NEW YORK — There is nothing like a grand opening on Broadway — and, on such occasions, rarely is the HVAC industry cast in a starring role.

That changed recently as “Air Stage,” Fujitsu General America Inc.’s Solution Center, officially opened on 1450 Broadway in the heart of Times Square in New York, just a short walk from the Empire State Building.

“We started planning almost a year ago,” said Tomokazu Hosoi, director of business development for Fujitsu. “New York has enormous potential for VRF [variable refrigerant flow] due to its high energy costs and high-rise building landscape. We wanted to expand our presence in this market.”

The new 1,600-square-foot location on the 42^nd floor was conceived and designed as a learning and sharing center where contractors, architects, engineers, building owners, and others can come together to collaborate and share experiences.

“In regards to the facility here, our goal is to fill it every week,” said Matt Peterson, COO and president, Fujitsu. “It’s a gorgeous facility. We can do training, presentations, and utilize this beautiful area in Times Square.”

The showroom displays Fujitsu products for both commercial and residential heating and cooling systems. The space is also an educational center where colleagues from the HVAC industry can participate in seminars, in-depth training, and design consultations.

With the impressive growth the VRF business has seen in the last few years, Fujitsu is excited in VRF’s development potential.

“We believe very heavily in the VRF business. It’s a huge, growing segment of the industry,” Peterson said. “The ductless business is growing at 15-20 percent annually. Our industry is growing by double digits every year, and VRF is growing faster than that. We are continuing to invest in both the commercial and residential sides of the business. On the VRF side, we will be introducing new products and looking at acquiring products from other manufacturers to help us fill product gaps and expand in that way.”

Sean Boyer, director of sales for VRF systems, Fujitsu, said VRF continues to evolve into a major player.

“VRF has really emerged in the commercial HVAC market as building owners are realizing the long-term savings associated with these systems,” he said. “Our vision for visitors is to experience the wide range of solutions and support that Fujitsu can offer.”

For those interested in scheduling a visit to the AirStage at the Fujitsu General Solutions Center, visit www.theairstage.com.

Publication date: 11/23/2016

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