SPECIAL REPORT: Air conditioning: The category evolves hand in hand with Inverter technology

With the market completely occupied by hot and cold models, the category continues to promote Inverter technology, which has among its most important benefits savings in energy consumption, while providing, at the same time, more efficient operation.

Samsung

Samsung's hot/cold inverter line incorporates the Turbo function that operates at the highest fan speed before decreasing it and reaches the desired temperature in the shortest possible time. It has a washable HD filter that traps dust particles and allergens, such as pollen, mold spores, and pet dander.

The Inverter models come with Sleep mode, which controls the temperature of the room to keep it comfortable at night, and the 2-Way Auto Swing function, which generates a homogeneous temperature in all corners. The air flow is automatically controlled and the air, cold or hot, it is distributed further and in all directions. Users can save on energy use thanks to Digital Inverter technology, which maintains a constant temperature without the need to frequently turn the equipment on and off and reducing fluctuations. In addition, it uses powerful magnets and a silencer, providing quieter operation and greater durability with lower energy consumption.

With ECO mode it is possible to keep the environment cool while saving energy, as it uses less compressor capacity compared to Normal mode, which reduces consumption. This feature is ideal for efficiently cooling the environment when it's not too hot outside or simply to save energy and money.

LED AREAS ON

Aires del Sur offers a complete line of air conditioning, with 3500 watt portable air conditioners with Wi Fi; two window models of 3500 and 5300 watts; splits from 2600 to 6900 watts, both Inverter and On-Off; the Black air conditioners with mirrored front, Inverter technology, Wi Fi and special filters and, in the Light Commercial line, the cassette, low silhouette and floor-ceiling models in 5 and 6 TN. The Commercial line serves projects with VRF and Rooftops products.

Diego Calomarde Marketing Director of Aires del Sur

“Last year we increased
2.5 participation points”

Diego Calomarde, Marketing Director of Aires del Sur, estimated that in 2023 the market closed with an increase of 15% over the previous year, even with the usual uncertainty of an election year.

“For Aires del Sur it was a magnificent period, since we managed to climb to fourth place in the ranking, increasing 2.5 participation points,” he added. "Thanks to our purchasing policy, we continued selling when most terminals withheld merchandise. That gave us a final push to achieve share. This year started very slow, but after 6 months we see a reactivation. All clients are trying to get products thinking about the coming season, but I believe that the market is going to shrink by 30%.

Calomarde added that Aires del Sur has an atypical behavior in terms of mix in a market that shows a greater tendency towards On-Off products. “Perhaps because of our status as specialists, our mix is 50% Inverter,” he said. "Surely due to the brand awareness of our brands, Electra and Fedders, we have 30% concentrated in high capacities, when the market has 20%. The heating function has become a must in the industry, it is important during the cold season and functions such as Wi-Fi and special filters help to make rational use of the service rates.

Diego Calomarde, Marketing Director of Aires del Sur, estimated that in 2023 the market closed with an increase of 15% over the previous year, even with the usual uncertainty of an election year.

“For Aires del Sur it was a magnificent period, since we managed to climb to fourth place in the ranking, increasing 2.5 participation points,” he added. "Thanks to our purchasing policy, we continued selling when most terminals withheld merchandise. That gave us a final push to achieve share. This year started very slow, but after 6 months we see a reactivation. All clients are trying to get products thinking about the season coming, but I consider that the market is going to shrink by 30%.

Calomarde added that Aires del Sur has an atypical behavior in terms of mix in a market that shows a greater tendency towards On-Off products. “Perhaps because of our status as specialists, our mix is 50% Inverter,” he said. "Surely due to the brand awareness of our brands, Electra and Fedders, we have 30% concentrated in high capacities, when the market has 20%. The heating function has become a must in the industry, it is important during the cold season and functions such as Wi-Fi and special filters help to make rational use of the service rates.

Philco

The PHIN35HA3BN Inverter air conditioner, from Philco, has A++ efficiency; FollowMe, Turbo Smart and Sleep functions; LED display with power off option; intelligent self-diagnosis; Golden Fin technology; ecological refrigerant R410a; multifunction remote control; dehumidifier; washable filters; Programmable timer, 3550 watt capacity and automatic air sweep.

The On-Off PHS32HA3AN, with energy efficiency class A, comes with ecological refrigerant R410a; multifunction remote control; dehumidifier; Sleep function; programmable timer; automatic air sweep; washable filters and hidden display.

Diego Gorali, Head HVAC and Construction Materials at Newsan

“We believe that this is going to be
a very competitive season”

From Newsan, Diego Gorali, described last season as excellent, with a manufacturing level of more than 1.5 million units. “This year began with low expectations due to the December devaluation, which in principle made products more expensive in relation to salaries,” he added. "Added to this was the interest rate, which was around 10% per month, but all of that began to reverse as the months went by. The salary was recomposed, the interest rate collapsed until it reached 3% per month, the installments returned and, consequently, demand was also reactivated. The current gap between the value of the official dollar and that of financial dollars It makes the consumer perceive all durable goods as a good alternative to dollarization, which, as a result, drives consumption even further.

Analyzing consumer behavior, Gorali recalled that demand outside of the summer season remains very firm, especially due to the low temperatures we are having and also considering that all the split models offered on the market are already hot and cold.

“Inverter technology also maintains its upward penetration trend and currently reaches almost 50% market share,” he concluded.

From Newsan, Diego Gorali, described last season as excellent, with a manufacturing level of more than 1.5 million units. “This year began with low expectations due to the December devaluation, which in principle made products more expensive in relation to salaries,” he added. "Added to this was the interest rate, which was around 10% per month, but all that began to reverse as the months went by. The salary was recomposed, the interest rate collapsed until it reached 3% per month, the installments returned and, consequently, demand was also reactivated. The current gap between the value of the official dollar and that of financial dollars makes the consumer perceive all durable goods as a good alternative to dollarization, which which, as a result, drives consumption even further.

Analyzing consumer behavior, Gorali recalled that demand outside of the summer season remains very firm, especially due to the low temperatures we are having and also considering that all the split models offered on the market are already hot and cold.

“Inverter technology also maintains its upward penetration trend and currently reaches almost 50% market share,” he concluded.

WHIRLPOOL

The Whirlpool WBC09AAB On-Off 3400-watt conditioner has Sixth Sense, Swing and Power Saber modes; ecological refrigerant R410a; multifunction remote control; LED display with power off option; Sleep, Follow Me and Turbo functions; programmable timer; efficiency A; Washable HD filters and dehumidifier.

The Inverter models WBC22AJM, 6,000 watts, and WBC12AJM, 3,300 watts, share these characteristics: A++ energy efficiency; Sixth Sense, Power Saber and Swing modes; ecological refrigerant R410a; multifunction remote control; Sleep, Turbo and Follow Me functions; programmable timer; LED display with power off option; Washable HD filters and dehumidifier. The finish is matte white.

Newsan incorporated the Whirlpool brand to its portfolio of split conditioners with a wide line in all capacities, both On-Off and Inverter. As confirmed by Diego Gorali Head HVAC and Construction Materials, Newsan now has more than 40% market share with the manufacturing, sales and distribution of Philco, Noblex, Siam, Sansei, Hisense and, now, Whirlpool.

JOHNSON CONTROLS

Johnson Controls presents in Argentina the Hitachi SET FREE MINI VRF system, with variable refrigerant technology that combines energy efficiency with comfort and installation flexibility. Outdoor units save space, withstand high external static pressure and allow a wide combination of indoor units. “With this system, we offer an energy efficient solution and unprecedented installation flexibility,” said Mariano Bruno, Commercial Manager of Johnson Controls in Argentina.

The system includes intelligent defrost, a noise reduction mode and operates efficiently even in extreme conditions, from 52°C in cooling to -20°C in heating. It works silently and with R-410A refrigerant, friendly to the environment. It has 3-minute compressor protection, multi-speed fan, automatic diagnosis and restart, remote control with 5 operating modes, child lock setting, extra flat indoor unit with an elegant design that integrates perfectly into any environment and is ideal for large, residential and commercial environments. It is available in versions of 9,000, 15,000 and 18,000 frigories with double cooling and heating functions, class A consumption and capacities of 36-55 MBH – 380V / 3Ph / 5 Hz.

KANJIHOME

Fag Sistems offers Inverter air conditioners of 5300 and 6900 watts and On-Off air conditioners of 2600 and 3200 watts. They also have in the line the industrial floor-ceiling On-Off models of 15,000 and 18,000 watts and a 15,000-watt Inverter model. This year they added portable conditioners to the catalog. There are three models of 2650, 3650 and 5000 watts. The largest comes with the option of managing it remotely, from your cell phone, and comes with all the accessories for installation. All products have silent operation and a 12-month warranty.

According to NIQ GfK, air conditioning is in position 9 of the 10 categories that account for 63.6% of the units sold. When the analysis is done by amounts, within these 10 categories, which account for 80.4% of the generated billing, air conditioning is ranked 3rd.

YORK

YORK highlights its line of floor-to-ceiling equipment. “Our equipment meets the highest energy efficiency ratings and quality standards and provides lower energy consumption without sacrificing performance,” said Daniel Sandoval González, Marketing Manager. “They are perfect units for large residential and commercial spaces and are available in versions of 9,000, 15,000 and 18,000 frigories with dual functions of cold and heat, class A consumption and capacities of 36-55 MBH – 380V/ 3Ph / 5 Hz.

YORK also offers multi split air conditioners designed to cool multiple rooms simultaneously. These systems can include up to five internal evaporator units, all connected to a single condenser. The cooling principle of the multi split is the same as that of an individual split, but with the advantage of efficiently air conditioning multiple spaces from a single outdoor unit.

Mariano Villacampa, Commercial Manager at Radio Victoria Argentina for Hitachi

Hitachi aims for growth in share, with a competitive On-Off and Inverter line

“The fall-winter season generated a good sales volume, with spot operations from April onwards,” said Villacampa. "This gives us optimism for the second semester, in which we are going to work with the new On-Off and Inverter lines, focusing on continuing to grow in share. Hitachi is recognized for the quality, design and efficiency of its products. We estimate that 2024 will end around 900,000 units, our objective is to continue growing and the programming stage has already been launched, with deliveries starting in September." Hitachi has a complete residential line where 60% of its offer is made up of Inverter equipment, and 40% On-Off, in all its capacities. According to Villacampa, Inverter continues to gain participation and is betting that financing for the purchase of equipment with greater energy efficiency, and the impact of electricity rates, will be motivators for consumers to renew their air equipment. Regarding demand, Villacampa said that in the On-Off segment they focus on equipment with fewer frigories and in Inverter, greater capacities are sought to guarantee savings in consumption, while those with more than 3,000 frigories are sought by small and medium-sized businesses, to replace floor-to-ceiling models without sacrificing comfort or energy efficiency.

SPECIAL REPORT: Air conditioning: The category evolves hand in hand with Inverter technology

Category

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Last issue #177