ASHRAE Journal - July 2010 - 6

Left: Stating the obvious, China is a quickly growing market for many HVAC&R industry suppliers. For fans and motors manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg, China is now its second biggest market. Right: All exhibitors at trade fairs look for ways to stand out from the competition. At CR Expo with its 1,000 exhibitors, one Chinese firm hired students to promote visits to its stand.

China Aims for Cutting Edge
ment wants to change, says Kenneth J. DeWoskin, chairman of Deloitte’s China Research and Insight Center. “Moving forward another 10 years, it’s hard to see how viable Chinese companies will be if they just stay in China.” Through tax breaks and subsidies, China has embraced what it calls “a going out strategy,” backing BEIJING—Except for the Chinese characters, visitors walking firms seeking to buy foreign businesses, snap up natural resources through the 2010 edition of China Refrigeration Expo could or expand their footprint overseas. As one Chinese AC industry well think they were at the AHR Expo in Orlando. The days of official said, “We strive for made with China not made in China.” makeshift displays with quickly hung posters filling a 4 m by 3 One strategy is to earn certifications. m (13 ft by 10 ft) space are long gone. Island exhibits, doubleSteve Yurek, president of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, deckers, and 12 m or 16 m (39 ft or 52 ft) long stands dominate and Refrigeration Institute, says there is a clear push towards the show floor. More than half of the 40,000 validation of energy efficiency. plus visitors came looking for components “Chinese companies are seeking certification rather than products for the end-user market, a from AHRI to distinguish themselves from characteristic of shows focused on refrigeration competition in China and other parts of Asia. and cooling technologies. If they want to bid on higher-end projects like The 21st CR Expo, held here April 7 to 9, hotels and hospitals, then, AHRI product certicovered an exhibition area of 80 000 m2 (861, fication is often a must.” 113 ft2) with slightly more than 1,000 exhibitors Barbara Morrison, AMCA International’s from 33 countries. The show’s success reflects executive director, sees the same trend. “Chinese that China has become the world’s largest companies are looking at product certification producer of refrigeration and air-conditioning to help them gain an equal footing with foreign Representatives of the Chiequipment and the second-largest consuming companies.” AMCA has 75 member companies nese distributor for Italian market. Choosing the slogan “Stay on the Cutin Asia. Forty-two manufacturers from Pacific company Dorin say their ting Edge of the Industry, Make Contributions Rim countries have AMCA-certified products. company offers more than 70 to Low-Carbon Emission Energy,” show orgaTo provide its testing, AMCA cooperates with the semihermetic compressors nizers hope to position China at the center of China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry ranging from 0.4 hp to 150 technology trends and to win respect globally. Association and has agreements with independent hp for HFCs and HCFCs. Last year, China overtook Germany to become testing laboratories in Singapore and South Korea. the world’s largest exporter, and this year surpassed Japan as Zhejiang Yilida Ventilator Company, “Wind Follow Me,” is an the world’s number two economy. AMCA member in China. Company president Zhang Qizhong The 34 Chinese companies on the Fortune 500 list basically says, “China now has the opportunity to enter the world economy, operate in China only, but that is something the Chinese govern- relying on perfect management, leading technology and excellent

Refrigeration Show Reflects China’s ‘Going Out Strategy’

ASHRAE Journal

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July 2010

ASHRAE Journal - July 2010

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