Otis Brazil has won a significant contract to install 21 energy-efficient elevators and escalators at Rio de Janeiro's famous Maracana Stadium, the site of the 2014 FIFA World Cup final championship match and the 2016 Summer Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies.
Otis Brazil, a unit of Otis Elevator Company and United Technologies Corp, also recently won contracts to supply equipment at two other Brazilian World Cup stadiums, the Salvador Arena in Bahia and Pernambuco Arena in Sao Lourenco da Mata.
"Maracana Stadium will soon host two of the planet's most viewed sporting events and Otis is thrilled to play a role in its enhancement," said Pedro Baranda, president of Otis Elevator Company. "Energy-efficient elevators and escalators from Otis will help transform this historic arena while reliably transporting thousands of fans. We look forward to applying Otis technology and expertise to upgrade the passenger experience at Maracana."
The Otis escalators feature ReGen drives, which capture energy generated by the escalator on the way down and deliver it back to the building for use by other systems, reducing energy consumption by up to 45 percent compared to traditional escalators.
Maracana Stadium previously hosted the deciding match of the World Cup in 1950. The giant arena was also the site of Pele's 1000th career goal, in November 1969. The FIFA World Cup will open on June 12, 2014 and end on July 13. Maracana Stadium renovations are expected to be completed in early 2013.
Brazil continues to play a critical role in Otis' South American operations and overall growth. This year, Otis will open a new 200,000 square foot factory in Sao Paulo, which will manufacture Gen2 elevators and other energy-efficient products for the South American market.
