Waller County, Texas, hosts Daikin’s world-class manufacturing campus, consolidating manufacturing, engineering, logistics, marketing, and sales under one roof.
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst and State Representative Tom Oliverson honored the company’s contributions to Texas through infrastructure investment and job creation. They presented resolutions honoring its efforts.
Manufacturing
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning manufacturer Daikin Industries announced it had opened a four million-square-foot manufacturing facility outside Houston with a state-of-the-art business campus costing $417 million in Waller County that brings engineering, production, and logistics under one roof – providing energy-efficient home and commercial heating/cooling products under the Daikin, Goodman, and Amana brands to Waller County residents.
This new plant features a production line capable of manufacturing up to 50 VRV units per hour. The first unit rolled off the line during a ceremony attended by local politicians and employees. Takeshi Ebisu, CEO of Goodman Global Group, said this significant investment demonstrates their confidence in their employees, customers, partners, and the state of Texas.
At this facility, the company also houses its training department. At Texas Technology Park, engineers and other employees will receive ongoing technical training courses; technical seminars and practices will be specifically designed to help customers increase the efficiency of their HVAC systems.
Ebisu noted that Houston is an integral market for the heating and ventilation business as it continues to experience rapid expansion with access to a highly skilled labor force. Alongside training, Ebisu supports residents through employment and offers internship opportunities to students from the Waller Independent School District. They even provided free welding classes for Waller Independent School District high schoolers! “Houston area is an essential market for our heating and ventilation business,” according to Ebisu. “Regions like this provide access to highly trained workforce.”
Businesses are creatively employing technology to increase efficiency in their operations and provide better products at lower costs, increasing competitiveness while keeping customer satisfaction high. Doing this also allows companies to build stronger brand identities in their marketplace.
Research & Development
Goodman Global Group’s Daikin, Goodman, and Amana brands of indoor heating and cooling systems and refrigerants will be produced here at its state-of-the-art business campus near Waller County near Houston. This project represents their most significant investment over four decades.
This 4.2 million-square-foot facility is the world’s largest tilt-up concrete building and houses office, lab, manufacturing, distribution, and other spaces under one roof. The design and construction of this facility required a combination of advanced engineering techniques, cutting-edge materials, and technologies.
Daikin has taken steps to meet its growing need for innovative solutions by expanding its research and development capacities while creating new products with enhanced energy efficiency and environmental performance. Furthermore, service specialists work closely with customers to provide tailored solutions to individual requirements.
Daikin air conditioning units are designed to offer superior comfort, performance, and efficiency over their long lifespans. Daikin technicians are knowledgeable in handling all air conditioners and are experts at diagnosing potential issues within any given unit. They are well-equipped to repair or replace parts and address customers’ concerns about their team. This makes Daikin an outstanding choice among customers worldwide.
Daikin is the world’s leading indoor heating and cooling system manufacturer, holding an approximate market share of 40% globally. Additionally, Daikin boasts the world’s largest HVAC manufacturing organization and distribution network and one of the broadest product portfolios available today. Daikin purchased Goodman Global Group in 2012 to become America’s most significant domestic HVAC/R company.
Daikin’s commitment to producing top-quality air conditioning systems has made them the premier choice among customers across the U.S. and beyond, drawing them in with flexible financing programs designed to simplify buying air conditioners. Daikin is committed to investing in its U.S. operations, with this project set to increase manufacturing jobs and job creation in Texas.
Marketing & Sales
Daikin Texas Technology Park is a $417 million state-of-the-art business campus that houses research and development, engineering, logistics, marketing, and sales functions all under one roof. Situated near Houston in Waller County outside Houston, Texas, is a testament to Goodman CEO Takeshi Ebisu’s pledge to expand the HVAC sales business within America.
The facility is the world’s largest tilt-up concrete building and includes offices, labs, and manufacturing spaces spread over 4 million square feet. Anchored by a 4.2 million-square-foot distribution center, the second-largest manufacturing facility in North America, construction began in March 2015 and should employ more than 4,000 people when completed.
Plans of Daikin include installing a showroom that will enable consumers to see products made at its plant in person – this new initiative will play an integral part in strengthening its brand. Daikin also plans to create an online portal that will simplify locating and purchasing their HVAC equipment for consumers, helping people quickly find what suits their homes or businesses best.
One testament to their commitment to expanding business in America can be found in their recent announcement that they plan on hiring over 5,000 American workers over the next three years, marking an unprecedented expansion in workforce size for them and meeting customer demand while investing further in manufacturing capabilities.
Expanding its plant in Houston is expected to bolster its presence throughout the nation as well as contribute to regional economic development by creating thousands of jobs. The company selected this area due to its advanced heating and cooling industry, rapid population growth, and access to a highly skilled local workforce.
Doug Widenmann, senior vice president of North American Goodman, Quietflex, and PTAC Sales & Distribution, will report directly to Taka Inoue as executive vice president and chief sales & marketing officer. Current North America Goodman Business Unit Sales & Distribution Brad Snyder will step down but continue as an advisor; Ardee Toppe will then report directly to Inoue as his replacement.
Logistics
Daikin Texas Technology Park (DTTP), one of North America’s most technologically advanced HVAC manufacturing plants, represents a tremendous economic asset to the Houston area. This massive business campus unifies engineering, logistics, marketing, and sales activities for Goodman and Daikin unitary heating and cooling products into one convenient place – creating over 5,000 jobs in Houston’s economy!
DTTP was built with collaboration in mind; engineers collaborate directly with manufacturing teams to design new units and introduce them into production quickly and efficiently, shortening lead times and becoming more responsive to customers’ needs. It features the world’s most extensive tilt-up construction building encompassing a distribution center, manufacturing wing, lab wing, and modular central plant — and an office wing to support them all.
DBR experts were brought in to manage this ambitious project, overseeing its design and engineering of critical systems in each part of the building. For example, a distribution center requires an intricate refrigeration system, while manufacturing requires robust HVAC for equipment pits and ductwork. Meanwhile, laboratory operations needed complex process utilities supporting chemical-based operations, while the office space provided technical training as well as support services.
As well as HVAC needs, the DTTP requires large quantities of water and gas and an extensive stormwater management system. DBR used its experience to design an onsite sewage treatment system to treat wastewater while providing a partial irrigation source. It then feeds its effluent into an earthen holding tank for later use.
DBR oversaw the installation of a water tower to store and pump water to its facility, helping minimize potable water consumption and consequently cutting utility costs by more than 40 percent.
DTTP was constructed on a greenfield site in Waller County, just a short drive from Goodman’s leading plant and with easy access to two major highways. According to Michelle Jack, senior vice president of projects for Daikin Industries, Waller County’s ample land and lack of floodplains were critical considerations in selecting its location; also cited was its workforce as another benefit of its new campus.
