Chinese giant air conditioning still skate in Brazil

One in every three air-conditioning devices sold worldwide in 2014 was manufactured by a company still practically unknown among residential consumers in Brazil. Founded in 1991, the Chinese Gree started as a factory without brand, with 200 employees and an annual production of less than 20 thousand units. Over the first quarter of this year with net sales of $ 3.55 billion and an army of eight thousand researchers — about 6% of company revenues are invested annually in research and development (P&D). Part of this transformation came about by the hands of Dong Mingzhu, 61 years for Executive who — at the end of this century — 100% of the world's population will use air conditioning.
Not a traditional device, as we know today, makes clear Dong, Gree CEO since 2004 and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company. "The concern with the environment is and as world leaders in global market sales of air conditioning, always thought about developing a device that uses energy and does not consume," said Dong to Brazil Economico, referring to the air-conditioned photovoltaic technology in the country's newly released. Designed to meet the demand of commercial centers, hotels, refrigerators and other large commercial establishments, the two models available in this country take advantage of solar energy with the goal of providing zero consumption users.
In Brazil, the Gree occupied last year a modest 17th place in the domestic market (excluding industrial air conditioning systems), according to data from the British consultancy Euromonitor. Was only 0.8% market share, against 1.1 percent in 2009. On the international stage, China has expanded its market share of 5.7% to 7.4% in the residential segment between 2009 and 2014, according to Euromonitor. Still continued in second place in the ranking, behind the Midea Group — another heavyweight Chinese which held 9% of sales of air conditioners at retail last year. Combined industrial and residential lines, the Gree is a leader. "Last year we sold 50 million air conditioners, a total market of 130 million handsets," said Ronald Wang, Deputy Director General of the Gree Brazil.
With products for sale in more than 200 countries, in 2001 inaugurated a Gree factory in the country, which begat even today r $ 2.5 billion in revenue, of which around r $ 1 billion were transformed into contributions and investments in P&D. "each year, 6% of our income are invested in research and development," said Ronald Wang, noting that this is a high percentage within the household appliance industry. In 2015, were created so far 11 new patents a day. This innovations add up to approximately 14 thousand patents already carried by 8,000 researchers from Gree, in 600 laboratories around the world. Only the development of the technology of air conditioning consumed two years of photovoltaic research and resulted in hundreds of new patents.
Asked about what are the most promising technologies in the refrigeration market, Dong preferred to be evasive: "Although we are the number one company, improve the air-conditioning, introduce innovations, is a way to keep the market open for us," responded with a cordial smile, the Executive elected in 2005 one of the most powerful women in business by Fortune magazine. "
Data from a research published in the journal of the American Academy of Sciences (PNAS), performed by researchers at the University of California, estimated that the use of air-conditioning will jump from the landing of 13% of the world's population to 70% in 2100. Dong is more optimistic: "we will have 100% of homes with air conditioning," he said. In Gree since its founding, the Executive — who studied statistics and worked for 15 years in a Research Institute — does not rule out the installation of a second factory in Brazil. "If the Gree to become even more popular in the country, it is very likely that we have a new plant in the country," said Dong Mingzhu, who at the end of March announced the launch of the first smartphone from Gree within six months.