Daikin Industries, Ltd. has invested in Advanced Composite Corporation, a manufacturer of metal matrix composite materials, by underwriting a capital increase through a third-party allocation of shares.
Advanced Composite is a startup that develops and manufactures composite materials with strengths in metal matrix composite materials, primarily aluminium-based, and metal joining technology.
Since 2019, Daikin’s Technology and Innovation Centre and Production Engineering Centre have been collaborating with Advanced Composite to improve the performance of compressors, a key component in HVACR (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) equipment.
From its aluminium composite materials, Advanced Composite is able to achieve strength comparable to that of cast iron while maintaining the lightweight property of aluminum.
In addition, the company's molten metal forging technology (a processing method in which semi-molten metal is shaped by applying pressure) enables low-cost production of aluminium composite materials.
Daikin is working with Advanced Composite to apply this material to compressor parts since a reduction in the weight of them would help lower power consumption during air conditioner operation and contribute to energy savings for HVACR products.
On 1 July, 2024, Daikin established its Production Engineering Centre to accelerate innovation in production technology by performing advanced development for factory innovation to improve the efficiency of production processes, differentiation of construction methods, and labour savings. Through this investment, Daikin will strengthen its collaboration with Advanced Composite and aim to apply materials with unique properties, such as aluminium composite materials, to its products through joint development, while accelerating efforts to develop differentiated technologies for HVACR products.
In November 2019, Daikin established the CVC Office in its Technology and Innovation Centre to promote collaboration with startups in order to develop new technologies and provide advanced solutions.
It has since invested in over 20 companies in Japan and overseas. In moving forward, Daikin will continue to globally build strong relationships with new partners in various fields and accelerate its open innovation.