Daikin Industries, Ltd. will participate in a Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) project to support refrigerant conversion of air conditioning equipment in Thailand and will begin providing technical assistance to 12 local air conditioning manufacturers beginning from April 27, 2015.

With the intention of actively promoting support of emerging countries utilizing the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the executive committee of the Multilateral Fund granted approval for this project in December 2012.

In addition to protection of the ozone layer based on the Montreal Protocol, emerging countries have been quickening the pace for conversion to refrigerants with low impact on global warming. Thailand has been one of those countries and formulated a policy to complete conversion from conventional refrigerant HCFC22 to HFC32 (R32) by year 2017.

METI launched the project to provide support for refrigerant conversion in Thailand from the perspective of measures for the ozone layer and global warming as well as support of emerging countries based on a policy that provides not only financial aid to emerging countries for environmental measures but also technological support. The project objective is to enable Thai manufacturers to develop, manufacture, and sell air conditioning equipment that uses HFC32. Several companies, including Daikin, were approached for the project, and because Daikin was the first company in the world to adopt HFC32 in air conditioners its involvement in support of the project evolved to a central role.

In addition to basic knowledge, including refrigerant properties, and safety education for production facilities, Daikin provides guidance for installation and maintenance. Even after each local manufacturer has prepared production facilities for air conditioning equipment, Daikin will visit each local manufacturer individually and provide support corresponding to the company's progress. Daikin Industries (Thailand) Ltd.*1 will oversee overall schedule and planning support, and Siam Daikin Sales Co., Ltd.*2 will be responsible for guidance in installation and maintenance.

Having comprehensively examined the various aspects regarding HFC32, including impact to ozone layer, global warming, and safety, Daikin believes the new refrigerant is the most suitable refrigerant for residential and commercial use air conditioners and has exchanged information with United Nations organizations and each country of the world, provided technical information at seminars, and increased awareness of UN organizations and each country. In order to promote widespread use of HFC32, Daikin granted free access in September 2011 to developing countries for the "Basic Patent Essential to Manufacture and Sale of Air Conditioners Using HFC32" that Daikin possesses.

Efforts like these are regarded as a new type of Japanese contribution in the international community toward global warming measures, and being able to play a role in such efforts is considered to be extremely significant.

As the only manufacturer involved in development of both refrigerants and air conditioning equipment, Daikin will continue sharing essential information and providing technical assistance in such areas as the manufacture, installation, and servicing of refrigerant and air conditioning equipment as it endeavors to contribute to the mitigation of global warming by promoting alternative refrigerants with low impact on global warming.

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