Hitachi upgrades Kadi design facility

Hitachi Home and Life Solutions India Ltd (HHLI), a subsidiary of Hitachi Home and Life Solutions Incorporations, Japan, has upgraded its design and development facility in Kadi to create a design hub for its domestic and international customers.

The facility, housed in the Kadi plant, will develop third generation air-conditioners and cooling solutions for countries in middle-east, Africa, Latin America and other global markets, in addition to the domestic market.

The centre is recognised by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research of the ministry of science and technology.

"The facility is a testament to Hitachi's technological commitment to its customers and a promise of increasingly better products in the future. Hitachi wishes to continuously introduce innovative products, so that the next generation enjoy a superior lifestyle," said Akira Kamitani, managing director, Hitachi. The ISO 9001:2000-certified Hitachi plant at Kadi is one of the seven Hitachi room air-conditioners factories worldwide.

The company in India has a total installed capacity of 2.5 lakh units. Hitachi has been keeping ahead of the competition in the competitive air-conditioners industry on the back of its strength to deliver value to the consumers through constant innovations and quality products.

The Kadi plant boasts of state-of-the-art testing facilities and the company has invested more than Rs 5 crore in setting up the laboratories.

These laboratories are calibrated to follow the Hitachi Tochigi Inspection Standards, which are one of the most stringent in the world. The laboratories include the anechoic laboratories and psychometric laboratories, which are probably one of their kinds in India.

The company has been expanding its exports in SAARC, middle east, African and Latin American countries rapidly. Last year its exports grew by 500 per cent. The company targets to increase the exports to 25,000 units this year with a 188 per cent growth in this half-year ended September 2004.

Hitachi's market share in India currently stands at 10 per cent of the organised sector. Hitachi intends to increase this share to about 15 per cent in the next two years.

The organised air conditioners market in India is estimated at over Rs 2,200 crore and is growing at over 15 per cent per annum.

The company also has its OEM manufacturing units at Jammu and Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh. The company, with 14 branch offices, has nationwide sales, distribution and service network.