Johnson Controls Celebrates 20 years of Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence in Wuxi

Advanced technologies and products continue to meet China's growing energy efficiency needs

WUXI, China, Dec. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — The engineering and manufacturing operations of Johnson Controls' Building Technologies & Solutions in Wuxi is celebrating 20 years of providing its customers with the right products and solutions for more comfortable and sustainable buildings. Leading industry experts, including Fan Gaoding, vice president of the China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association, Jin Jiawei, president of the Chinese Association of Refrigeration, and other industry partners of Johnson Controls recently joined the celebrations in Wuxi to mark this milestone.

"Over the last 20 years, we have progressively enhanced our manufacturing and engineering capabilities to ensure that we are at the forefront of cutting-edge technological developments in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry," said Darren Lam, vice president and managing director of Manufacturing and Technology, Johnson Controls Building Technologies & Solutions Asia. "Today's milestone reflects our commitment to employ our best-in-class engineering and manufacturing capabilities to serve our customers in China, Asia Pacific and the rest of the world."

Wuxi campus — a "glocalized" advanced engineering and manufacturing base

Established in 1996 with a few dozen employees, the Wuxi campus has since grown extensively into a modern engineering and manufacturing base with approximately 2,000 employees, including 600 R&D engineers. The Wuxi campus forms part of Johnson Controls' global supply chain and is engaged in manufacturing and engineering activities across Johnson Controls' comprehensive range of HVAC and control products on a global scale.

Close to 40 percent of Johnson Controls' global chiller engineers are based in the Asia Engineering Center in Wuxi. Output at the facility represents a quarter (23 percent) of Johnson Controls' global chiller business and almost half (45 percent) of its global centrifugal chiller business. The Wuxi campus has also successfully filed more than 170 technical patents since 2008.

In addition, the Wuxi campus is the first facility in China to adopt an information system in its manufacturing process that utilizes data analytics to maximize productivity. Additionally, there are exploratory initiatives in place around smart manufacturing to further optimize, transform and revolutionize the factory floors into progressive, smart innovation and manufacturing hubs using manufacturing intelligence and data analytics.

Raising energy efficiency standards in China

Johnson Controls has consistently pushed for improvements to energy efficiency standards and was the first to introduce efficiency standards around Integrated Part Load Value (IPLV) for chillers. The company was also appointed by the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) to develop standards for chillers used for industrial and commercial purposes. Its efforts were instrumental in encouraging the widespread adoption of low voltage variable frequency chillers within the industry.

"As an example, close to 40 percent of our customers with YORK branded centrifugal products have opted for a variable frequency chiller, which is more energy efficient than conventional chillers, compared to five percent 10 years ago," said Wu Song, vice president and managing director of Johnson Controls Building Technologies & Solutions China.

The company has also introduced new market applications, such as the use of heat pump technology to capture and convert waste heat into energy, reducing the use of coal and helping to relieve air pollution in China.

Today, products and technologies developed and manufactured by the Wuxi campus are installed at landmarks across China, including the Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest), Chengdu International Financial Square, and other landmarks around the world. Johnson Controls' new Asia Pacific headquarters located in Shanghai, which will be ready by June 22, 2017, is also equipped with cutting-edge innovations from the Wuxi campus, enabling it to achieve 44 percent in energy savings, 42 percent in water savings, and 21 percent in materials savings. When completed, the Johnson Controls' Asia Pacific headquarters will be a showcase for the products and solutions it delivers to customers all over the world. It is also a symbol of the company's commitment to the fast-growing region. Meanwhile, with plans for additional investments, the Wuxi campus will further cement its position as a leading global manufacturing and engineering hub of Johnson Controls.

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and multi industrial leader serving a wide range of customers in more than 150 countries. Our 135,000 employees create intelligent buildings, efficient energy solutions, integrated infrastructure and next generation transportation systems that work seamlessly together to deliver on the promise of smart cities and communities. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. We are committed to helping our customers win and creating greater value for all of our stakeholders through strategic focus on our buildings and energy growth platforms. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.

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