LG, a global technology leader in consumer electronics and home appliances, is looking to further boost its sales and presence in the region in line with its goal of gaining a leadership position in the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) market.

Towards this end, the company has recently launched a range of HVAC solutions for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. The products include the fourth-generation Multi V VRF (variable refrigerant flow) solution, R410A inverter single package, a ceiling duct, ceiling cassette and ceiling suspended air-conditioning products.

“LG’s fourth-generation Multi V VRF series is the company’s most advanced commercial HVAC solution, which we launched in the MEA region at the end of last year,” said Rasik Panchal, sales manager HVAC division.

“Since launching the first series of Multi V VRF system in January 2008, we have never looked back. The UAE government’s drive towards energy-efficient systems, guided by Estidama (in Abu Dhabi) and Green Building Regulations (in Dubai), has immensely boosted the demand for VRF systems,” he added.

LG has supplied its third-generation of Multi V systems in the region for projects of major business entities such as Wasl (Jumeirah Retail Development, Dar Al Wasl and Maktoum Hospital redevelopment), Emirates (Emirates Aviation College and Emirates cargo facilities), Baniyas Investment and Development (Bawabat Al Sharq – 23 buildings and 129 villas), in the UAE and many more.

According to Panchal, the commercial and residential segment comprising educational institutions, residential buildings and villas, municipality projects account for the bulk of LG’s sales in the region.

He further stated that LG’s competitive edge lies in providing innovative, green and sustainable products backed by a strong engineering support infrastructure.

Among such products are the DX systems, which have been the mainstay for LG for long. “The unique selling points (USPs) of our products like Multi V VRF system and other eco-friendly inverter-based machines, have been their low power consumption coupled with good part load efficiency; impressive co-efficient of performance (COP) and integrated energy efficiency; and high-pressure oil return (HiPORTM) system and upgraded fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) module that provides incredible reliability and ease of maintenance,” said Panchal.

The company has also been proactive in developing and promoting green solutions in the sector. “Going forward, LG has consciously taken a strategic decision to transform the technology platform to the inverter-based eco-friendly gas (R410A) HVAC system,” he said.

These initiatives, backed by its extensive sales efforts, are part of its strategy to position itself it among the leaders in the sector.

“Since last year, we have been aggressively working towards increasing our sales in the chiller segment. By 2016, LG plans to be among the most preferred brands for chillers too,” Panchal said, adding that the company plans to strengthen its infrastructure in this division, increase the number of certified installers to further the value of its solutions and continue to build a strong reputation in this business unit.

The Gulf is an important and growing market for LG. According to Panchal, sales of CAC (central air-conditioners) products to the region have risen from four per cent of LG’s total global sales of these products in 2012-2013 to six per cent in the last financial year that ended in March.

Apart from sales and after-sales support for its products, LG also has a CAC Academy in Jebel Ali, Dubai, which focuses on imparting in-depth knowledge on its HVAC products. This includes training on products, installation as well as service and troubleshooting. A team of well-trained service and commissioning engineers provide extensive support to customers and distributors.

In addition to air-conditioning solutions, LG Electronics offers a wide choice of home electronics and home appliances, including its new products such as Sapience, a large-capacity top-loading washing machine and the world’s first curved OLED (organic light-emitting diodes) TV.