Otis Elevator introduces new technology

Real Estate Weekly, March 12, 2003

Otis Elevator Company unveiled its NextStepT escalator - a breakthrough global product that employs a unique GuardedT step design and several other new features that mark a comprehensive advance in escalator technology and safety. The first NextStep units are expected to be ready for installation at customer sites in June. Otis is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

The NextStep escalator's design enhances safety in four distinct ways:

* The NextStep escalator's unique Guarded step design, in effect, eliminates the hazard associated with the gap between the step and skirt panel found on conventional escalators. The Guarded step integrates the step and the side skirt into a single module moving in unison, thus significantly reducing the possibility of entrapment (e.g., shoelaces, articles of clothing, or other objects).

* The number of NextStep escalator's riser cleats is doubled, resulting in a 50% reduction in the space between cleats. In addition, the NextStep escalator's comb plates sit 9% deeper into the step mesh. These improvements reduce the possibility of anything being caught between the cleats or under the comb plate.

* The NextStep escalator's step edges are rounded with a 4 mm radius, reducing the risk of scrapes and cuts in the event of a passenger falling.

* Two flat steps at the entry and exit points, along with the NextStep escalator's standard under-step lighting, assist riders with the transition between the moving escalator steps and the landing.

Otis president Ari Bousbib said, "The NextStep escalator is a testimony to Otis' worldwide industry leadership and a tribute to our history of product innovation. The NextStep escalator significantly raises the bar for escalator safety, delivered through the most elegant and efficient design on the market," Bousbib added. "It is particularly gratifying to unveil the NextStep escalator this year, the 150th anniversary of the invention of the safety elevator by our founder, Elisha Graves Otis. His invention changed the world, enabling the rise of cities all over the globe. Today, we are proud to continue his legacy of product safety and innovation in bringing solutions to our customers."