DUBAI, UAE, 27 October 2022: Daikin Industries said it is working on expanding its footprint across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) in line with its Fusion25 five-year growth plan. With a focus on sustainability and localisation, the company said through a Press release, it seeks to grow its footprint across residential, commercial and industrial applications, as it supplies the region’s leading hotels, malls, commercial buildings, residential compounds and stadiums with innovative and sustainable HVACR solutions.

In the last 10 years, the company said, following its MEA HQ in Dubai, it established entities in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar, and sales offices in Nigeria and Morocco. It said it reached the figure of 600 employees covering the region, and a sales network of more than 100 independent distributors.

Daikin said that as part of its localisation drive, it recently opened its second regional manufacturing facility after Jebel Ali, Dubai, and its first factory in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Located in Sudair Industrial City, 150 kilometres from Riyadh, the custom-built premises is designed to enable it to better serve the local market with its latest technologies and innovations, Daikin said. At the same time, the company said, the new facility will support national energy efficiency and sustainability goals, create vital job opportunities and support the Kingdom’s economic growth. The opening of the new facility also marked 10 years of operations in the Kingdom, the company added.

Meanwhile, in Africa, the company announced the opening of its first training centre in Nigeria, which is focused on providing wide-ranging training programmes for the local workforce. Developed in partnership with Lagos-based technical vocational training institution, Etiwa Tech, the new centre is part of the company’s aim to build a cleaner environment in the African region by appointing new channel partners and establishing more training centres, Daikin said.

Tuna Gulenc

Tuna Gulenc, VP, Daikin Middle East and Africa, said: “At Daikin Middle East and Africa, we are committed to fuelling local economies, empowering local talent and investing in supporting and facilitating initiatives that support carbon emissions reductions as we expand our regional footprint.

“With over 80% of our net sales coming from outside of Japan, the high-growth markets of MEA are critical to realizing our strategic growth plans, as outlined in Fusion 25. These markets will remain a priority as we continue to introduce our state-of-the-art energy-efficient products. Designed for the region, Daikin products and solutions support the comfort, health and well-being of both our customers and the planet.”

Daikin said that in line with the net-zero ambitions of regional governments, it plans to achieve a 30% reduction in net greenhouse gases by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2050, according to its Environmental Vision.

As of 2021, Daikin said, it achieved a 10% reduction rate of net greenhouse gases, demonstrating that it is on track to achieve its targets. To support its environmental goals, the company said, in June of this year, it launched a new solar plant at its headquarters in Dubai, which will help it reduce its carbon emissions by over 300 tonnes, annually, in line with Dubai’s Carbon Abatement Strategy 2030.