Carrier, the world largest air-conditioning and commercial refrigeration solution provider, has opened a plant in Chengdu, the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, in a bid to further penetrate the local market.

The factory, Carrier-EDRI Air Conditioning Equipment Co, will be run by a joint venture with the Eleventh Design and Research Institute of Information Technology, a technology engineering design institute headquartered in Chengdu. The factory is not only the US firm's first in western China, but also the first of its kind in China to have foreign investment. Carrier sees the opening of the plant as being an important step in the development of western China's vast air-conditioning market.

"Carrier's new factory in Chengdu will serve as a bridge, bringing Carrier closer to customers in western China. Meanwhile, the location of the new factory allows Carrier to cut operating costs in terms of logistics and local sourcing," said Philippe Delpech, president of Carrier Building Systems and Services Asia.

Company officials declined to disclose how much Carrier has ploughed into the new plant, but said that it will bring the firm's total investment in China to approximately US$190 million. The factory, which will become operational in March next year, will manufacture high-end products for a number of industries with complex air-conditioning requirements, such as electronics, pharmaceuticals and food processing, said Kelly Romano, president of Carrier's building systems and services division.

She said the products will be distributed to Carrier's customers across China through its strong national distribution network. The products are also expected to be used in Carrier's major projects, such as Beijing Olympic venues including the national swimming centre and the national stadium.

The other shareholder, the Eleventh Design and Research Institute of Information Technology, will seek to apply its design concepts based on its understanding of the Chinese market in order to deliver better solutions.

Romano said the company's growing investment in western China will not slow its investment in costal areas, including Shanghai, where Carrier has had a presence for more than two decades. She pledged Carrier would spend an additional US$50 million to its global research and development centre, established in Shanghai in April 2005.

Source:佚名