Underwriters Laboratories Named Accredited Elevator/Escalator Certification Organization

NORTHBROOK, Illinois - UL Helps Industry Manufacturers Get Innovative Products and Systems
into North American Marketplace

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) announced today it has been recognized by
the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council
of Canada (SCC) as an Accredited Elevator/Escalator Certification
Organization (AECO). As an AECO, UL will be better able to serve
elevator/escalator manufacturers that seek to introduce innovative
components, products and systems into the marketplace quickly.

“New elevator technologies are faster and more efficient, but regulations
can make it difficult to get new components, products or systems approved and
installed efficiently,” said Kevin Connelly, North American industry manager
of Industrial Control & Power Distribution for UL.

Typically, a manufacturer seeking to have an innovative product installed
in North America would need to approach each local Authority Having
Jurisdiction (AHJ) - such as a governmental agency or building inspector - to
review overall compliance of proposed systems according to local regulations.
Because there are over 130 jurisdictions in North America, this process can be
both costly and inefficient for manufacturers, and places undue burden on the
AHJs. With UL’s AECO accreditation, manufacturers can now submit their
innovative elevation products, systems and components to be tested and
certified by UL. Once certified, those products would be accepted by all local
AHJs, and manufacturers will no longer have to approach each jurisdiction
separately.

“Our goal is to work with manufacturers and AHJs to help get inventive,
faster technology to market more quickly while making sure there is overall
product compliance for public safety,” said Connelly.

UL will review and test elevator designs to determine whether or not they
meet relevant American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards and
use the AECO label in conjunction with its own UL Mark to indicate
verification. UL-AECO certificates will be accepted by all adoptees of ASME
performance-based codes.

“With the accreditation of UL as an AECO, the elevator industry is
embracing a bold, new era where certified, innovative and safe products can
reach the marketplace rapidly,” said Louis Bialy, director of Codes and
Standards for Otis Elevator.

About Underwriters Laboratories

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent product safety
certification organization that has been testing products and writing
Standards for Safety for over a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types
of products, components, materials and systems annually with 20 billion UL
Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers’ products each year. UL’s worldwide
family of companies and network of service providers includes 64 laboratory,
testing and certification facilities serving customers in 98 countries. For
more information, visit: www.UL.com/newsroom.

Media Contacts
Joseph Hirschmugl Chris Suttile
Underwriters Laboratories GolinHarris for UL
Phone: +1-847-664-1058 Phone: +1-312-729-4224
E-mail: Joseph.F.Hirschmugl@us.ul.com Email: csuttile@golinharris.com

Source: Underwriters Laboratories

Joseph Hirschmugl of Underwriters Laboratories, +1-847-664-1058, Joseph.F.Hirschmugl at us.ul.com; or Chris Suttile of GolinHarris, +1-312-729-4224, csuttile at golinharris.com, for UL