Daikin Air Conditioning identified as global innovator

Daikin Industries is included among the leaders in the Thomson Reuters Top 100 Global Innovators for 2011. The award is given to companies considered top innovators based on an objective and scientific analysis of global patent information.



The Top 100 Global Innovators report applies a methodology developed by Thomson Reuter to measure innovation from an unbiased and scientific perspective via a critical analysis of patent information.

Criteria include the volume of patents obtained and the global reach of these patents as well as the influence the patents have on other companies. In general, the analysis focuses on patents that have contributed to true innovation (in Daikin's case, new technologies) over the last three years.

The report also makes the link between innovation and economic growth and the Top 100 Global Innovators for 2011 were also considered world leaders in job creation, revenue creation, R&D investment and share performance.

Global Top 100 Innovator status confirms the Daikin in-house programme of promoting and rewarding innovation that contributes to its business, as well as its ethical stance of respecting the property rights of others and protecting its own inventions as important assets to ensure that the best products reach the market.

Daikin Europe products are distributed in the UK by Daikin Airconditioning UK Ltd

LG air conditioning announce its plans to become a major player in global energy solutions

New Product Line Demonstrates Commitment to Expand Presence in Region in 2011
Dubai, UAE, Apr. 4th, 2011 - This year LG announced its plans to become a major player in global energy solutions market by introducing the 3rd version of existing tropical Multi V III, and the newly released VRF Air Handling Unit (AHU) within the Middle East and Africa (MEA) markets. The Multi V III boasts a 4.6 coefficient of performance (COP) for heating and 4.3 for cooling, as well as a bigger capacity per unit with an extended piping length of 1,000m. In addition, LG's HSS Inverter Compressor greatly enhance efficiency on the Multi V III, reducing energy use by up to 11 percent compared with previous models.

LG's VRF Air Handling Unit (AHU), integrated control system lets users manage air conditioning for an entire building. The AHU provides outstanding heating, cooling and outdoor fresh air conditioning while saving energy. These AHU's can be used for 100% fresh air application or re-circulating air application. Based around these advanced solutions, LG plans to aggressively expand its market share in MEA commercial air conditioning this year.

With the establishment of a full line-up of air conditioning systems, LG is planning to evolve into a total solution provider for the MEA market. Through heavy investment, LG has built up its technical capabilities, by constructing a custom-built AC Academy at Jebel Ali which has been LEED Silver certified ,where LG is customizing products to the needs of MEA consumers. LG Electronics also aims to further heighten the reliability of LG's products, ensuring they are equipped to work in all weather conditions.

Moving beyond its traditional role as a leader in air conditioning, LG is making a foray into the energy business, with solutions including LED lighting and solar power.

LG plans to invest US $500 million as it ramps up its workforce and R&D, with a further aim of hitting US $10 billion in global sales by 2013.
"We've developed a range of products and solutions that meet the ever more pressing demands of consumers, while also containing costs and reducing energy consumption," said Mr. H.S. Paik, President of LG Electronics Gulf FZE.

We're confident that we have every energy solution covered, whatever the business. We already have references with the Multi V, including Al Gurm in Abu Dhabi, Dubai Arabian Horse stud in Dubai, American Academy School in Abu Dhabi and many more. This proves the awareness and acceptance level of this technology which is popular across the MEA."

Providing technical insight, Senior Manager, Commercial Air Conditioners, Mr. Dharmesh Sawant added "With the increased emphasis on local green building codes like Estidama in Abu-Dhabi and Q-SAS in Qatar, tropical Multi V III and VRF AHU solution will help the local authorities to meet its objective. LG supports the stakeholders across the value chain. We have a dedicated team to support the consultants and developers in the concept, design stage, as well as a dedicated team for contractors in the post-tender stage and a dedicated team for facilities management companies. Also the local AC Academy provides training and certifies all contractors to reduce operational headaches due to improper installation. We are confident that this technology will reduce the burden on the power grid which is currently running on peak."

-Ends-

About LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 93,000 people working in over 120 operations around the world. With 2010 global sales of 55.8 trillion Korean won (USD 48.2 billion), LG comprises four business units - Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solutions. LG is one of the world's leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines, and refrigerators. LG has signed a long-term agreement to become both a Global Partner and a Technology Partner of Formula 1™. As part of this top-level association, LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official consumer electronics, mobile phone and data processor of this global sporting event. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.

About LG Electronics Air Conditioning and Energy Solution Company
The LG Electronics Air Conditioning and Energy Solution Company is a complete heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and energy solution company providing Residential Air Conditioning (RAC), Commercial Air Conditioning (CAC), Solar Energy and Lighting around the world. Bringing technology leadership from the worldwide HVAC market and incorporating technologies from throughout LG, LG AE is increasingly expanding into specialized B2B solutions as an integrated energy solutions company. Through its innovative technology, heavy investments in R&D and effective marketing strategies, LG AE has broken its own sales records every year since 2000.

Daikin Industries, Ltd. announces the establishment of the Technology and Innovation Center

Daikin Industries, Ltd. announces the establishment of the Technology and Innovation Center (floor area: approx. 58,000 m2; hereinafter referred to as "TIC") at its Yodogawa Plant (Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture). The facility is intended as a technology development base where air conditioning and chemical researchers work closely with product development engineers from various company divisions, and the disciplines of mechanical and chemical engineering are integrated with the fields of electrical and electronic engineering. Construction of the center begins in May 2011 at an investment cost of approximately 30 billion yen. Operation is scheduled to start from November 2014.

Because Daikin is rapidly expanding its worldwide presence in the fields of air conditioning and fluorochemicals centering on emerging markets, the ability to launch timely products to meet the specific needs of each regional market becomes the key for further growth of the company.

For this reason, clarifying priorities and roles for a wide-range of research and development themes becomes essential. Consequently, even as Daikin continues to strengthen the "local R&D function" that discerns and incorporates local needs, Daikin also recognizes the necessity to have one place (TIC) for concentrating on themes that have universal applications and greatly contribute to the overall global business, including core and common technologies, so that results can be quickly generated.

On this background emphasizing the development of core and common technologies along with maintaining base model products, the TIC will serve as the primary facility of the Daikin Group for promoting global technology development and achieving innovations through "development of global No. 1 environmental technologies," "surviving in the forthcoming decades," and "challenging destructive innovation of heat pump technology that has progressed for 100 years."

By concentrating approximately 1,000 R&D personnel (to increase to 1,600 employees in the future) from three bases in Japan (each production base of Sakai, Shiga, and Yodogawa), Daikin intends to promote information sharing and communication in order to widen the efficiency of and increase speed in the development of core technology such as heat pump, inverter, and fluorochemicals.

Furthermore, the TIC will function as a "training ground" for overseas engineers to learn shared values and ways of R&D of Daikin. It will also serve as a venue encouraging exchanges between fellow engineers from various fields inside and outside the company and promote "open innovation," which is generated from the fusion of new technology and knowledge, as Daikin sets its sights on realizing "collaborative creation" innovation.



[Special Characteristics of TIC]
The TIC employs a "knowledge flow structure" which circulates people, knowledge and information, and is comprised by three functional zones: "Theme Execution Zone," "Theme Creation Zone," and "Open Zone."

(1) Theme Execution Zone: describes a large stadium-like layered office space where 1,000 engineers can be seated and "testing rooms adjacent to the office that are visible by glass walls." This zone also provides test facilities with the world's highest standard.

The aim is to promote communication and collaboration among engineers by enabling openness of ongoing developments and minimizing the distance between the office and laboratory to accelerate optimum development speed.

(2) Theme Creation Zone: aims for innovative creation generated by engineers inspired by information from within and outside the company and becoming absorbed in discussions with engineers from other fields and outside specialists. For this purpose, the TIC provides various types of discussion rooms and rooms for invited outside specialists. By providing a good balance for communication between users, space for concentration of individual engineers, this zone offer a collaboration-suited environment that facilitates the creation of new research and development themes.

(3) Open zone: promotes open innovation with those outside the company with a "showroom" where exhibition of Daikin technologies offer solution ideas to various kinds of visitors (e.g customers and academic researchers), a "forest of knowledge" where exhibition of the latest technologies (e.g. in house prototypes and new outside products encourage engineers and researchers to discuss freely on technological trends.) , and a large hall where 1,600 engineers can assemble and be inspired by innovative ideas from presentation of outside specialists.


[Test facilities serving as the world's highest standard]
TIC aims for "world's highest technology development environment" by providing test facilities constructed to the highest global standard as core facilities for technology development."

"Air conditioning (VRV) testing tower with the altitude difference of 100m"
[To lead the world in air conditioning testing]
• Product reliability is expected to improve by reproducing actual installation conditions for air conditioning by having the highest tower in Japan to perform height differential testing for building type multi air conditioners (VRV).


The environment chamber capable of simulating various environments found in the regional markets (outside air temperatures ranging from -40ºC to +60ºC, sunlight, wind, rain, and similar conditions) and environment testing room that authentically reproduces the conditions of an actual residence. [World-leading]
• It is a major global facility for an air conditioner manufacturer. Testing with simulation of actual installation conditions of each regional market contributes to improved product reliability. Furthermore, Daikin will be able to promote actual verification and testing of renewed spatial value creation by enabling testing of an entire residence.

"An anechoic chamber where electromagnetic noise of indoor and outdoor units are measured at the same time in order to meet noise regulations of each regional market" [First in Japan]
• A double-deck turntable enables to measure noise levels of indoor and outdoor units at the same time, which leads to meet the needs of regional market.


END


[Summary of Technology and Innovation Center]
1) Facility Summary: Technology and Innovation Center
Floor area: approx 58,000m2 contained in a 5-story building constructed on site area of 50,000 m2
2) Facility Structure: office building, testing building, and general affairs building
3) Location: Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture (within existing Yodogawa Plant)
4) Purpose: To improve product development efficiency by centralizing the technology development function and create innovative products through technology fusion activities.
5) Opening schedule: November 2014
6) Investment: approx. 30 billion yen
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