Market news, 25 July 2024
Daikin’s Fusion 25 plan starts from a societal context in which humanity faces urgent issues, such as global warming, energy shortages and the need for healthy indoor air. These issues coincide with the digitalization of society, which fundamentally changes the way we live and do business. Daikin sees it as its responsibility to contribute to solving these societal challenges, while growing its business.
The plan identifies 3 strategic growth areas, for which substantial investments are planned :
Daikin takes its role to tackle carbon emissions seriously. In that context, in 2018, Daikin Industries Ltd. launched its Environmental Vision 2050. Under this programme, Daikin aims to achieve carbon neutrality in every aspect of its business, including the use and waste phase of its installed products. The first intermediate target for this, is to achieve a 30% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2025[1].
For the next five years, the focus of Daikin Europe N.V. is to contribute to the global plan with the expansion of its heat pump business, developing energy-saving air conditioning and refrigeration equipment with lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) and/or natural refrigerants, as well as establishing a circular business model for refrigerants.
To innovate in hydronic heat pump and refrigeration technology, Daikin decided to establish its global R&D Center in Ghent in Belgium and drastically expand its capabilities there.
Mr. Patrick Crombez, General Manager Heating Business : “The way we are heating our buildings in Europe is a big source of carbon emissions, and we are running out of time to decarbonize in this domain. This decade is crucial to take action, and the EU leads the way with its Green Deal targets to reduce carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Our strategic plan fully supports this, and includes major investments for heat pump R&D and production capacity increase in Europe. We aim to drive truly sustainable growth in the heating business.”
In the coming years Daikin intends to expand value added services based on equipment connectivity such as monitoring of indoor CO2 levels, energy consumption and predictive maintenance.
In the new eco-system of digitally connected professionals, installers and end-users, Daikin’s focus is to deliver convenience for all, making it easy to buy, install, use and service its systems. Part of the € 840 million investment will go to the development of a customer engagement platform.
Furthermore, to reach out to its residential end-users, and promote understanding of its low carbon and energy-saving solutions, the group will open interactive showrooms in major European cities.
Daikin intends to leverage its broad portfolio and technological know-how in all areas of its heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration business to bring solutions that satisfy diverse customer needs, not in the least helping customers to reduce their own CO2 emissions. The company will drastically increase its sales and service capabilities through recruitments, partnerships and external growth.
The Daikin group globally has a complete line-up of ventilation and air purification equipment. Earlier this year Daikin’s air purifiers were tested by the renowned Institut Pasteur de Lille and confirmed to be highly efficient in eliminating respiratory viruses such as Covid-19 and the common flue. Daikin Europe aims to become the region’s leading player in the ventilation and air purification market.
Mr Tsubouchi, President of the Daikin Europe Group concludes : “We aim to be an organization where diverse people from all over the world can play an active role and create new value for local businesses, customers and society in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We are in a new era, and we are reinventing ourselves to offer innovations and tailor-made solutions across all Daikin products and business segments. I am confident that, together with our loyal partners and open collaboration with organizations that share our ambitions for society, we will realize our goals for our Fusion 25.”
