Our Story
The Company That Made
The Company That Made
Skyscrapers Possible
In 1854, Elisha Otis demonstrated his safety elevator at the New York Crystal Palace Exposition — cutting the hoisting rope himself to prove that his automatic safety brake would stop the platform from falling. That single demonstration changed architecture forever and launched a company that would make the modern city possible.
Today, Otis moves the equivalent of the entire world's population every 72 hours — across 2.1 million elevator and escalator units in 200+ countries and territories. From the Eiffel Tower to the Empire State Building, from Burj Khalifa to thousands of hospitals, airports, and apartment buildings, Otis engineering has been trusted when performance is non-negotiable.
1853
Otis Elevator Company Founded
Elisha Graves Otis establishes his elevator works in Yonkers, New York, after his landmark safety elevator demonstration.
1889
Eiffel Tower Elevators
Otis installs the famous hydraulic elevators in the Eiffel Tower for the Paris World's Fair — still operational over 130 years later.
1931
Empire State Building
73 Otis elevators installed in the world's tallest building at the time, setting the template for modern high-rise vertical transportation design.
2010
Burj Khalifa
Otis installs 57 elevators and 8 escalators in the world's tallest building, including double-deck elevators reaching the 163rd floor.
2020
Otis Becomes Independent
Following spin-off from United Technologies Corporation, Otis becomes a standalone publicly traded company (NYSE: OTIS) — the world's largest elevator company.
1853
Year Founded
NYSE
Listed: OTIS