Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Otis Elevator Company
The Otis Elevator Company is the world's largest manufacturer of vertical transportation systems, principally elevators and escalators.
Founded in Yonkers, New York in the United States in 1853 by Elisha Otis, the company pioneered the development of the safety elevator, which used a special mechanism to lock the elevator car in place should the hoisting ropes fail.
At a stroke, Otis had made skyscrapers possible, as for the first time, there was a safe means of mechanically transporting passengers to upper floors.
Otis has been responsible for installing the elevators in some of the world's most famous tall structures including the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building and World Trade Center.
Statistically, Otis is the world's most popular transportation company. It is estimated that the equivalent of the world's population travel in Otis elevators, escalators and moving walkways every nine days.
Otis was acquired by United Technologies in 1975, and now functions as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
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