MILWAUKEE — Johnson Controls has upgraded the testing lab facilities at its residential HVAC manufacturing plant in Wichita, Kansas. The nearly $15 million investment includes the addition of seven test chambers, automated testing and model shop equipment, and a new building, which adds 2,000 more square footage, bringing the plant’s total testing facilities to 100,000 square feet total.
The following lab updates optimize the testing process:
- Seven 20 x 60-foot test chambers
- A new automated heating lab and test stands
- Advanced model shop equipment
- A spacious transit table building with rain capabilities
“When visitors tour the lab, they are simply overwhelmed by the extensive steps that we take to ensure each and every system developed in the labs are tested to ensure performance and reliability,” said Doug Dorrough, director of lab operations, Johnson Controls. “The greater efficiency and unprecedented quality we can now achieve with this major investment will bring our premier products to market sooner and provide homeowners with enduring comfort and peace of mind.”
The upgrades coincide with new efficiency standards, including the 2023 Department of Energy (DOE) efficiency standards and environmental sustainability requirements, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) low-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant transition that will be required of all HVAC equipment manufactured by January 1, 2025. The expanded lab will better accommodate product development and testing schedules to ensure that each product meets or exceeds all requirements.
Johnson Controls will continue to invest in and expand the testing facilities in Wichita over the next several years with new equipment and additional facilities to accommodate new product development and testing.
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