Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning announced the opening of a new Global Development Center in Kadi, Gujarat State, India. The result of a US$22.5 million (approximately 157 Crore India Rupee) investment, the state-of-the-art facility will drive the company’s world class innovation capabilities with a strong focus on developing residential air conditioners and commercial packaged air conditioners for India as well as the Southeast Asia, Middle East and European markets.
Staffed at launch with over 150 engineers and with capacity to accommodate up to 300 in total, the new center is equipped with state-of-the-art research and testing laboratories, including Reliability Labs, Annual Performance Factor Labs, Electromagnetic Compatibility Labs, Electronics Labs and Semi-anechoic Labs to maximize the potential of the local engineering talent. The center also offers a wide range of capabilities, including user experience design, industrial design, simulation, controls, design quality, project management and engineering information systems. It also features an experience zone that will give customers hands-on experience of the latest air conditioning innovations and technologies.
“This is a crucial step for Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning to further strengthen our global position. We have already seen our India-made products being well accepted in West Asia, Sri Lanka, Africa and other South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. Now this new Global Development Center will play a critical role in developing new and exciting products, particularly for Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe to enhance our ability to meet diverse market needs in these regions,” said Franz Cerwinka, Chief Executive Officer, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning.
With a floor space of 21,042 square meters, the Global Development Center is located adjacent to the Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India factory to maximize synergy with the manufacturing teams. It is Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning’s fourth Global Development Center, alongside two centers in Japan and one in China. It represents an important step towards the company’s goal of globalizing its product development process in order to leverage its global talent pool and develop products suited to the needs of diverse markets.
Gurmeet Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd. said, “Since we signed a memorandum of understanding in 2009 to invest in Gujarat State, our manufacturing facilities at Kadi have become one of the largest air conditioner manufacturing facilities in India. It was an outcome of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor’s Summit 2009 and inaugurated by Narendra Modi, India’s current Prime Minister, who was at the time Chief Minister of Gujarat. The launch of the new Global Development Center is yet another milestone for investment in Gujarat State, India. This engineering and innovation hub will put Gujarat State on the world map for industrial research, product development and skill enhancement. With the launch of the new Global Development Center, we have created additional opportunities for the local talent to demonstrate their skills and capabilities to respond to the dynamic global market needs.”
