Press Information Daikin Europe wins Foreign Investment Trophy
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Daikin Europe N.V. is proud to announce it has won the Foreign Investment of the Year Trophy, awarded by Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT). This award is a recognition of the important commitment of Daikin Europe towards Flanders and Europe, highlighted by its 140 million Euro investment in a global heat pump research and development centre in Ghent, Belgium.
Brussels, March 2022 – Daikin Europe wins the Foreign Investment of the Year Trophy 2022 for its new research centre EMEA Development Center (EDC) in Ghent, a new state of the art research facility that will become one of the crown jewels of Daikin’s global R&D network. It will be home to the company’s global research and development for heat pump and sustainable cold chain technologies, a key element for the transition of Europe towards a climate neutral continent. The investment in EDC is part of Daikin’s Fusion25 plan to become a leading company in sustainable heating and cooling solutions.
Daikin Europe awarded with Foreign Investment Trophy 2022 by Flanders Investment and Trade. Copyrights: Daikin Europe / Solange Aleixo
Local R&D and production for the European market
Daikin has a long history of investments in Flanders. In 1973, the Japanese company set up its first European production site in the city of Ostend. Today, this site is the company’s headquarters for all its activities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and one of the company’s main manufacturing and R&D hubs for the European market, employing more than 2,000 people. “Our group policy has always been to produce locally and strive towards a short value chain, which is somewhat atypical in our industry”, says Wim De Schacht, Vice-President of Daikin Europe. “This award recognizes this endeavour, and we are honoured to receive it.”
Global centre of expertise in heat pump technology
Daikin Industries Limited, mother company of Daikin Europe N.V., is pursuing a global environmental vision to be carbon neutral by 2050. The new EMEA Development Center is part of the company’s plan to become the global reference company for heat pump technologies. Daikin Europe was already the frontrunner in the group for this, and will now formally take on the global development role.
The EMEA Development Center will be constructed in the Technology Park in Ghent, Belgium and should be operational by 2024. The new building will bring all of Daikin’s R&D people in Belgium together on one site, where they will be able to work closely with Ghent University. “It is our aim to create an exciting and inspiring work environment, with openness to co-create. Our heating innovations are the result of research into heat pump technology combined with Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence,” says Laurent Van Thournout, Deputy General Manager of the EMEA Development Center, “and this combination provides opportunities to develop new business models. This is why one floor in our building will be devoted to start-ups and spin-offs, who can benefit from the concentration of knowhow and expertise it will generate.”
Lead the way to a climate-neutral continent
The EMEA Development Center is part of a larger investment plan within the framework of Daikin‘s Fusion 2025 plan. Between 2021 and 2025, the company will be investing no less than 840 million euro across the EMEA region.
The European heating market is challenged to move to fossil-free heating solutions under the EU Green Deal. “We strongly believe that heat pump technology will be key to make the European continent climate neutral by 2050. Through our investments we are reinforcing our leading position in the market, enabling us to contribute to the transition to sustainable and fossil-free heating and cooling solutions,” concludes De Schacht.
Flanders Investment and Trade
The Foreign Investment Trophies are organised every year by Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT) to put the spotlight on foreign companies that are making exceptional investments in Flanders. Daikin Europe has already received the Lifetime Achievement Trophy in 2019 and was nominated for the Foreign Investment of the Year Trophy in 2017.
“Our new Research & Development centre in Ghent will inspire and bring people together to develop innovations for a healthier and more sustainable future. I want to thank Flanders Investment & Trade for their recognition of our hard work”, says Masatsugu Minaka, Chairman of Daikin Europe N.V.
Copyrights Pictures: Daikin Europe / Solange Aleixo
About Daikin
We care for the air. We deploy our years of experience in air conditioning and our passion for innovative technologies to make the air that we live in the best possible air. And we want to do that while caring for the environment and protecting future generations. By 2050 Daikin aims to be carbon neutral in all its actions and the products and solutions it sells. That is our mission at Daikin.
Daikin Europe N.V.
Daikin Europe N.V. is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd. and the headquarters for air conditioning, air purification, ventilation, heating and refrigeration (HVAC-R) equipment sales in Europe, Middle East and Africa. With a large network of subsidiaries and a strong professional partner network, it is the leading provider of energy-efficient residential, commercial and industrial HVAC-R in the region. Daikin Europe designs and manufactures air conditioners, heat pumps and refrigeration equipment in the region. To date Daikin Europe has over 11 000 employees across 24 EMEA affiliates. It has 14 major manufacturing facilities based in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Austria and the UK. The headquarters of the Daikin Europe Group are in Belgium, with offices in Ostend, Ghent and Brussels. The company was established in 1972, production in Europe started in 1973. Daikin employs over 2 200 employees on Belgian territory.
Market leader for heat pump technology in Europe
With over 90 years of experience in the heating and air conditioning industry, Daikin is the market leader in heat pump technology. The company is well known for the Daikin Altherma hydronic heat pumps for private heating applications. Over 85% of the devices for the European market are produced in Europe.
Total Solution provider for Heating, Cooling, Ventilation and Refrigeration
Daikin’s broad product portfolio provides solutions in all domains of heating, cooling, ventilation, air purification and refrigeration. Daikin has greatly expanded its market presence in Europe in heat pump technology, but also built out a strong business pillar in commercial and industrial refrigeration. In 2016, Daikin Europe N.V. acquired Zanotti S.p.A., the Italian manufacturer of industrial and transport refrigeration. In February 2018, Tewis Smart Systems S.L. joined the group. Tewis manufactures off the shelf and tailor-made refrigeration solutions with CO2 as refrigerant. At the beginning of 2019, Daikin Europe N.V. acquired the Austrian-based global refrigeration group AHT Cooling Systems GmbH.
About Daikin Industries Ltd.
Daikin Industries Ltd. based in Osaka, Japan, employs around 85,000 people worldwide and achieved sales of around € 18.5 billion in financial year 2020 (April 20 – March 21). The company is the global market leader for heat pump and air conditioning systems, as well as air filtration. Daikin Industries Ltd. is the only air conditioning manufacturer in the world that develops and produces all important components such as refrigerants, compressors and electronics in-house.
More information can be found on www.daikin.eu and on www.daikin.com.
Media contacts
Sofie Sap - Corporate Communications Daikin Europe (Dutch/French/English)
T.: +32 472 580482
Mail: sap.s@daikineurope.com
Daisuke Kakinaga – Corporate Communications Daikin Europe (Japanese/English)
T. : +32 465 462 321
Mail: kakinaga.d@bxl.daikineurope.com
Doris Passler - Corporate Communications Daikin Central Europe (German/English)
T.: +43 664 24 56 444
Mail: passler.d@daikin.at
