Daikin celebrates 100 years of heating and cooling innovations

Daikin’s Japanese roots

Akira Yamada laid the foundation for the rise of the global brand to a globally leading group of companies in the HVAC industry in 1924 with his inventive spirit: Thus, in Japan, fluorocarbon gas was first produced in 1935. A success that decisively influenced Daikin's leadership position as a manufacturer of air conditioners and the only company worldwide that developed and produced both air conditioning units and refrigerants. In 1936, research into fluorocarbon refrigerants resulted in the first air-conditioned train for the Japanese Nankai Electric Railway. Just two years later, in 1938, Japan's first refrigeration system using fluorocarbon refrigerants was delivered.

Heat pumps, the future of sustainable heating

Daikin revolutionized the industry as early as 1951 with the introduction of the "Mifujirator," the first packaged air conditioner. This innovation enabled the automated control of the compressor, condenser, and fan, thus providing unprecedented comfort.

In 1958, Daikin introduced the first packaged air conditioner based on heat pump technology, laying the groundwork for its current leadership role in residential heat pumps. "In 2006, we introduced the first generation of the Daikin Altherma air-to-water heat pump, becoming the leading manufacturer of hydronic heat pumps in Europe today. To meet the high demands of consumers, we continuously expand our portfolio for residential use," says Markus Haas, Managing Director of Daikin Austria.

Over 50 years in Europe

For 50 years, Daikin has stood for "Made in Europe with Japanese excellence": In 1973, the Japanese manufacturer opened its first assembly plant for small-capacity air conditioners and water-cooled chillers in Ostend, Belgium. Since then, Daikin has been developing, manufacturing, and distributing heating and cooling solutions directly in Europe. High demand necessitated the expansion of production capacities, with a total of 12 production sites in Europe and two in the Middle East today. By the end of 2024, a heat pump factory will be added in Poland. Depending on market demand, Daikin will be able to adjust production capacities at European sites to a total of up to one million heat pumps per year, thus supporting the path to fossil-free heating in Europe. 

Additionally, this year, Daikin's EMEA Development Center will be opened in a new building in Ghent, Belgium, from where global research and development of heat pump technologies and sustainable refrigeration solutions will be led.

The expansion into commercial refrigeration began about ten years ago: With the aim of covering the full cold chain, Daikin Europe acquired Zanotti and Tewis in 2016, Hubbard in 2018, and AHT Cooling Systems in 2019. The latest innovations in refrigeration technology came in 2023 with the Daikin Inverter Monoblock for commercial cold rooms and the Exigo refrigeration unit for trucks in transport refrigeration.

Daikin’s total solutions to decarbonize commercial heating, cooling and ventilation

In the field of total solutions for heating, cooling, and ventilation for commercial and industrial applications Daikin laid the foundation for its success back  in 1982 with the introduction of the world's first VRV (Variable Refrigeration Volume) system in Japan. This innovation provided for the first time an energy-efficient and flexible solution for individual air conditioning of occupied rooms in small and medium-sized buildings. In 2024, Daikin completes its portfolio for key accounts and commercial customers with the new, energy-efficient heat pump solution VRV 5, complementing the offerings of VRV 5 heat recovery and the S-Series. However, Daikin now goes beyond equipment provision and, together with partners, offers total solution packages including engineering, project management, quality management, and service.

Data from the year 2020 shows that the manufacturing industry, commercial applications, institutions, and households are responsible for 27.5% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU¹. This is primarily due to the prevalent use of gas boilers as the main heat source in the majority of buildings, including commercial real estate. Manufacturing companies are also heavily dependent on them. "The EU's targets to decarbonize the heat market and the volatility in the gas price market have significantly increased interest in sustainable commercial solutions such as heat pumps in recent years. At Daikin, we can help save up to 71% of CO2 emissions with energy-efficient HVAC-total solutions," emphasizes Haas.

Circular economy for refrigerants

Since 2019, Daikin has also been a pioneer in the circular economy of refrigerants. With "L∞P by Daikin," VRV products with reclaimed refrigerants are brought to the market in line with the 2050 environmental vision. This has now evolved into a comprehensive program for the recovery, reclaiming, and reuse of refrigerants to conserve valuable resources.

"In the anniversary year 2024 and beyond, we will continue Daikin's 100-year history of innovation. We thank our employees, countless partners, and customers for their trust in our heating, cooling, ventilation, and refrigeration technology and services," says Lievens.

Carl Lievens, Managing Director Daikin Central Europe and Markus Haas, Managing Director of Daikin Austria.