Otis Florence Factory Receives Zero Waste to Landfill Certification

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Dec 21, 2022, 08:27 ET

South Carolina factory becomes first in elevator industry to achieve milestone in TRUE program.

FLORENCE, S.C., Dec. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS) achieved Gold-level TRUE (Total Resource and Use Efficiency) certification for zero waste efforts at its manufacturing facility in Florence, S.C. The Otis plant is the first in the elevator industry to be TRUE certified. It is also the first building-infrastructure facility to be certified in South Carolina.

As part of its previously announced ESG targets, Otis aims to have all its factories eligible for zero-waste-to-landfill certification by 2025. Administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the rigorous TRUE rating system requires facilities to divert at least 90% of non-hazardous solid waste from landfill, incineration (waste-to-energy), and the environment through the adoption of sustainable waste management and reduction practices.

"Achieving this milestone is a testament to the commitment and passion of our colleagues in Florence toward contributing to our overall Otis ESG targets and building a more sustainable future for all," said Rob Gokey, Executive Director, Otis North America Operations.

The Florence facility keeps nearly 98% of all site-generated waste out of landfills or incinerators. The plant recycled 6.62 million pounds of sheet metal from August 2021 to July 2022, and it reduced the overall amount of sheet metal used by 1.2 million pounds from its 2019 baseline.

Reducing and recycling sheet metal at that scale required a concerted effort and included multiple improvements in systems, processes, and products. Otis also worked with suppliers to develop waste-management improvements for the facility.

"Zero waste is a powerful part of any company's sustainability strategy," said Peter Templeton, President and CEO of U.S. Green Building Council and GBCI. "Through their TRUE certification, Otis enhances their operations in a way that demonstrates leadership in maximizing the lifecycle of every product to promote a fully circular economy."

Additional examples of the Otis factory's sustainable practices include generating approximately 25 percent of energy requirements from on-site solar panels, the use of LED lighting throughout the factory, and multiple projects to reduce packaging waste for finished goods.

More information about Otis' measurable goals and strategic actions across its four ESG focus areas of Health & Safety, Environment & Impact, People & Communities and Governance & Accountability can be found in the latest ESG Report.

About Otis

Otis is the world's leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company. We move 2 billion people a day and maintain more than 2.1 million customer units worldwide, the industry's largest Service portfolio. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 68,000 people strong, including 41,000 field professionals, all committed to meeting the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @OtisElevatorCo.

About Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)

GBCI is the world's leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body. Established in 2008, GBCI exclusively administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, as well as the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL Building Standard, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES), EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), TRUE certification for zero waste and Investor Confidence Project (ICP) for energy efficiency retrofits. Visit gbci.org.

Contact: Justin Herndon, 813-957-0255, [email protected]

SOURCE Otis Worldwide Corporation