Air con giant Carrier to raise R&D activities

Company pledges more investments in China, after seeing phenomenal growth

Carrier Corp, a US air conditioners, heating and refrigeration giant, plans to expand its research and development efforts in China, as it strives to make the country one of the mainstays of its global R&D operations.

The United Technologies Climate, Controls and Security unit currently has four R&D centers in China－in Beijing, Shanghai, Qinhuangdao in Hebei province and Qingdao in Shandong province.

Each plays major roles in the multinational's global R&D network, especially in the innovation of its heating, ventilating and air-conditioning products, as well as fire security and commercial refrigeration products.

"China is one of our most important R&D centers for commercial heating, ventilating and air-conditioning products today, and we will continue to add to that, as well as add more engineering teams," said Robert J. McDonough, president of UTC Climate, Controls and Security.

Carrier has seen phenomenal growth in China, driven by the country's emerging middle class and ongoing urbanization process, in sales of its commercial and transport refrigeration and fire system products.

The United Technologies entered China in the early 1900s, a few years after its creation in the United States.

Its main customers in China have been commercial office building and infrastructure developers, including subways and airports, in addition to public facilities such as industrial factories, schools, hospitals and hotels.

Despite a growth slowdown in the Chinese economy, the company said the fundamentals that have been driving its business remain very strong, and it will continue to invest heavily in China in the long term, said McDonough.

The company also highlighted that it will see benefits from strong growth in the healthcare sector, which is being prioritized within the government's recently announced 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

Ross Shuster, president of international operations at UTC Climate, Controls and Security, said: "Healthcare facilities are large consumers of our products.

"For Carrier's air-conditioning business, there is strong demand from hospitals for medical and operating equipment, heaters and coolers.

"Surgical suites and birthing centers also need clean and fresh air, and no different with other public buildings, hospitals need fire alarms and fire detection systems.