elevator Company, the United Technologies Corp. unit which powers 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 in1853, and a year later developed a 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 10 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, and in keeping with the ongoing spirit of innovation of the company, 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, traditional, three-phase power, and is solar-power capable, using battery technology to continue to run when the power goes out.

 

“After 160 years, Otis is building on its accomplished past and preparing for the future. We are meeting the challenge of building elevators for today’s skyscrapers with tomorrow’s technology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, all the while with an unwavering commitment to safety, quality and ingenuity,” said Pedro Baranda, President of Otis Elevator Company.



In Saudi Arabia, Otis is gearing up to meet the challenge of building elevators, said Rick Pulling, Director of Key Projects & World Sales at Otis.



Adel Eissa, General Manager of Otis Saudi Arabia, added that Otis had installed its first elevator in Saudi Arabia in 1947.



To meet increasing demand and maintain leadership in key areas, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Otis has announced the opening of three new state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities around the world – 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 Saudi Arabia build the mega cities of the future, Otis will be present to anticipate needs and exceed expectations for technology and service,” said Daryl Marvin, Otis Director of Innovation.