Kirloskar Copeland sells 1 lakh compressors

Pune: Kirloskar Copeland, a joint venture of Kirloskar Brothers and Copeland Corp, US, has sold a record 100,000 eco-friendly compressors using R134a refrigerant. This makes us the first Indian company to achieve this landmark, company managing director K Taranath said at a press meet here.

The company has also developed the first hydrocarbon refrigerant compatible compressor in the country, which it has developed for three of its models. This makes it the only Indian company to date, which is in readiness to comply with both US and European standards on refrigerant use.

Kirloskar Copeland, which was the first to make CFC-free compressors in India in 1996, has converted its entire range of 18 models of compressors to work with R134a refrigerant, and has achieved a market share of 90 per cent in this segment, in the country.

The company expects to make the next 100,000 eco-friendly compressors within a years time, gearing itself well to meet the deadline imposed by the Montreal protocol. According to the protocol, all equipment need to stop the use of ozone-depleting chloro-fluro carbon gases such as R12 by 2010.

The company is also planning the manufacture of a limited range of Copeland scroll compressors in the 2.5 tonne to 7 tonne range. Of late, it has begun selling the entire range of Copeland scroll compressors in India. While both the joint venture partners are examining the economics of putting up such a venture - in view of the numbers and market potential - it is likely to come up in two to three years time. The company estimates an investment of Rs 50 crore in the new project.

The company closed year 2000-01 with a turnover of Rs 237 crore. The current year is likely to see a small rise in growth despite the industry being on the downtrend, said Taranath.