L to R: Claude Allain, Hiroshi Hatta, Loubna Imenchal and Ahmed Aqel participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony

Dubai, UAE, 29 March 2018: Johnson Controls on March 28 inaugurated a training centre in Dubai.

Speaking on the occasion, Claude Allain, Vice President & General Manager, Middle East & Africa, Building Technologies & Solutions, Johnson Controls, said: “The training centre will be for the entire GCC region, excluding Saudi Arabia, because we will be investing in setting up a similar facility in Saudi. Through this training centre, we will be able to reach out effectively to our partners and customers.”

Highlighting the B2B strategy, Loubna Imenchal, Vice President – Indirect Controls, Middle East & Africa, Building Technologies & Solutions, said: “Our B2B strategy is to increase the demands of the market by creating needs and to train all levels of decision-makers to understand our products. We have designed special courses for consultants, facilities managers and end-users.”

The training centre

Imenchal added that the objective of the training centre was to create a single-window solution for all Johnson Controls HVAC products.

Hiroshi Hatta, Senior Manager, Training & Technical Support, Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning (Japan), added: “At the training centre, we intend to give a special focus on installation of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems. The engineering level, such as the installation and troubleshooting, is significant for our customers.”

Ahmed Aqel, Regional Director – Indirect Channels, Middle East and Africa, Johnson Controls, added, “This training centre is an important milestone for us, because now we can offer training programmes for the entire Middle East and Africa region.” Over the past eight years, Aqel said, the region has seen a transformation of regulations, which are promoting more energy efficiency. Johnson Controls, he added, intends to offer the best training solutions, in line with these regulations. The company, he further added, will also be offering customised training programmes, based on the needs of the end-user.”

Speaking from a trainee perspective, Wassim Haidar, General Manager – Sales and Trading, Al Futtaim Engineering, added: “This training centre is vital, because as a partner of Johnson Controls, it would help all the stakeholders, from a technician to a director level, to see the function and quality of a product. It would give them more confidence to make an informed decision.”

Yousef Ali BinZayed, General Manager, Facilities Management, Al Futtaim Engineering, added: “Opening a training centre in Dubai is a very strategic move by Johnson Controls, and as an FM division of Al Futtaim Engineering, it would help us excel in our services by providing top-of-the-range products. The centre is like a walk-through catalogue for our customers, and we look forward to bring our clients to the training centre to explore more about the products.”