Beijing, China -- (SBWire) -- 08/03/2010 -- Japan is an overlord in household air-conditioner field worldwide thanks to its most advanced technology in the core upstream component--compressor. Many Japanese enterprises, including Daikin, Hitachi, Panasonic, Toshiba, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Electric, are the key players in compressor industry. As such, American enterprises still have competitive strength in high-power air-conditioning compressor industry, represented by Carrier, Trane, Copeland and York. Accordingly, the automotive air-conditioner field is dominated by Japanese enterprises and American counterparts.
Denso continues its leading role in the sector. Together with Toyota Industries, which is the largest manufacturer of automotive air-conditioning compressor in the world, the collective market share of the two surpasses one third of the total. Automotive air-conditioner or compressor products of Denso have been used by the world’s well-known automakers. At the early stage, Denso built massive business in compressor sector. After 2000, Denso began to transfer compressor business to Toyota Industries and focus on the design and sales of the whole system of air-conditioners. Besides, Denso cooperated with Toyota Industries to establish compressor base in overseas country. And Toyota Industries holds always as high as 65% shares of the project. Toyota Industries only produces compressor.
The auto air-conditioner technology of Valeo stems from ZEXEL which originated from DKK. As the biggest producer of diesel fuel injection in Asia, DKK was founded in 1939 with its technology from Bosch. In 2000, ZEXEL was purchased by Bosch, and Bosch only retained diesel injection business and it sold in 2005 its compressor business to Valeo with €100 million. Since then, the joint venture had become the wholly-owned subsidiary of Valeo. Although the compressor business is not its core operation, ZEXEL still boasts the exceedingly excellent compressor technology.
About 70% revenue of Calsonic Kansei, a membership of Nissan Group, comes from Nissan which holds 32% shares of the company. Calsonic Kansei originally cooperated with Harrison (affiliated to Delphi Corporation) to produce auto air-conditioning compressor, and later acquired compressor business of NSK, which has gained favor from BMW due to its state-of-the-art technology. In particular, BMW contributes more than 70% to revenue of NSK from compressor business. Yet, NSK rests its core business with timing equipments. It is beyond doubt that Calsonic Kansei becomes the supplier of BMW after the acquisition.
Keihin, a carburetor giant, has also made remarkable achievements in compressor sector. In spite of not being compared with the three leading manufacturers aforementioned, Keihin has developed exceedingly loyal clients after years’ cooperation with Toyota. Additionally, there has JCS, an up-rising star co-funded by Mazda, Visteon and Panasonic. JCS is expected to witness a bright prospect since it has reliable customers like Mazda and Ford.
Although it is in hardship, Delphi Corp. never tends to quit its core business – automotive thermal system. As the former world’s largest manufacturer of auto air-conditioning compressor, Delphi Corp. has long teamed up with Harrison to produce compressors. As an enterprise with 100-year history, Harrison has won a host of faithful customers including Fiat, PSA and Renault apart from its VIP client--GM.
Visteon shares a slice of pie in auto air conditioner field by its role as a share holder of Halla Climate Control Corp. Similar to Delphi Corp, Visteon also concentrates on its automotive thermal system business and has no intention to quit auto air conditioner business. Moreover, Visteon has obtained over 60% auto air conditioner business from Hyundai by relying on Halla Group.
Being short of technology support, Behr, a German enterprise, joins hands with the second largest air-conditioning compressor manufacturer in Japan - Sanden to offset its demerit. In general, the air-conditioner system of Behr employs the compressor produced by Sanden. In recent two years, Behr has been to the bad ceaselessly while the profit of Sanden dropped not so much.
Chinese manufacturers are professional in after-sale maintenance market, which makes China be the largest maintenance base of automotive air-conditioning compressors around the globe. Chinese manufacturers feature high output, low unit price and slim profit; while the German enterprises are powerful in coach air-conditioner compressor, represented by BITZER which almost monopolizes the market.
HEV (Hybrid Electrical Vehicle) air conditioner is likely to be the development tendency of automotive air-conditioner business. The main difference between HEV and traditional automobile lies in driving energy, which requires the driving mode of air-conditioning compressors to be modified. Currently, the leading enterprises in HEV air-conditioner compressors are Sanden and Toyota Industries.
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Global and China Automotive Air Conditioner Industry Report, 2009-2010